1.Hello please introduce yourself to the readers?
ON THIS RELEASE, MY ALIAS IS BLACK PHIL- VOCALIST & LYRICIST FOR PENTAGOATCROSS.
2.When did you first discover Metal music and what is it about this genre that drew you in and keeps you here and active?
THE VERY FIRST TIME I DISCOVERED METAL MUSIC WAS SEEING KISS ON THE COVER OF A MAGAZINE.
I WAS JUST A 5 YEAR OLD KID. WHEN I FINALLY HEARD THEM, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THEIR SOUND. I SAW PHOTOS OF GENE SIMMONS LIVE SPITTING OUT BLOOD AND FIRE BREATHING!! AND WHEN I FINALLY HEARD THEM, I WAS EXPECTING A HEAVIER SOUND AND MONSTER-LIKE VOCALS. BUT, HE JUST SOUNDED LIKE A BLACK GUY. OF COURSE, I STILL BOUGHT THEIR TAPES LATER AND THEY WON ME OVER AS A FAN.
3.Who were the first bands that you listened to?Who are some of the current bands that have caught your attention?
ONE DAY, MY DAD BOUGHT A SHOEBOX FULL OF 8-TRACK TAPES TO PLAY ON HIS CAR STEREO. IT WAS MOSTLY A BUNCH OF MEXICAN MUSIC, BUT THERE WAS AC/DC- “IF YOU WANT BLOOD, WE GOT IT”.
WHAT DREW MY ATTENTION WAS THE STICKER COVER ART ON THE CARTRIDGE, SHOWING ANGUS YOUNG BEING IMPALED BY HIS A GUITAR AND BLOOD SPILLING FROM HIS GUTS AND I WAS HOOKED!!
LATER, I STARTED MY OWN CASSETTE TAPE COLLECTION. EVERY TIME WE WENT TO K-MART, I WOULD ASK MY DAD TO BUY ME A NEW TAPE. THEY ALWAYS HAD A DECENT HEAVY METAL COLLECTION OF TAPES FROM KISS, JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH, BLUE ÖYSTER CÜLT, LED ZEPPELIN, OZZY OSBOURNE, IRON MAIDEN, ETC…THEN LATER, I DISCOVERED THE COLUMBIA CLUB AND BMG CLUB.
THEY USED TO ADVERTISE IN THE HEAVY METAL MAGAZINES THAT I STARTED COLLECTING LIKE, RIP, HIT PARADE, METAL CIRCUS, METAL MANIACS, ETC…THEY HAD THOSE SUBSCRIPTION TABS BETWEEN THEIR PAGES AND YOU HAD TO WRITE DOWN THE CATALOG NUMBER OF THE TAPES YOU WANTED, THEY WOULD LET YOU CHOOSE 12, I THINK… THEN YOU HAD TO GLUE A PENNY AND MAIL IT OFF!! IT WAS FREE POSTAGE TOO. SO, I STARTED ORDERING TAPES (THEY ALSO HAD VYNIL IN THE 80’S, BUT MY FAVORITE FORMAT WAS TAPE). FROM OUR ADDRESS IN ALL MY SISTERS’ NAMES, THEN I STARTED MAKING UP NAMES!! THEN LATER THEY HAD UPGRADED TO COMPACT DISCS.
I AM STILL LISTENING TO NEW BANDS TODAY, BUT THEY ARE WAY TOO MANY TO NAME… IF ANYONE IS CURIOUS TO DISCOVER NEW BANDS, THEY CAN ALWAYS CHECKOUT MY FACEBOOK PAGES AND MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL. OATH TO THE GOAT PODCAST & RADIO 66.6 AM IS ALWAYS POSTING THE MOST CURRENT AND UNDERGROUND DEATH, BLACK, DOOM, GRIND, THRASH & HEAVY METAL BAND FROM REAL INDEPENDENT LABELS!! TAKE THE OATH TO THE GOAT… BE ONE WITH THE DARK SIDE!!!
4.When did you and the other members first get the idea to start Pentagoatcross? Are you satisified with how things have gone with the band so far? What is the current line up of this band?
I HAVE BEEN WRITING AND COLLABORATING WITH NICK (BARON BLOOD), SINCE 2019. I COME UP WITH THE BAND NAME, I HIRE DIFFERENT ARTISTS FOR THE LOGOS & ARTWORK. THEN, I GIVE NICK THE DIRECTION WE ARE HEADING AS FAR AS METAL GENRE. I SEND HIM A FEW LINKS TO GIVE HIM AN IDEA OF WHAT SOUND I AM LOOKING FOR, AND HE NEVER DISAPPOINTS. HE TRULY EXEEDS MY EXPECTATIONS!! HE LIVES IN CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE NEVER MET IN PERSON, BUT WE HAVE WRITTEN MANY ALBUMS TOGETHER AND HE HAS BEEN COLLABORATING WITH OTHERS ALSO. WE WROTE OUR FIRST ALBUM IN 2019 AND RELEASED IT IN 2020. THIS FIRST PROJECT WAS CALLED SCHIZOCHRISTO- “MUNDO SIN FIN” AND IT SOUNDS LIKE MID-ERA DARKTHRONE MEETS KING CRIMSON. LATER, NYTHROTH (NICK) BROUGHT IN A DRUMMER FROM MISSISSIPPI. CONQUEROR WORM (JARED) ON DRUMS. THE DRUMS WERE PROGRAMMED ON SCHIZOCHRISTO. AND WE WANTED A MORE ORGANIC AND RAW SOUND. WE WROTE A NEW PROJECT CALLED OBSIDIAN HOOVES- “SOVEREIGNTY” EP. THIS IS PURE DEATH METAL!! FOR FANS OF (OLD) PARADISE LOST, (OLD AUTOPSY, (OLD) BOLT THROWER, ETC… WE HAVE BEEN COLLABORATING EVER SINCE!!! I AM VERY SATISFIED WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE DONE SO FAR, (BLACK SPELLS, CUERNOS DEL CHIVO, PENTAGOATCROSS) AND WE HAVE MANY NEW BAND PROJECTS IN THE WORKS, AND FOLLOW UP ALBUMS FOR THESE DEBUT RELEASES.
5.For the readers who have never heard Pentagoatcross how would you best describe the bands sound and style?Who would you say are the bands biggest influences?
PENTAGOATCROSS, IS UNHOLY BLACK THRASH UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALL THE OLD MASTERS!!!
BUT, FOR THIS RELEASE I SENT THEM LINKS TO NOCTURNAL BREED, AURA NOIR, MIDNIGHT, CHAPEL, NIFELHEIM, SATAN’S WRATH, ETC… BUT, WE ALWAYS BRING IN OUR OWN SOUND TO WHATEVER WE DO. NO MATTER IF IT’S BLACK METAL, DEATH METAL, BESTIAL WAR METAL, BLACK THRASH METAL… WHATEVER WE SET OUR MINDS TOO. EACH OF US BRINGS THEIR SIGNATURE SOUND TO THE CHOSEN PROJECT.
6.The debut full length Open Your Mouth Bitch is getting a cd release through Plague Demon Rec.when did you first come in contact with this label?
I HAVE KNOWN NAMTAR (JIM) FOR A VERY LONG TIME ON FACEBOOK. IT’S AWESOME HOW MANY CONTACTS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS I HAVE DEVELOPED THROUGH FACEBOOK AND, JUST SOCIAL MEDIA WORLDWIDE!!! HE FIRST REACHED OUT TO ME AFTER WATCHING MY FACEBOOK LIVESTREAMS.
HE SENT ME A COUPLE OF BIG BOXES THROUGH THE YEARS OF MOST OF THE BANDS ON HIS LABEL.
I HAVE PLAYED THEM ON MY LIVESTREAMS AND RECOMMENDED MANY OF HIS BANDS ON THERE. I AM VERY HONORED TO FINALLY BE ON PLAGUE DEMON RECORDS.
7.How long did it take the band to write the music for the debut?Does the whole band take part in the writing or does one member usually write everything?
NICK IS A TRUE MANIAC AND IMMEDIATELY BEGINS WRITING THE MUSIC AS SOON AS I GIVE THE DIRECTION WE WILL BE HEADING. WITHIN DAYS, HE BEGINS RECORDING THE GUITARS AND BASS. THEN HE SENDS IT OVER TO JARED. HE LAYS DOWN THE DRUMS AND SENDS IT BACK TO NICK. ONCE HE MIXES AND MASTERS THE FINISHED INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM, HE SENDS ME THE ALL THE TRACKS. I LISTEN TO THEM OVER AND OVER UNTIL I GET THE FEEL. THEN I EITHER PICK LYRICS I HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN, OR I BEGIN WRITING NEW SETS OF LYRICS. I READ A LOT, SO I WILL ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING NEW TO WRITE ABOUT.
WE EACH HAVE OUR PART TO PLAY IN THESE UNHOLY COLLABORATIONS. (LOOK UP OUR PREVIOUS RESUMES ON METAL ARCHIVES, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW WE ARE THE HARDEST WORKING MUSICIANS IN THE UNDERGROUND).
8.Where do you draw inspiration for the lyrics and what are some topics written about on the debut?
FOR THIS RELEASE, I READ THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WITCHCRAFT & DEMONOLOGY, THE MALLEUS MALEFICARUM, AND A GRAPHIC NOVEL CALLED A CONVENT IN HELL. I ALSO, WATCHED DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT THE WITCH TRIALS, AND THE INQUISTIONS. THEN I WATCHED CLASSIC MOVIES LIKE; ALUCARDA, SATANICO PANDEMONIUM, THE ORIGINAL WICKERMAN, MARK OF THE DEVIL 1 & 2, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT, THE CONQUERER WORM, BARON BLOOD, WITCHFINDER GENERAL, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM, ETC…
9.Besides the upcoming Open Your Mouth Bitch does the band have any other merchandise currently available or maybe in the future? If yes what is available and where can the readers purchase it?
I TAKE CARE OF ALL THE MERCH. I HAVE T- SHIRTS FOR MOST OF THE BANDS I AM INVOLVED IN. YOU CAN CONTACT ME THROUGH MY FACEBOOK PAGES OR oath2dgoat@outlook.com FOR T-SHIRTS. I AM STILL LOOKING FOR A GOOD PATCH PLACE, AND I WILL MAKE SOME OLD SCHOOL VYNIL BUMPER STICKERS THIS YEAR.
10.Has Pentagoatcross had the opportunity to perform live yet or do you prefer to work in the studio? If you have played shows what have been some of your most memorable shows so far?
UNFORTUNATELY, NICK AND CAVE ARE WAY TOO BUSY WITH WORK AND THEY CANNOT COMMIT TO PLAYING LIVE. BOTH OF THEM ARE CONTENT TO KEEP WRITING AND RECORDING. BUT, I AM FORMING LIVE LINEUPS IN DIFFERENT STATES TO ENABLE ME TO PLAY SONGS FROM MY BLACK METAL PROJECTS AND MY ORIGINAL USBM BAND CEREMONY 1993. I WAS IN THE VERY FIRST BLACK METAL BAND FROM TEXAS IN 1992. THESE LINEUPS WILL LEARN SONGS FROM CEREMONY, BLACK SPELLS, SCHIZOCHRISTO, PENTAGOATCROSS, AND OTHER PROJECTS WE WILL WRITE IN THE NEAR FUTURE…
SOME OF MY MOST MEMORABLE SHOWS WERE DURING THE EARLY 90’S WITH CEREMONY. WE ONLY PLAYED AHANDFUL OF SHOWS AROUND THE BORDERS OF TEXAS AND MEXICO. BUT, WE PLAYED HOUSTON ONCE WITH IMPRECATION, CRUCIFIXION, PARALYSIS. WE SOLD OUT OF DEMO TAPES AND T-SHIRTS THAT NIGHT AND WE HAD A GREAT SET AND THE CROWD WENT FUCKING WILD!!!
11.Are their any shows planned in support of the new release? (READ ABOVE)
12.What does Metal mean to you? METAL MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME. IT IS MY LIFE PASSION AND IT IS MY PURPOSE. I WENT MANY YEARS WITHOUT PLAYING IN BANDS CAUSE THE LOCALS WERE NOT ON THE SAME FREQUENCY AS I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN. MANY SAY THAT I DEMAND WAY TOO MUCH FROM THEM, BUT THEY ARE JUST NOT THAT INTO THE COMMITMENT TO THE METAL. THIS IS WHY IT TOOK TECHNOLOGY FOR ME TO FIND LIKE MINDED PEOPLE TO WRITE WITH IN OTHER STATES. I WILL NEVER COMPROMISE!!!
13.I believe you are in some other bands please tell the readers a little about them?
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I WAS IN CEREMONY FROM 1992-1994. THEN I RECORDED SOME SONGS WITH SOMEONE FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY IN 2016. THIS PROJECT WILL FINALLY RELEASE OUR DEBUT EP THIS YEAR. THAT BAND IS CALLED NEKROCABRA, WHICH IS BLACK DEATH METAL. THEN IN 2020, SCHIZOCHRISTO WHICH IS SLUDGE PSYCHEDELIC RAW BLACK METAL. OBSIDIAN HOOVES IS TRUE DEATH METAL. BLACK SPELLS IS TRUE BLACK METAL. CUERNOS DEL CHIVO IS BESTIAL WAR METAL. PENTAGOATCROSS IS UNHOLY BLACK THRASH METAL. MANY, MANY, MANY MORE BAND PROJECTS TO CUM…
14.I believe you handle the vocals for the band when did you first become interested in screaming and growling? Do you do anything special to keep your throat and voice healthy?
I STARTED TRYING TO LEARN GUITAR, BUT I WAS CHOSEN FOR VOKILLS. I WISH I HAD KEPT LEARNING THE GUITAR, BUT I PLAY A BIT OF BASS. I LEANED INTO FOCUSING ON BEING A FRONTMAN IN BANDS. TO FOCUS ON THE PERFORMANCE. I KEEP MY VOICE IN CHECK BY SMOKING A PACK A DAY, SMOKING TONS OF WEED AND DRINKING TEXAS BEERS!!! I THINK, THE REASON MY VOICE IS STILL STRONG IS BECAUSE I HAD A HUGE GAP IN BETWEEN BANDS AND I NEVER WENT ON TOUR OR PLAYED LIVE THAT OFTEN.
MY MAIN FOCUS IS IN THE STUDIO. I AM NOW, IN MY EARLY 50’S AND I FEEL LIKE I CAN CONTINUE RECORDING AND HOPEFULLY PERFORMING SELECTIVE LIVE SHOWS UNTIL MY 60’S IF I AM STILL HERE.
15.Who are some of your favorite vocalists over the years?Besides vocals do you currently play any other instruments?
IN THE BEGINNING MY FAVORITE VOKILLS CAME FROM CRONOS FROM (OLD) VENOM, QUORTHON FROM (OLD) BATHORY, TOM G. FROM HELLHAMMER AND (OLD) CELTIC FROST, WAGNER ANTICHRIST FROM (OLD) SARCOFAGO, MAX CAVALERA FROM (OLD) SEPULTURA, NOCTURNAL DESECRATOR AND BLACK WINDS FROM (OLD) BLASPHEMY, NUCLEAR HOLOCAUSTO VENGEANCE FROM (OLD) BEHERIT, JEFF GRUSLIN FROM (OLD) VITAL REMAINS, DAVID VINCENT FROM (OLD) MORBID ANGEL, ROSS DOLAN (OLD) IMMOLATION, NOCTURNO CULTO FROM (MID-ERA) DARKTHRONE, COUNT GRISHNACK FROM (OLD) BURZUM, ABBATH FROM (OLD) IMMORTAL, FRANTA ŠTORM FROM (OLD) MASTER’S HAMMER…LIKE I MENTIONED, I PLAY BASS AND I USE A RAT PEDAL. I USE MY FINGERS AND I USE PICKS TOO.
I CAN ALSO KEEP A DRUM BEAT AND I PLAN ON BUYING A SMALL KIT TO RECORD A DRUM & BASS SOLO PROJECT ONE OF THESE DAYS…
16.Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?
THANK YOU FOR THE INTERVIEW!!! HAILS TO EVERYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN ANY OF MY BANDS AND HAILS TO EVERYONE WHO WATCHES MY FACEBOOK LIVESTREAMS AND YOUTUBE CHANNELS!!! KILL ALL THE FUCKING POSERS AND ALWAYS DEATH TO FALSE METAL!!! CONTACT ME FOR MERCH OR MORE INTERVIEWS AT: oath2dgoat@outlook.com AND, TAKE THE OATH TO THE GOAT… BE ONE WITH THE DARK SIDE!!! Pentagoatcross https://www.facebook.com/pentagoatcross2024usbmrdid=qtInytKS6sxDHFAz&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1BfusWR5TG%2F# Plague Demon Rec. https://pentagoatacrosspdr.bandcamp.com/album/open-your-mouth-bitch https://www.facebook.com/Plaguedemonrecords.net/ https://www.instagram.com/namtar.axarcuth https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt4Jqad8hAHPHisR2aU4Q4A
