Hi! Can you tell us how Goatamentise came to create the "New York Deathcore" sound? What was your initial vision for mixing death metal and hardcore?
Hello, So Goatamentise was formed in 1993 by our singer Barry Ruiz who loved deathmetal & hardcore. At that time a lot of crossover shows would take place in NYC, so bands like; Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Sick Of It All & Madball were major influences and at times they would have shows with these kinds of bands playing together. New York Deathcore is directly influenced by both deathmetal & hardcore, you can hear those influences.
Looking back to when you started in 1993, what were some of the key moments that shaped Goatamentise in the early years?
At that time word of mouth & being booked on shows with touring bands were the best way to get your name out there. Being booked on a show in NJ with Napalm Death & Machine Head was a key moment, also, venues having us open for bands like All Out War were great moments which helped get our name out there in the NYC area.
With the re-release of your early works, like the "Suicide" demo and "Severed Ties" EP, what memories or emotions come to mind when you revisit these tracks?
Personally, the recording process always sticks out in my memories. How the process grew from a 2-track recorder in 1996 to a professional recording board in 2005 for our self-titled album. I remember all of our recording sessions, at least what we used to record, we used our friend Leon's 12 track Tascam for the Suicide demo & a fully digital multi-track recorder, which used a floppy drive to save the audio, but most importantly the comradery which builds during these kinds of moments.
Your 30th Anniversary Discography includes a live set from CBGB’s in 2005. What made that performance special, and how did it capture the essence of Goatamentise?
Well, there were a couple of things which made that performance special, it was our first time playing that legendary club & we headlined that night. Most of our friends made it out to see us, making it an amazing experience. We played again in Jan 2006 but sadly towards the end of that year the doors closed forever, so we were proud to say we were able to play there before it closed.
How do you think the deathcore genre has evolved since you first emerged, and what do you feel Goatamentise has contributed to this evolution?
Deathcore has fully established itself as a genre, our style is not exactly what people know as deathcore because that sound is influenced heavily by the west-coast sound from the 2000's. New York deathcore is a direct blend of deathmetal & hardcore, whereas west-coast sound is more of a blend of metalcore, deathmetal & grindcore. While we're known to an extent worldwide bands and people we've influenced is on a smaller scale, but it is there.
Can you introduce us to the current lineup of Goatamentise and share how each member contributes to the band's dynamic?
Our vocalist is also the bands founder Barry, our drummer is Tracey who is also drummer for a hardcore band called Xtinguish The Code who joined earlier this year, Luis is our bassist who joined in 2006 & has played in Iratetion, Dead Seasons & Demized, Vincent is our lead joined around April 2024 but we've known for decades, he played in bands like Divine Infamy, In this House of Mourning, to name a few, I'm Ramon I joined in 1996 I'm the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist.
What can fans expect from your upcoming release in 2025? Are there any new musical directions or themes you're exploring?
Some of the music was written initially in 2005-2006, the rest was written more recently and will be some of the best we've done so far. Influence wise there will be more thrashy parts to it as well as just being heavier in general. Luis has more deathmetal influence & Vincent is more influenced by blackmetal some of these elements will also be in the mix. Overall, just more metal goodness.
How has your partnership with Death Farm Records impacted the production and distribution of your music?
We've been lucky to be working with Jason & Death Farm Records, the way things came about starting last summer celebrating 30 years to Jason (DFR) reaching out and releasing our discography this past March has been amazing. We've had old fans reaching out to us online as well as newer fans hearing our music through Death Farm or friends reposing our music, it's been an amazing experience. We're looking forward to working with Death Farm Records once they return from a brief pause this year.
Thinking back to your early days, what were some key strategies or moments that helped Goatamentise gain recognition in the New York metal scene?
We love the NYC scenes, it can be a tough market because so much talent is out here already, so you need something to set yourself apart from all the music that come out of NYC. In 1997 the Bronx bands formed a group called the B.D.C. or boogie down crew & this helped put the Bronx scene on the map in NYC as well. We booked our own shows & supported each other with shows and equipment etc. whenever we could. When we were coming up, we came up with a lot of bands including bands from Queens like; Everybody gets hurt, Denied, Restrain, Dehumanized and we all got along because we played so many shows together it was inevitable you know. But all of this helped us to spread our music as much as we could without the help of the internet, which is the biggest tool these days.
Can you share a particularly memorable tour or concert experience that stands out in Goatamentise's history?
We've had so many great experiences with shows, but one of our favorites was a weekend tour set up by our friends 4 In tha Chamber, we played in Clearfield PA & Phoenixville PA, on the Phoenixville bill was Diecast & Madball. The crowd was receptive and danced the who time and most of them had no idea who we were as far as I know.
What impact has New York City had on the identity and sound of Goatamentise? How does the city’s atmosphere influence your music?
New York is everything, the Bronx in particular, growing up in the Bronx is no easy task but it's one of those things that prepares you for anything. It comes out in our sound and is a big part of our identity as a band.
Can you talk about your creative process for writing lyrics and the messages you aim to convey?
Our music has mostly been reality-based evils, anti-religion, anti-politics, pro-anti everything basically. Either these are drawn from personal experiences or we may have a concept in mind which we explore.
With the resurgence of vinyl and physical media, what are your thoughts on the importance of physical releases in preserving music history and culture?
I am all about physical media, I recently started a small vinyl collection but my most nostalgic form of media is cassettes, I first discovered music in this from before CD's. I'm glad cassettes made a comeback, so if a band releases a cassette or a reissue, I'm gonna get it. I may not open it but I'm gonna get it, as impractical as it is to some people for me, I don't really own it until I have a CD or cassette in my hand.
How has your approach to recording and producing music changed from your early demos to your more recent works?
When we started recording, we went from a live recording for a compilation called Starving artists compilation in 1995, to a two-track recorder for our first demo in 1996. Cut to 2005 to a professional board with protools for the self-titled album recorded with Jean Christophe of Raw recordings in Mahopac NY. While many people love our older recordings, personally, my favorite recording to date is our self-titled album.
Looking back on your career, what achievements or milestones are you most proud of, and what are your future goals for Goatamentise?
For me being able to not only play but headline CBGBs is a big one, being on bills with some of our favorite bands influences of ours is always big for us. I don't like to look to far ahead but I am also a planner, so I always plan ahead for future possibilities. Creating new music with our current lineup is paramount to anything more we plan, I'd love to be able to do a mini tour at some point. Once we have new music out, we can plan better for these goals.
Lastly, what message would you like to share with your fans, both those who've been with you from the start and those just discovering Goatamentise?
I'd like to say thank you Daniel for the opportunity to introduce our band to your followers. And to those who've been supporting us, thank you, though-out the years, however you discovered our music thank you for sticking with us. Without you, none of this would be possible and we wouldn't be making new music. Keep it locked & stay tuned we have some awesome stuff planned that you will enjoy.
