1. Hails, Jay and Tony. Please introduce yourselves to the readers.
Tony: Greetings, Patrick. My name is Tony Goyang Jr. Hails from West Texas!
Jay: Hi. I'm Jay Gorania, vocalist of Trench Warfare.
2. When did you two first discover metal music, and who were some of the first bands you heard?
Tony: I got into metal around 1993 upon hearing Metallica’s “…And Justice For All” album. I was actually on a bus en route to a football game. This guy, Ben Soliz, introduced me to metal. This was an instant game changer for me. Most people get into metal very subtly. I dove in head first. Within months I was listening to Death, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Napalm Death, Carcass, etc.
Jay: I was six or seven years old when I was exposed to the likes of Motley Crue, Iron Maiden and Ozzy Osbourne by my older brother. I have always liked music well beyond the scope of metal and heavy music, but my passion for it has been unwavering since I was a young boy.
3. Trench Warfare started in 2015. When did you two first get the idea to start this band? Are you satisfied with how everything has gone with the band so far? What is the current line up of the band?
Tony: The idea for Trench Warfare has been around since my first listen of Conqueror and Black Witchery’s legendary split, “Hellstorm of Evil Vengeance,” back in 2001. In between then and now I filled the void with a solo project, Plague Swarm. A mutual friend of ours, Kelly Bogues, introduced me and Jay.
Jay: Like Tony mentioned, Bogus—Kelly’s nickname—introduced the two of us at Tony’s house for a jam session. As soon as Tony and I realized we mutually liked Blasphemy and Beherit, right then and there we decided to create a band that sounded like them. It ended up taking a while for things to come together, but we have been pleased with the progress, both artistically and as far as reaction from the metal community, which we really didn’t expect. Speaking of Bogus, he was actually our first bassist who performed on our demo.
Tony and I are essentially the core members, and we have enlisted other folks including Lee Fisher who was our drummer on Hatred Prayer. Dustin Putz is the second guitarist, preceded by Nick Norris who is now in Imprecation. Jake Holmes was our bassist for quite some time. He’s in Morbosidad and Churchacide. And Belgor and Whore Of Bethlehem’s Samuel Axelrad have been our live drummers. Everyone I've mentioned is a fantastic musician, and we are appreciative of their involvement.
4. Who would you say are Trench Warfare's biggest influences? And how would you describe the band’s music over the releases?
Tony: Conqueror, Napalm Death, more specifically their “Mentally Murdered” EP, Angelcorpse, and classic Florida Death Metal. The sound for us remained the same from our demo and “Hatred Prayer.” The songs that appeared on the split/compilation album, “Of Vultures and Vermin,” were actually a part of another project of mine that ceased to exist when the bassist, Kelly Bogues, had to drop out of it for personal reasons. The songs that appeared on the comp were more blackened death metal in the vein of Angelcorpse, early Krisiun, Diabolic. The songs were longer and a bit more complex than that of typical Trench Warfare songs.
Jay: Our demo was born from war metal. We were inspired by that duo of Blasphemy and Beherit as well as artists like Deiphago, Diocletian, Nuclearhammer and Conqueror. As Tony mentioned, our passion for death metal started to become prominent on the compilation, and it really came to the forefront on “Hatred Prayer.” We are obviously influenced by black metal as well, and the album also includes two death doom tracks as well as a hardcore punk cover, Poison Idea’s “Young Lord.” So our influences are varied, also including grindcore, because it’s what we find interesting, and we don’t want to be just another clone band. That would be boring and pointless. In a nutshell, I describe us as a black and death metal hybrid with prominent war metal influences and roots.
5. “Hatred Prayer” is the bands debut full length release that was released through Transcending Obscurity Records. When did you and the band come in contact with this great label?
Jay: We were interviewed for the webzine component that Transcending Obscurity Records had a few years ago. We remained in contact and another label actually asked us to write a full-length for them prior to their unintended slow-down in activities. So we had an album in hand and were in open discussions with a few labels. Transcending Obscurity extended the best offer, so we signed a contract with them. We have been pleased with our relationship with the label, and look forward to recording our second full-length album with them as well.
6. Does the whole band take part in the writing process or does one member usually write everything? How long would you say it takes to complete one song?
Tony: Up until about the latter part of 2017, the lineup consisted of only Jay and I. With that being said, I wrote all the music, with exception to "Young Lord," which is a Poison Idea song.
The length of time for completing songs varies. I believe I wrote "Evil Shall Triumph" during a lunch break. As far as the other songs, it typically takes me two to three days if the song writing is flowing smoothly.
7. Who usually handles writing the lyrics for the music and what are some topics written about on the album? Which usually comes first the lyrics or the music?
Jay: The music usually comes first. Tony writes the music. And Lee Fisher (Commit Suicide, Psyopus, Fawn Limbs, Overlord Exterminator) was the recording drummer for “Hatred Prayer.” I’m the lyricist, but Tony wrote the lyrics for the three demo songs that we also re-recorded for the album. Lyrics come to me sporadically or when I intentionally sit down to write them, but the majority of the album’s lyrics came together with a notepad one evening. I was definitely inebriated, filled with rage, and I was listening to music in my car. The album title comes from the song of the same name. "Hatred Prayer" is exactly that. It’s a curse. It isn’t metaphor.
Themes of war are embedded throughout the album’s lyrics. “Sate Thy Lust” is about celebration following victory and the related hedonism, but with the acknowledgement of the importance and need of moderation. "Axioms" is about the snakelike nature of people and the power of language. There is definitely a fine line between persuasion and manipulation. And "Behead Muhammed" is our formal attack upon Islam, a message that links to the album cover as well.
8. Does Trench Warfare play live very often, or do you prefer working in the studio? What have been some of the bands most memorable shows over the years?
Tony: Every one of the shows has been great due to the lineup. We have had the honor of sharing the stage and/or fests with many bands of current times and from the past. It’s hard for me to pinpoint just one show.
Jay: We don’t play too often, but I’m hoping we can play more often than we have been once the cloud that is the pandemic passes. Like Tony said, we have played with some killer bands. Off the top of my head, playing with Deiphago, Morbosidad, Obeisance, Imprecation and Bestial Whore have been special occasions that have really meant something to me.
9. Besides the Hatred Prayer release are the band’s previous releases still available for the readers to purchase? Besides the physical releases does the band have any other merchandise currently available? If yes, what is available and where can the readers buy it?
Jay: Our demo is available via Nuclear War Now Productions! (https://shop.nwnprod.com/products/22286?_pos=1&_sid=ce0d4df67&_ss=r), and it’s available digitally (https://trenchwarfaretx.bandcamp.com/album/perversion-warfare). People can contact us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/trenchwarfaretexas) regarding our “Demonic Christ” shirt, and “Hatred Prayer” is available via our Bandcamp (https://trenchwarfaremetal.bandcamp.com/album/hatred-prayer-black-death-metal), our label (https://tometal.com/store/) and various brick and mortar record stores in North America and Europe.
10. When you need to take a break from working on new music or band business what do you like to do in your free time?
Tony: My time is usually occupied with work. My other leisurely activities are working out and video games.
Jay: I work quite a bit, just like Tony. I’ve also done music journalism for many years. I’m a gym rat. I spend time with my family, and when the world returns to “normal,” I’ll start going to shows again, the good ones, anyway.
11. Trench Warfare comes out of the Texan black/death metal scene. What is your opinion of the scene in Texas over the years?
Tony: There have been various notable acts to come out of Texas: DRI, Thornspawn, Satanik Goat Ritual, Obeisance, Morbosidad, Imprecation, Absu, etc.
Jay: Black/death metal is fantastic in Texas! In addition to the bands Tony mentioned, there are other greats, past and present, including Maiestas, Necrovore, Ceremony, Sacrocurse, Averse Sefira, Nyogthaeblisz, Nexul, Hellvetron and Pyre. On the mainstream end of the spectrum, I’ve always been a Pantera fanatic.
12. Who would you say are your all-time favorite bands coming out of Texas, and are there any new bands you feel the readers should check out soon?
Tony: Yes, the bands I mentioned. Also Pious Levus, Churchacide, Trenchant.
Jay: There’s also Serpentian.
13. Thank you, Tony and Jay, for making the time for this interview. Do you have any final words for the readers?
Tony: Thanks for this interview, and thanks to all those who have supported Trench Warfare.
Jay: Thanks to everyone who has supported our band. To those who haven’t, go to hell. haha Band Contacts https://trenchwarfaretx.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/trenchwarfaretexas?fref=ts https://www.instagram.com/trenchwarfaretexas/ Label Contacts https://tometal.com/ https://transcendingobscurity.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/transcendingobscurityrecords https://twitter.com/transcendingobs
