Pic courtesy of: Warpath "Most of these pop stars don’t even write their own music and lip-synch live shows. They’re not real musicians. I’ve never watched Americon Idol, and I think reality shows are moronic."

CR: Hey man how are you? How’s the new album selling in the UK?
Richard Goss: Hey Carlos, I’m doing fine thanks. Damnation is selling extremely well worldwide, so much so that all of the major UK retailers (HMV, Virgin/Zavvi, Play.com, Amazon and others) are stocking the record from September onwards. Also, the album will soon be available from iTunes.

CR: Why don’t you introduce Warpath to the people, many that really, really need to get their hands on some serious thrash metal!
Richard Goss: OK! We’re Warpath, a UK based Thrash / Heavy metal band. We’re influenced by bands including Megadeth, Testament, Slayer, Death Metallica, and many others. Our debut album Damnation has recently been released to critical acclaim, mixed by producer Orlando Villasenor at Kevin Talley’s Studio USA (DAATH, Chimaira) and mastered by the legendary ex Testament / Death guitarist James Murphy. Also, we’ve filmed our first music video for the album’s title track ‘Damnation’ in London, UK with Genertik Ltd. They have a wide range of experience and in the past have worked with Children of Bodom, Johnny Rotten from the Sex Pistols, and Sky TV’s Rockworld channel.

CR: I believe you guys have played with Evile and Gama Bomb already. How many gigs did you plan out for this record release, or the entire thing did not came with a plan after the release of the album?
Richard Goss: Actually we haven’t played with Gama Bomb yet but we’ve been talking to them recently about playing shows together. They’re ace guys so it’ll be a lot of fun to hook up and play live with them in the future. We’ve played fifteen UK shows in support of the album over the past few weeks including a performance at the UK’s biggest Metal festival, Bloodstock Open Air. That was a real highlight for us, playing the festival with bands including Iced Earth, Nightwish, Dimmu Borgir, Opeth, Helloween, Overkill, Napalm Death, Primal Fear and many others!

CR: Are you planning on doing a more “serious” tour to introduce to the rest of Europe the new album, or that is something you can only do with the support of a big label, picking up the bills?
Richard Goss: We’ll definitely be playing Europe soon! We’re currently planning out a tour with a booking agency, so as soon as everything is confirmed, the dates will be officially announced.

CR: Why the name Damnation for your debut and how long did it take you guys to write, record and release the album?
Richard Goss: Damnation was just a title I liked. It was actually chosen many months before the album was written and recorded, back when Lee Gaskins and I were discussing artwork ideas at the end of 2006. I spent all of May 07 writing the album, and we began recording two weeks into June. Recording was completed by September. Mixing/mastering was completed in the USA around Christmas time. We then filmed the music video in London, UK in January this year.

CR: Did you try to get a record deal before the release of the record, or you just wanted it to be and Indi production from the start?
Richard Goss: The album was always meant to be self-released. We can put out a strong album without a record deal, although we’re open to offers.

CR: I haven’t heard your previous debut material Cataclysm. What can you tell us about it, and in what ways is it different from Damnation?
Richard Goss: Damnation is a massive improvement over Cataclysm in all ways, from the production to the song writing, playing, etc. Cataclysm was recorded around three years ago with a different lineup. When James joined the band, it changed completely. With his drumming skills and techniques, the speed of the band was exactly how I wanted and envisioned it. There were three songs on Cataclysm that I felt could be massively improved upon with James’ drumming; Life Unworthy Of Life, Infernal and Face To Face. So I decided to re-write those tracks as well as five new ones for the album. Also, my vocals had gotten a lot stronger since Cataclysm. I’d only been singing around four weeks when we recorded that demo. We invited Pete to record on the album, and he did a superb job with the solos, and shortly after he joined the band full-time.

CR: Reading some of your bio and from previous interviews, I can see that the development of the band has been pretty much all because of your hard work and the classic approach of “do it your self”, do you think it is more gratifying to see how your albums are selling when you know that all the work was done and controlled by you?
Richard Goss: Yeah man, definitely. We’ve worked extremely hard to get where we are so far. We have a strong work ethic, putting in on average twelve to fifteen hours a day into the band, from writing to promoting, etc. Unlike some bands, we haven’t had everything handed to us on a plate, so we’ve had to do everything ourselves. It’s very satisfying to be selling so many copies of the album, and to be receiving such high praise. In one UK magazine, Damnation even had a higher score than Testament and Kataklysm’s new albums, which was awesome for us as they’re some of our favorite bands and inspirations! To see that printed in a top magazine is incredible.

	Pic courtesy of: Warpath "Unlike some bands, we haven’t had everything handed to us on a plate, so we’ve had to do everything ourselves. It’s very satisfying to be selling so many copies of the album, and to be receiving such high praise"

CR: I just saw your Damnation video, knowing that you guys are founding your own work, how do you get the money for the video and the album?
Richard Goss: I have a day job teaching guitar and invested all of my money into the band’s projects. The albums have sold so many copies now that they’ve paid for themselves, so we’re now planning a second music video and new merchandise, including full colour Damnation artwork T-Shirts, hoodies and patches.

CR: Apparently the Japanese love you guys, sold out records in that country, congrats on that! How many labels have contacted you since that fact make them realize they just couldn’t let a band like Warpath go unsigned? Maybe Earache…those guys are monopolizing the thrash market with great bands on their roster.
Richard Goss: Thanks man! We were extremely pleased to hear that the album sold out all copies in Japan within such a short period of time. So far three major record labels have approached us. Well, the three biggest ones in Metal! So we will just have to wait and see what happens. We haven’t heard anything from Earache though.

CR: Since the release of Damnation is independent, I guess that means that you guys are the ones putting all the money in it and then releasing it around the world. How much work is that and do you think you are getting a good deal (money wise only) with the sale of the records or it will be better if a big label was distributing them?
Richard Goss: It’s hard work yeah but definitely worth it. We’ve just signed a UK distribution deal with Nuclear Blast Record’s distributor Plastic Head, so the album will be available in all of the major UK music stores. We’ve also secured Japanese distribution, and are working on a European deal.

CR: Got to tell you, since listening to Evil’s debut record I haven’t been this excited in listening to a thrash record, every song is catchy and memorable, what are the bands main influences when we talk about song writing?
Richard Goss: Thank you! Some of the song subjects are about politics, religion, money, drug abuse, mental illness, war, revenge; generally the darker side of life. Guitar wise, Chuck Shuldiner and Dave Mustaine influence me. Those guys are incredible guitarists. Also, I’ve been classically trained since the age of five so I have many influences in classical music.

CR: Could you talk to us about a couple of songs, mainly the ones that sound more politically oriented, an obvious statement towards the Iraq war, why do think lyrics like these are important for Warpath? And do you think that thrash metal has always have this sort of socially conscious oriented themes defining its identity?
Richard Goss: Yeah, W.M.D is about the Iraq war. Damnation is about the different wars in general that have been fought over the centuries. We used footage from Iraq and Afghanistan for the video because that’s what’s relevant for today. I think the lyrics are important to Warpath, as many of the new Thrash bands aren’t tackling that subject. They’re singing about mutants, zombies, nuclear waste, hell and partying.

CR: You guys pretty much have the “traditional” way a metal band, a rock band, a musician that can respectably call himself that, builds their name, image and their music, I want to know what do you think about reality shows or the “music industry” love for creating and manufacturing bands and people to what they want out there in the market? How much American Idol do you guys watch? Hahhahaha
Richard Goss: Ha! Oh man I hate that garbage! I can’t even call it music. It’s a joke. It’s absolutely pathetic. Most of these pop stars don’t even write their own music and lip-synch live shows. They’re not real musicians. I’ve never watched Americon Idol, and I think reality shows are moronic.

CR: Does a band, a metal band to be more precise need humble beginnings in order to stay true to their art?
Richard Goss: I think many of the best metal albums are made when the bands are young, broke, and pissed off! Many bands tend to forget the people that helped them on the way up when their fame arrives.

CR: It is pretty obvious that Warpath belongs to the young group of bands that are “reviving” thrash metal around the world, I would like to know your opinion on bands such as Bonded by blood (US), Evile (UK), Gama Bomb (UK), Dr. Livingdead (Swe), Warbringer and Municipal Waste.
Do you think there is some difference between you guys and the bands I just mention?
Richard Goss: I’ve got a copy of Bonded By Blood’s demo around here somewhere. I liked the song Immortal Life off their demo. I don’t have their new album but I heard they did a cover of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme. Gama Bomb are cool, they’ve messaged us a few times saying they really dig our album which is nice of them. We’re looking forward to gigging with them! I haven’t heard Dr Livingdead or Warbringer. I’ll have to check them out sometime. I’m not really a fan of Municipal Waste but I’ve only heard a few tracks. There’s definitely a difference between us. We’re not as light hearted, we have a much darker tone to our music, artwork etc. I think our music is less ‘straight forward’ Thrash, there’s a little more complexity. I’ve noticed many of the new thrash bands are using a comic book style in their artwork and pushing the whole 80’s image of drainpipe jeans, big white trainers and bullet belts which doesn’t really work for us.

CR: Do you know that there is a first person shooter named Warpath… have you played it? Are you guys into video games at all?
Richard Goss: No I haven’t played that game, I’ll have to check it out sometime. I’m a big fan of the Resident Evil, Half Life and Metal Gear games, but I don’t have the time or money to play video games much anymore. Duke Nukem rules too! So cheesy but it’s wicked. “Let’s rock!”

		Pic courtesy of: Warpath "The album was always meant to be self-released. We can put out a strong album without a record deal, although we’re open to offers. "

CR: All you guys are pretty much influenced by the early “gods” of thrash, aka, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Exodus, Anthrax etc, etc; but I wanted to ask you, how much do you know about the bands and artists that influenced those bands that now you respect an admire? How much influence do you think British hardcore punk had on the early thrash scene?
Richard Goss: I don’t really know much about the bands that influenced those bands. I should listen to them sometime. I’m not really into hardcore punk.

CR: I guess you are pretty much conscious that Warpath is part of this huge thrash revival, having that in mind, I want to ask you, do you think that because of the huge amount of young bands coming out with an old school thrash sound that the genre might get saturated by this and then it could cause a feeling that thrash is becoming more a trend than an actual genre, and sort of lose its identity, when the big labels realize just how much money they can make? (I’m been a little paranoiac here, hope you indulge me on this)
Richard Goss: I definitely agree with you on that one. It’s becoming ‘trendy’ for bands nowadays to call themselves Thrash or Speed Metal. You see all these hardcore screamo bands describing themselves as Screamo / Thrash / Death Metal…which are three different styles!

CR: OK guys so what’s next for Warpath, maybe a new album, new label deal perhaps, what can we expect from you guys on the near and far future?
Richard Goss: We’re in pre-production stages for the next video, which will likely be for Life Unworthy Of Life. We’re planning on filming it before the end of the year. As I mentioned earlier, we’re talking back and forth with different record labels so we’ll see what happens. We’re going to be heavily promoting Damnation for at least another year before we start working on a new record.

CR: Hey I just ran out of questions here, I would just like to thank you for your patient and honestly congratulate on a hell of a debut, if you have anything else to add please feel free to do so!
Richard Goss: Thanks for the interview man, much appreciated, and I’m glad you dig the new album. We’d also like to thank all of our fans that have bought the album and our other merchandise, who show up to our gigs to support us and to all the reviewers that have given us killer write-ups!