(We’re grateful to Daniel Barkasi for reaching out to Gost, and to Gost for participating in the discussion with Dan that we now present, on the eve of release of Gost‘s new album on Metal Blade. We’ll present Dan‘s review tomorrow.)
To those familiar with the darker side of synthwave, no doubt Gost has crossed your listening pathways. Also known as James Lollar, the Texas native exploded onto the burgeoning synthwave scene with a highly unique take on the genre with debut EP Radio Macabre in 2013, soon followed by Skull. Since then, Gost has – along with the likes of Carpenter Brut, Perturbator, and Dance with the Dead, among others – spearheaded the darksynth style into existence, and ultimately, the prominence it has ascended to today.
Always on the creative forefront and never stale, Gost has amassed an impressively eclectic discography. The worlds of electronic music and metal also merge with Gost, who has dabbled in metal projects in the past, and has toured with the likes of Mayhem and Katatonia. Even a heralded performance at Maryland Deathfest in 2017. Gost stretches the boundaries of what’s possible between the two genres.
Now, with a brand new album in the form of Prophecy, Gost has returned to his bombastic early days, while not losing the industrial and gothic influences that have been integral components of his more recent work. He was gracious enough to have a chat about how the new record came to be, the contentious climate of the world today, his connection with metal music, and a variety of other interesting topics.
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Your sixth album Prophecy is releasing on March 8th, and it feels like you’ve revisited many signature sounds from your Behemoth and Non Paradisi days, while also utilizing the gothic and industrial stylings of more recent works. What was your approach and mindset when writing this album, and is the result what you expected?
I definitely wanted to merge the sounds of Valediction and Rites of Love and Reverence with some of my older efforts. I do try and listen to feedback from fans and mix what fans are expecting with whatever creative flow I am currently in. I was conscientious of this throughout the writing process for Prophecy. Not sure if I achieved the exact result I initially set out to achieve, but I am happy with the result regardless.
The title track off of Prophecy definitely harkens back to your early days, while also sounding fresh and energetic. Whereas “Death in Bloom” embraces a gritty black metal meets danceable beat mixture, and “Widow Song” is a foray into the gothic/industrial realm. This may be your most diverse work to date, yet it’s so incredibly cohesive. Was achieving that balance difficult, and what songs are you most proud of from Prophecy?
The difficulty of writing Prophecy came in the details. I wanted this album to have a lot of depth, which means working longer and harder on each track. Prophecy, in this way, has been the most difficult album I’ve written to date. You mentioned “Death in Bloom,” which is definitely a favorite of mine off of this album. Particularly happy with “Widow Song” and “Prophecy” as well.
Rites of Love and Reverence was a very personal record, with social commentary on the parallels of society’s reaction to witchcraft and the pettiness of current day social discourse. Prophecy goes back to your Satanic thematic roots a bit, while also addressing the American climate of alarmist Christianity disturbingly being weaponized more and more. Can you elaborate a bit on the themes within Prophecy, and how important is it to you both as an artist and as a person to address these topics?
I live in a super-religious part of Texas. To be fair, all of Texas is quite religious. Simply living closely with extremely religious and superstitious people motivates me to push back in the easiest way I know how; my music. The importance of “live and let live” type philosophy has never seemed greater during my life as it does currently. I personally have zero issues with what anyone chooses to believe, until their beliefs start to impact others. Religion has no place in law.
“Deceiver” is a song that is among my favorites off of Prophecy, emitting a horror soundtrack feel. Which leads me to think of the horror video game soundtrack you created for The Textorcist, which was a fun game that your soundtrack really brought alive. Was writing for that medium a different kind of challenge and approach than you’d have for your own albums, and would you like to do something similar again?
Definitely different. Video game tracks tend to be a lot more simple and repetitive than a normal Gost track. I definitely find it challenging to write in a simpler more outlined style, but I also enjoy the challenge. Working on The Textorcist was super enjoyable, as I had complete freedom to write exactly what I wanted. I am definitely down to score more games in the future.
Coming from a metal background, you’ve been able to accomplish an intricate weaving of that music with many styles of electronic music to constantly refine your sound, managing a nice amount of crossover appeal. How important is it for you to embrace both of those worlds within your music, and how natural is it for you to combine them?
Less important to me than it is natural. I have loved metal for so long, parts of the subgenres I enjoy will always be a part of the Gost sound.
What were some of the biggest hurdles and challenges you came across when creating Prophecy, and what was most rewarding about the creative process for this album?
The most challenging aspect was implementing older sounds without simply re-creating something I have already done. Putting newer spins on the sound I helped create is always a challenge because there are only so many ways I can do this without sounding reductive. The most rewarding part is also revisiting older sounds. The familiarity of the older Gost records almost feels like home in a way.
Your live gigs are always a raw yet theatrical presentation. Your performances and setup have evolved over the years, especially with the addition of a live bassist. Do you have anything new in the works for your live shows in support of Prophecy?
I definitely have some new things planned for the set moving forward but I think it’s better if I leave that a mystery for now!
You’ve also been able to tour with metal bands such as Mayhem, and most recently Katatonia late in 2023. We attended the Orlando date of your tour with Katatonia, and you really seemed to convert a lot of folks who may have not been as familiar with Gost. In terms of reaching audiences who may not all be familiar with your music, how impactful have these tours been for Gost? Do you have plans to tour with more bands of this ilk in the near future?
This really depends on the tour. The Katatonia tour was great, as their fans were super inviting. Meeting some of the bands I have looked up to for so long has a big personal impact on me. I would have never dreamed Gost would tour with bands like Mayhem, but I welcome it for sure. No immediate plans to support a metal tour, but I am always down for sure.
I’m curious as to your thoughts on the current synthwave scene. There’s a lot of variety out there, but also a lot of very similar-sounding stuff, and it can be difficult to find the really creative works. Where do you see this music going in the future, and what are some of your favorite current artists in the genre?
I could not even begin to predict the future of synthwave. As you said, there are so many artists doing this sound. I hope the synthwave sound continues to evolve and explore new ways of combining the past with the present. My favorites remain the people I am close with, like Perturbator and Carpenter Brut. The scene is so flooded that it is definitely difficult to find new artists.
Similarly with a metal purview, are there any bands or albums that have really tickled your fancy recently?
Honestly I have been listening to the bands that my crew are in mostly lately. Check them out: Primordial Seed and Spectral Hex.
With being in metal bands early in your musical journey, has there ever been a desire to create something purely within that kind of style? Not necessarily with Gost, per se, but a separate endeavor?
Definitely. I am currently writing for a blackened doom band and a black metal band. Both are just for me personally at the moment though. Who knows, maybe I will release this music sometime down the road…
Being a bit of a gearhead, I always like to ask about what kind of equipment was used in the making of an album. What kind of synths and other effects were your go-to for Prophecy?
All of the guitar was done with an Eastwood Breadwinner, Ignite VSTs Emissary and Nadir. Nearly all of the synth was done with a Korg Monopoly and a Korg Microkorg.
Music streaming has become a hot-button topic, with a multitude of factors in the arguments for and against it. It can be a useful tool to get your music in the ears of more people, but it also isn’t as financially balanced as it should be for the artist. What are your thoughts on music streaming, and what needs to be done to make it more viable and beneficial for the artist?
I do not think the percentage share is fair at all but I love the availability streaming provides. As far as what to do about the issue of percentages, I am not sure what the solution is to be honest. Definitely not my area of expertise.
If you could write a score for any existing horror film and/or video game, what would it be, and what would your vision for it look like?
Alien – My score would fit the chaos of events and I would try to achieve sonically what the movie does visually. Game: Wolfenstein. This game needs a better OST.
I want to thank you for being so gracious with your time. What are your plans for after Prophecy is released, and where do you see Gost going in the next couple of years?
Touring is the plan! The next couple years should see Gost touring spots I have not yet visited.
Prophecy drops on March 8th on Metal Blade.
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