Interview with Trey Azagthoth
Trey is a musician that I feel a large amount of respect for, because he is an inspirational guitar player with incredible speed and creativity in his writing and playing. However there is more than that behind this supposed Satanist than just his musical abilities. He is one who takes his life into his own hands and creates his own destiny, instead of allowing that to be done by others. He knows what he wants and how he feels, and what he believes. His intelligence and his will are just as inspirational, and can quite certainly be learned from. This interview is mostly a philosophical understanding of Trey's mind, the reasons behind the music, and, whether you agree or disagree with what he says, it's definitely something to think about. Music inspires thought, and that's what this is all about.
Enslain – How is your new singer working out for you?
Trey – He's great! He's got more underground feel than the way David was on the last record, and David was loosing the interest in death metal, and what death metal is. That's why he left the band.
Enslain – What are your philosophical beliefs, more on a theological direction.
Trey – They're based on the Cabala, to be simple, (Jewish mythicism), our connection with the higher self, a different map or model of the different levels that we exist on. I just believe in spirit. You know, I believe in the soul being of the same likeness as the energy that makes everything where it is, and that we're connected with it directly. It can be looked at as an unseen talent for a lot of people that don't ever access it, don't use it, you know, it just kind of is there, and it's um, like a mystery to them. And then for me I like to study it, and harness its power and actually use it, because it's the pure potentiality from the un-manifest, the pure spirit before it has become anything. It can become all things, it can make up anything, and it just has no limit. It's like once you decide to go a certain direction, you're limited, because you're going in this direction which means you're not going in this other, and that's about the ways of action, but at the beginning, to turn to the source of being able to do all things, and all things are possible, and that's what I just call the spirit. Just different labels. But that's what the whole thing's based on. It's a balance of the ways of activeness, the ways of stillness; activeness is like pursuing your goals and your desires to manifest your true will into reality... Music is a form of expression and celebration of spirit.
Enslain – A lot of people would label the music as Satanism, how does that make you fell?
Trey – I'm beyond all that, it doesn't matter to me, people can call it whatever they want. I've actually gone beyond the titles now; titles don't mean anything, just energy. Satanism is like... I could be considered a Satanist, I guess, because "I am, I will, I create", that's just talking about, I am the one responsible for my life, you know, realizing that, that I will make my own decisions and choose my path, and therefore create and shape my destiny. Myself.
Enslain – So what are your views on the afterlife?
Trey – It's just a continuum of energy. Beyond that, who knows? As energy we cannot die, we just change. It's like a chemical change. What makes up matter is energy and information. They're on a deep level on like physics.
Enslain – What else do you do in your spare time?
Trey – Play video games, ride my bike, hang out, do whatever. A lot of meditation, a lot of things like that, just creating my own environment... my environment is like my area, my world, my perception. Setting up things in my physical environment to stimulate my higher environment. You know, like the physical environment would be like the kind of people you hang out with, what you do daily, and how much time you spend on this and that and the other, and the way you look at things, what you think about when you wake up in the morning, all those different things, and then to me, it's all about achieving a peak state of emotion, being happy, pretty much. When you feel happy and excited about your life and about what you're doing, I think it brings the best of the individual out, you know, being in that state. A lot of the stuff I talk about is like basic psychology, as far as how you run your mind. I believe that values and decisions, which decisions are based on values, values is what makes us up, what we are. You want to change the way you are, change your values. Change the way that you run your mind, the way that you make decisions as to what to do, what to think about, how to represent things to yourself, you know, that's change. That's to me, it's the science and the metaphysical coming together, you know, because a lot of people who are into psychology, they talk about these different things, and these are the kind of things that go back and say with religious beliefs in the past, you know it's a big connection with the way it all works. Like belief, a belief is nothing more than a feeling of certainty about something. A certainty. That's all it is, it doesn't mean that it's a fact, because there's really no truths, there's only perceptions of truth, until you go into like the courtroom or something, you know, the judge and jury decides the truth. But beyond that, there is no truth, there's only your perception of truth, what works. So to me, gathering together a formula, a way of being, that's useful, that promotes growth and true fulfillment, and fulfillment should be measured by the individual. Usefulness should be measured by the individual, because people are different, you know, we're not clones. Some people have different preferences about things, what they like to do, some people like things real fast, some people like it slow, some people like this color, this music, this type of people. So the thing is, is to identify what naturally, an individual wants, and for that individual to assemble with that.
Enslain – How much do you practice guitar a day?
Trey – It depends, I usually just go through scales and stuff like that. That's kind of like the mechanics of it. The most kind of practice is achieving the frame of mind, the place to come from. Because when I play, I like to go above the personality spheres, into like the soul energy, and let that express through the playing as much as possible. So usually I detach myself the physical as much as possible, and even before we play, you know backstage, I may be real quiet and in my own world, 'cause that's the way I play, that's the way I do it. When I'm at home, I like to do a lot of reading and stuff, and interviews and whatever, but when I'm going to play shows, I'm usually more locked in, just creating my environment, the kind that's going to let the playing come out the best, which is basically lessening all the distractions.
Enslain – What bands do you like?
Trey – Vader, Angel Corpse, some old Deicide, Diabolic, as far as like death metal bands. Other than that, I listen to a lot of old school stuff, and I like The Gathering, I think The Gathering is really killer, "Nighttime Birds" is a really great album, and I like Dead Can Dance and I like Jap-animation music, and whatever.
Enslain – Do you ever go to other bands' concerts?
Trey – I don't go out. I'm just not really a social type of person, I'm more like a kind of guy that would just live out on a big plot of land with a house and just be kind of detached because I never fit in to groups, other than the outcasts, the freaks, and I never had that much to say that would harmonize. My interests are different. I'm more internal, not external. Not that I don't like people, I have nothing against people, I just don't fit in, so I don't hang out. I don't go to gatherings, I don't go to parties, I don't do things like that. When I play concerts, I really don't want to go talk to all the fans before the show, but after the show, I definitely want to see what kind of energy was exchanged. To me the concert is like a ceremony, it is something that exchanges energy from the band to the fans, back and forth, it's like a continuum. But other than that, I don't go out to see concerts; I'm just not a social type of person.
Enslain – What bands were you influenced by, as far as what you put in to Morbid Angel?
Trey – My influences were like Van Halen, Hendrix, and Judas Priest, and Black Sabbath, and things like that. Just psychedelic playing, visionary playing. I listened to this stuff when I was younger, and I assimilated a feeling out of it, the kind of stuff that I liked out of the guitar playing. Then when I play now, or when I write, I guess it reminds me of my reference point, of where I come by. I like solos to be dynamic, you know what I mean, I didn't take any theory, I don't know much about music technically, I just play what feels right and what seems engulfing. Plus I tap into the spirit, so the spirit plays, you know what I mean, it's not just me playing, because I think when I play by myself, without any inspiration, my playing is very dull, and whatever. I'm more of an inspirational player.
-- Lady Enslain
Enslain Magazine
Trey is a musician that I feel a large amount of respect for, because he is an inspirational guitar player with incredible speed and creativity in his writing and playing. However there is more than that behind this supposed Satanist than just his musical abilities. He is one who takes his life into his own hands and creates his own destiny, instead of allowing that to be done by others. He knows what he wants and how he feels, and what he believes. His intelligence and his will are just as inspirational, and can quite certainly be learned from. This interview is mostly a philosophical understanding of Trey's mind, the reasons behind the music, and, whether you agree or disagree with what he says, it's definitely something to think about. Music inspires thought, and that's what this is all about.
Enslain – How is your new singer working out for you?
Trey – He's great! He's got more underground feel than the way David was on the last record, and David was loosing the interest in death metal, and what death metal is. That's why he left the band.
Enslain – What are your philosophical beliefs, more on a theological direction.
Trey – They're based on the Cabala, to be simple, (Jewish mythicism), our connection with the higher self, a different map or model of the different levels that we exist on. I just believe in spirit. You know, I believe in the soul being of the same likeness as the energy that makes everything where it is, and that we're connected with it directly. It can be looked at as an unseen talent for a lot of people that don't ever access it, don't use it, you know, it just kind of is there, and it's um, like a mystery to them. And then for me I like to study it, and harness its power and actually use it, because it's the pure potentiality from the un-manifest, the pure spirit before it has become anything. It can become all things, it can make up anything, and it just has no limit. It's like once you decide to go a certain direction, you're limited, because you're going in this direction which means you're not going in this other, and that's about the ways of action, but at the beginning, to turn to the source of being able to do all things, and all things are possible, and that's what I just call the spirit. Just different labels. But that's what the whole thing's based on. It's a balance of the ways of activeness, the ways of stillness; activeness is like pursuing your goals and your desires to manifest your true will into reality... Music is a form of expression and celebration of spirit.
Enslain – A lot of people would label the music as Satanism, how does that make you fell?
Trey – I'm beyond all that, it doesn't matter to me, people can call it whatever they want. I've actually gone beyond the titles now; titles don't mean anything, just energy. Satanism is like... I could be considered a Satanist, I guess, because "I am, I will, I create", that's just talking about, I am the one responsible for my life, you know, realizing that, that I will make my own decisions and choose my path, and therefore create and shape my destiny. Myself.
Enslain – So what are your views on the afterlife?
Trey – It's just a continuum of energy. Beyond that, who knows? As energy we cannot die, we just change. It's like a chemical change. What makes up matter is energy and information. They're on a deep level on like physics.
Enslain – What else do you do in your spare time?
Trey – Play video games, ride my bike, hang out, do whatever. A lot of meditation, a lot of things like that, just creating my own environment... my environment is like my area, my world, my perception. Setting up things in my physical environment to stimulate my higher environment. You know, like the physical environment would be like the kind of people you hang out with, what you do daily, and how much time you spend on this and that and the other, and the way you look at things, what you think about when you wake up in the morning, all those different things, and then to me, it's all about achieving a peak state of emotion, being happy, pretty much. When you feel happy and excited about your life and about what you're doing, I think it brings the best of the individual out, you know, being in that state. A lot of the stuff I talk about is like basic psychology, as far as how you run your mind. I believe that values and decisions, which decisions are based on values, values is what makes us up, what we are. You want to change the way you are, change your values. Change the way that you run your mind, the way that you make decisions as to what to do, what to think about, how to represent things to yourself, you know, that's change. That's to me, it's the science and the metaphysical coming together, you know, because a lot of people who are into psychology, they talk about these different things, and these are the kind of things that go back and say with religious beliefs in the past, you know it's a big connection with the way it all works. Like belief, a belief is nothing more than a feeling of certainty about something. A certainty. That's all it is, it doesn't mean that it's a fact, because there's really no truths, there's only perceptions of truth, until you go into like the courtroom or something, you know, the judge and jury decides the truth. But beyond that, there is no truth, there's only your perception of truth, what works. So to me, gathering together a formula, a way of being, that's useful, that promotes growth and true fulfillment, and fulfillment should be measured by the individual. Usefulness should be measured by the individual, because people are different, you know, we're not clones. Some people have different preferences about things, what they like to do, some people like things real fast, some people like it slow, some people like this color, this music, this type of people. So the thing is, is to identify what naturally, an individual wants, and for that individual to assemble with that.
Enslain – How much do you practice guitar a day?
Trey – It depends, I usually just go through scales and stuff like that. That's kind of like the mechanics of it. The most kind of practice is achieving the frame of mind, the place to come from. Because when I play, I like to go above the personality spheres, into like the soul energy, and let that express through the playing as much as possible. So usually I detach myself the physical as much as possible, and even before we play, you know backstage, I may be real quiet and in my own world, 'cause that's the way I play, that's the way I do it. When I'm at home, I like to do a lot of reading and stuff, and interviews and whatever, but when I'm going to play shows, I'm usually more locked in, just creating my environment, the kind that's going to let the playing come out the best, which is basically lessening all the distractions.
Enslain – What bands do you like?
Trey – Vader, Angel Corpse, some old Deicide, Diabolic, as far as like death metal bands. Other than that, I listen to a lot of old school stuff, and I like The Gathering, I think The Gathering is really killer, "Nighttime Birds" is a really great album, and I like Dead Can Dance and I like Jap-animation music, and whatever.
Enslain – Do you ever go to other bands' concerts?
Trey – I don't go out. I'm just not really a social type of person, I'm more like a kind of guy that would just live out on a big plot of land with a house and just be kind of detached because I never fit in to groups, other than the outcasts, the freaks, and I never had that much to say that would harmonize. My interests are different. I'm more internal, not external. Not that I don't like people, I have nothing against people, I just don't fit in, so I don't hang out. I don't go to gatherings, I don't go to parties, I don't do things like that. When I play concerts, I really don't want to go talk to all the fans before the show, but after the show, I definitely want to see what kind of energy was exchanged. To me the concert is like a ceremony, it is something that exchanges energy from the band to the fans, back and forth, it's like a continuum. But other than that, I don't go out to see concerts; I'm just not a social type of person.
Enslain – What bands were you influenced by, as far as what you put in to Morbid Angel?
Trey – My influences were like Van Halen, Hendrix, and Judas Priest, and Black Sabbath, and things like that. Just psychedelic playing, visionary playing. I listened to this stuff when I was younger, and I assimilated a feeling out of it, the kind of stuff that I liked out of the guitar playing. Then when I play now, or when I write, I guess it reminds me of my reference point, of where I come by. I like solos to be dynamic, you know what I mean, I didn't take any theory, I don't know much about music technically, I just play what feels right and what seems engulfing. Plus I tap into the spirit, so the spirit plays, you know what I mean, it's not just me playing, because I think when I play by myself, without any inspiration, my playing is very dull, and whatever. I'm more of an inspirational player.
-- Lady Enslain
Enslain Magazine
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