Thrash Metal & Veganism
Interview with Triskelyon Founder Geoff Waye
The Canadian thrash metal project Triskelyon has several lyrics about veganism in their songs. Fans of the genre love them for their skilful mix of euphoria and despair and the play with joy and horror. The third album, "Shattered Elysium", came out in September 2024. When band founder Geoff Waye contacted me, I asked him for an interview, and here we are!
Anne: Hi! Thanks for taking the time to do this interview! It's so great to talk to you. How are you doing today?
Geoff: Thanks for having me for an interview! I'm doing ok despite the grim atmosphere in the world.
Anne: You released "Shattered Elysium" in September 2024. How is the feedback so far?
"I'm already working on a new album!"
Geoff: Feedback has been nearly all positive, as it has been for the previous releases, which is nice. It's still tough to get much coverage or notice in the larger publications, but such is the way. Even though most artists would like to reach more people, many of us create as it's just what we are driven to do, regardless of any accolades.
Anne: So the start of 2025 went quite well for Triskelyon? What are your plans for the next few months?
Geoff: I'm already working on the next Triskelyon album. I have written six songs so far, but I haven't gotten far with the lyrics for them yet. I'll spend the rest of the winter and early spring finishing it off.
Anne: "Shattered Elysium" is your third album. What has changed since the early days and your first album, "Downfall", from 2022—musically and band-wise?
Geoff: From my point of view, not a lot has changed, but I do think the albums seem to have gotten progressively more heavy. It's up to the listeners to determine what might have changed, though (laughs).
Anne: Some of your song lyrics are about veganism. Do you want to name some of them? What exactly are these pieces about?
Geoff: The main song 100 per cent about veganism is "Indifference". Other songs that touch upon the topic are "Sealed Hypocrisy" and "Wilful Ignorance". In "Sealed Hypocrisy", the lines that point to a vegan theme would be "Sanctimonious poseur, waving that flag, wearing of skins" and another line "wrapped up in death". It's about hypocrisy in general, but specific examples are hinted at. The song "Indifference" is directly about veganism, and the lyrics speak for themselves. You can include them here to share them with your readers, as it's the lyrics about the topic that hit home the hardest to me:
"Indifference"
"Worse than hate is your indifference to their fate.
A living grave to those murdered, to those enslaved.
Blind eyes, wilfully turn, ignorant, and unlearned.
No regard for the plight of the defenceless billions.
Selfish pleasure gratification leads to damnation.
Traditions of death, to you, I must confess.
There can be no peace amidst this ongoing cruelty.
With heads and sand, a blurred visual acuity,Chorus:
Endless excuses with no compromise.
A death industry riddled with lies.
Not for survival, just for the thrill.
Rounding them up to be slaughtered and killed.
Barely evolved from the slime you once swam.
Your kingdoms' to dust your legacy is damned.Imprisoned in shackles, feasting like jackals.
Chewing on brains, slack-jawed insane.
A grotesque pastime cut down in their prime.
Pallet pleasure, mindless, weak and spineless.
Impulsive, barbaric practice is normalized.
Abomination obscured, mankind not matured.
Blood sports, inhumane, entrenched in games.
Death industries, war. Hear my defining roar."
Anne: What do thrash metal and veganism have in common?
Geoff: I like that thrash metal often comes with a social/political message. Of course, some bands are more fantastical and sing about fictitious stuff, which is ok, too. But bands like Kreator, Testament, Sacred Reich etc. all have messages about society, the environment etc. That makes a topic like veganism great for thrash lyrics, as it covers injustice, the environment, hypocrisy, etc.
Anne: When did you decide to go vegan, and what caused this decision?
"I immediately stopped eating meat after watching 'Vecucated'"
Geoff: I watched a documentary in 2011 called "Vegucated". I didn't watch it with a plan to become vegan. I was just curious. Immediately after watching, I stopped eating meat. Then, I started removing things like eggs and, eventually, cheese. Also, a shout out to a friend, Jo Blackened, who shared things about veganism online, which also helped. The main reason that this stuff ended up making me move to veganism is because I hate to see animals suffer for absolutely no reason, especially when a vegan diet is healthier and nowadays is very easy. It was a bit harder in 2011, but the amount of choices has dramatically increased since then.
Anne: You recorded the songs on "Endgame Euphoria" with artists like Amanda Kiernan (Into Eternity, The Order of Chaos), Eric Forrest (E-Force, ex-VoiVod), Tiina Teal (Détente), Amanda Jackman (Category VI), Armin Kamal (Infrared), Dale Drew (Sea Dogs), Fíochmhar (Artach), Des Mason and Pete Healey, Raul Marques (Burning Torment), Dwayne Pike, Keith Jackman (Category VI), Rick White, and Darrin Pope. Do they also share your views about animal rights and veganism? Do your other bandmates?
Geoff: I haven't really asked them. I know for some of them, it's not a topic or issue they think about. And as Triskelyon is a project band, my interactions with some of the people are only on a musical level and not personal.
Anne: Why do people think there's a difference between a dog and a cow, a cat and a chicken?
Geoff: I think it's a mixture of cultural indoctrination and cognitive dissonance. Some are raised to just think, and their culture reinforces, that a dog/cat is a pet and a chicken/pig/cow is just here for consumption. Some know that they are as intelligent and as deserving of our care as traditional pets but just don't like to think about it as it makes them uncomfortable. And then there are just some people who are uncaring, murderous psychopaths (laughs).
Anne: I can imagine that with your strong voice and reach, you have already been able to convince many people about going vegan. Would you describe yourself as a vegan activist, and do you feel that people reconsider their views when they hear your songs and meet you?
"I like that thrash metal often comes with a social/political message"
Geoff: I don't consider myself an activist. I have no problems telling people what I think about why being a vegan is the way, but I also am not one to argue with people about things that they don't want to hear about. Through some of my lyrics, I do that and let that be the voice and level of activism that I give. If it causes one person to think and make a change, then that's great!
Anne: Veganism is particularly widespread in the music (metal) scene and subculture. While otherwise, it's probably two to three per cent of people, here it's more like 15. How do you explain that?
Geoff: I am not sure of the rough percentages of metalheads who are vegan. I do know that one of my musical heroes is vegan, and that is Mille Petrozza of the German thrash band Kreator. So, if there's a higher percentage of vegans in the metal community than in the "normal" population, I'm not sure what I'd attribute that to. Maybe it has something to do with the rebellious nature of metal and challenging accepted norms. Perhaps it has to do with being a deeper thinker on some topics, as a lot of metal lyrics are not typically meaningless pop drivel (laughs).
Anne: Your song "Endgame Euphoria" is a critique of the fixation on today's media on bad news and people's morbid fascination with watching disasters unfold. If you ask me, this is one of the most terrifying topics of our times. How do you explain yourself in this circumstance?
Geoff: While the news these past few years is almost all bad, it feels like it's gotten much worse in the past few years with wars and the backlash against science and rationalism. When treating other people who are different than you becomes viewed as being weak, you know humanity overall is pretty fucked.
Anne: Bad news is omnipresent right now. There's the news on the telly, the internet, TikTok and all the other platforms. How can we manage to keep informed while staying sane? How do you know when it's time to take a break?
Geoff: It is becoming harder to be calm and feel sane when, for example, your neighbouring country is talking about annexation and making you their 51st state. I watch the news daily, but it's not healthy to watch it all day. It's good to take a day or a weekend off from it entirely and just escape. When you feel overwhelmed and/or angry, it's definitely time to take a break, as raging all day isn't healthy. Channel the rage to something else. For me, it's writing music and lyrics with a message.
Anne: I want to know more about your influences. Are there any bands or musicians who've accompanied you over the years with their music and whose style has coined your music?
Geoff: So so many….too many to name. I think for the Triskelyon stuff. My influences come from bands like Kreator, Sacrifice, Forbidden, Testament, Metallica, Megadeth, etc. are the ones that have influenced it the most.
Anne: You're also the guitarist for Artach and Category VI. How has working with these bands influenced Triskelyon's music?
Geoff: Not really. I view the Category VI stuff as being more melodic with more of a lean towards classic heavy metal, power metal, and hints of thrash metal. Artach is more raw and wild. It has black and thrash metal overtones.
Anne: You have a tradition of closing your albums with the cover version of an iconic song. For "Shattered Elysium", you chose Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf". What makes this piece stand out from all the other songs in the world?
Geoff: Of course, it stands out as one of their more recognizable songs. But for me, when I select a cover, it's not so much about how the song stands out in the world but how it stands out for me in my personal musical journey. Duran Duran was a band I loved as a kid before I found my way to heavy metal. And yes, I still love them to this very day as well.
Anne: Thanks so much for answering my questions! It was an honour having you!
Geoff: The honour was mine, thanks for talking to me about the music and the message.