1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
- Long: We are a 4-piece black metal band based in HCMC, Vietnam. We’ve been around for as early as 2003. As Darkness Burns is our first full-length and it is a black metal album with a heavy thrash and death metal-influenced sound. ROT currently consists of Loki (frontman, vocalist), Niek (bassist), Ân (drummer) and me, Long (guitarist)
2.Recently you have realized your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous demos?
- Niek: The previous demos are made by Loki by himself, back when recording technique in Vietnam was still primitive. Those two demos are in the style of raw 4 tracks black metal, we sound so much different now. Sound and production wise it is also a leap forward, as we've invested more in instrument and the recording quality
- Long: The full length shows a more matured sound compared to the demos, adding speed and aggression while still showing a variety in song ideas.
3.The band was also broken up for a few years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?
- Niek: ROT’s line up was always fluctuating throughout the year, the only constant was our frontman, Loki. Around 2015 Loki had to go to rehab and the old bassist moved abroad to work, so the band lost 2 positions and Ân was the only one left. I joined the band in 2017. After that we searched for new members and found a few people, but they didn't stick around for long until 2021, the lineup was complete again.
- Long: The decision to reform was to play live shows and record a full-length album eventually.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
- Long: Darkness, Blasphemy, Personal Struggles
5.All of the band members also have a background playing in death metal bands, how would you compare the style of black metal that you play with this band to your other groups?
- Niek: All members of our band love a variety of metal music (Death, Thrash, Grindcore ...) each member also plays in 2-3 different bands but for Rot I can say that it is a black metal with a penchant for speed and aggression. There are still more touch of morbid sickness atmosphere when compare to other death metal bands of our, where the brutality of the music is more focused.
6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Rot'?
- Long: to decay, to be left and forgotten
7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
- Niek: We just give the artists (Imperial Cult of Elcrost and Indigo Tongue of Elcrost) the freedom to imagine and create art on their own accord.
- Long: I think it symbolizes a journey to the afterlife. According to the artists, they based these ideas and concepts on our song lyrics/titles. There’s a connection between sin and punishment with the concept of hell throughout our work. The image of a death knight dragging along and eating human souls is a manifestation of those concept.
8.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
- Niek: We have played many gigs and shows big and small over the years. Some of them are quite good, such as 2013 opening for Nargaroth, the only show they have ever done in Southeast Asia, 2017 with Legion Of The Damned, 2019 with Incantation and most recently headlining the MASS: II show in Hanoi Vietnam, it was our first show in 4 years in the capitol of Vietnam. Our performance is not too different from other black metal bands, we are aggressive on stage. Sometimes we do corpse paint as well, but not for a long while now.
9.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
- Long: We are considering touring, but it depends on the band members’ schedules.
- Niek: We will take that into consideration in 2023
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
- Long: We do not have a lot of international exposure, but any reception has been positive, which has been more than delightful for us to find out. Huge thanks to everyone that checked us out.
- Niek: It’s not something I often thing about, but we always do our best in practicing and composing, nevertheless.
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
- Long: It is hard to pinpoint, but speed and aggression will be present.
- Niek: Whatever inspires us, we will go wherever it takes us.
12.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
- Long: I am also a session guitarist for Leukotomy, a local black metal band in Hanoi
- Niek: I play for melodic black metal band Elcrost in Hanoi, we just released a new live album. Loki runs the label Bloody Chunks Records and has a plethora of bands like Obsess (thrash), Crossdown (black), Disgusted, Brutore and Butchery (all death metal). Ân plays in Obsess with Loki.
13.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
- Long: I would say my main influences are Mayhem, Funeral Mist, Archgoat, Immortal. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of black and death metal: Satanic Warmaster, Black Witchery, Imprecation, Funebrarum, Undergang, Demigod.
- Niek: I know that Loki likes the early demo days of the second wave and some more obscured stuffs like early Bethlehem. A lot of bands have influenced me as much like Taake , Gorgoroth , 1349 , Tsjuder , Marduk and lately i really like some bands like : Mavorim , Deus Mortem , Nordjevel , Craft.
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
- Long: Huge thanks to everyone who has checked out our music or has supported us. Thank you OMZ for having us.
- Niek: stop thinking and start killing!
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