1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Well, that’s pretty much everyone. We’re just a bunch of homunculi who love to play fast and heavy music. We’re guided by the idea that more is more, the only rule is the rule of cool, and no idea is too stupid.
2. In June you have an EP coming out. Can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
The EP is only five tracks, but it covers a long period of songwriting—some of the tracks are a couple of years old, and the newest was written a few months before the recording. We really want to experiment, so there are some angular harmonies and ambiguous tonality, but it’s gotta be anchored with driving rhythms and strong chord structures. It has to rock.
3. Some of your lyrics cover horror themes. Can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
Pulp, Mexican gothic, grindhouse, Lovecraft. I’ve always been drawn to cheap thrills and grime. There’s a ton to be had in horror. It’s varied and subversive. A fuck you to the status quo. I like to plumb the depths in media, and horror is huge, varied, and cool. Rule of cool.
4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Rotgut'?
Rotgut is liquor that’s so low quality it’s toxic. The good stuff, in other words. The name has weight—it’s simple, evocative, and sums us up pretty well, I think.
5. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the EP cover?
That’s me—a depiction of the ritual that summoned two other bozos into this realm. The artwork was done by our human friend Comic Rat a.k.a. Steven Valentine.
Slamming beer isn’t advisable before an incantation, but I won’t apologize for being me. So there you go. A beer-fueled spell. 24 oz Cantrip.
6. Can you tell us a little bit more about the masks the band members wear in the promo pictures?
Those are our faces, sir or ma’am.
7. Has the band done any live shows or are you open to the idea?
Yes! We’ll be starting up in the fall of 2025. The original lineup was just myself—I played all the instruments on the EP. A one-man act is hard to bring to the stage. Luckily, we’ve now got four capable musicians in the band, freeing me up to handle guitar and vocals.
8. Currently the band is unsigned. Are you looking for a label, or have you received any interest?
No word yet. We’re just busting out of the cellar with this album.
9. On a worldwide level, how has the reaction been to your music by fans of underground metal?
We’re shocked that we got press from so many countries—Brazil, Germany, Poland, France. We’re honored by the support. There’s nothing more gratifying than putting out something honest, even if it’s absurd, and seeing it understood and enjoyed as much as you hoped.
10. When can we expect a full-length, and where do you see the band heading musically in the future?
32 oz Cantrip is coming out late 2025 or early 2026. It’ll be an extended edition of the EP, with four tracks that predate the formation of Rotgut. So we’re kind of going backwards. But the old songs are crusty and earnest, and we want them to see the light of day. They’re in the setlist anyway—can’t keep ’em private.
The third album is already in the works. We’re keeping true to the spirit of black n’ roll and thrash n’ roll—that’s the core. But if we can throw in some atmosphere, some dungeon synth, some tech thrash—we’ll embrace it. I don't think it's good to be too constrained by genre. Write what you feel and package it in a way that works.
11. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music, and what are you listening to nowadays?
Witchery, Ghoul, Nasum, Converge, early Haunted are big ones for me. High energy, tough, and evil. There’s so much. I love Dawn—the Swedish black metal band—for the voice leading in their progressions. D-beat like Tragedy and His Hero Is Gone. I try to listen to a wide swath: Voivod, Carpenter Brut, Goblin, Strunz & Farah, Mahler. I can go on with questions like these.
12. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for taking the time. We’re so stoked to see people are interested. We really appreciate it.
rotgutofficial.bandcamp.com
instagram.com/rotgutband
ROTGUT on Facebook
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