Interview: WROHT

Bay Area death metallers WROHT (formerly Söthis) are launching their debut full-length album "Worship Rot" today, October 30th. The band has previously premiered a single "Butchery" via Decibel Magazine. We talked with singer Ivan Peric, and below is a transcript of the interview.

Hello! First of all, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to answer this interview. How are you?

All is well.

Where did you get your band’s name from?

I thought it was an interesting interpretation of the word "rot". I wanted something interesting and unconventional, and I thought this was it. 

If you had to describe your band’s sound in short terms, how would you?

We're a death metal band with a bit of progressive metal sprinkled in there. We love a good death metal riff and a solid groove so that is what the majority of our sound is built off of. As we write new material though, we continue to push the riffs and the songwriting to progress into a more polished and interesting form.

What are the bands that have inspired you most with regards to your own music?

Death, Bloodbath, Cannibal Corpse, Obscura, Opeth, Lamb of God, Black Dahlia Murder etc. Countless death/prog metal bands. That's the main source for the instrumentation. As the vocalist, i've been finding a lot of inspiration from other genres in terms of my performance and my lyrics which include bands like Death Grips and Nine Inch Nails. Still love metal, but i'm finding inspiration wherever it strikes me.

What’s the story behind the formation of WROHT?

We met at a Death to All tribute show back around 2015 where my friend was recruited as a guitar player. Eventually their vocalist left and I took over. Since then, we've just been writing, performing, and recording music. Our goal is to make music that we'd like to listen to and experience. You can check our bio if you want the full story.

You have an album coming out today. What do you have to say on the concept behind “Worship Rot”? What does it represent?

The concept should come together as you listen to the music and observe the two sides of the cover art. All i'll say about it is that it is an observation that I thought was very important to shine a light on. 

How do you think the music interacts or reflects on the themes you’re touching on in this album?

The music is the vessel for the tone of the concept and the lyrics. Throughout the long period of development, I listened to the music as it was being developed and tried to write lyrics that both complemented the musical vibe and expressed my personal ideas and observations. The theme is made from a communication between myself, the music itself, and the world. I wrote what I felt was the most important thing that I needed to express. 

What went into the writing process of “Worship Rot”?

Years of compiling, practicing, and putting things together. 

What’s the idea behind the artwork? 

I'd like the art to communicate to you what it needs to. It all ties together. A hint is that the front side and the back side are taking place in the exact same space, except in an alternate reality. Which is the real one? What is the truth behind (metaphorically) worshipping an idol that promises you the world? Blindly believing someone in a position of power who states in some way to "trust in me" or "believe in me". How does it feel, and what are the results? It's something worth reflecting on from a neutral perspective. Observe the evidence.

What advice might you have for other musicians, whether from a creative or business perspective?

If you believe in it, keep chipping away. Listen to the creative flow, and follow it. Chuck Schuldiner once said, "let the metal flow". We have yet to strike gold, but that's okay. We're doing exactly what we want to do and we wouldn't have it any other way.

What lies in the future for WROHT?

More death metal content. We're already working on the next album and it's a definite progression. The new songs sound awesome. Heavier than ever, and a more diverse sound. Some stuff is doomier than we've ever done, and some is much more technical than we've ever done. We're excited to keep developing the new stuff. I would recommend that any fan of death metal should start paying attention.

"Worship Rot" by WROHT is out today; grab a copy here. Stay tuned for more from the band by giving them like on Facebook and following them on Instagram.