Interview с Root : DARKSIDE.ru

In 2011 they have released very interesting LP, last at the moment, «Heritage Of Satan», where such musicians as Blasphemer (ex-Mayhem, ex-Ava Inferi), Erik Danielsson (Watain), Nergal (Behemoth) and others took part as guests. And in September 2013 the band have released live album «Viginti Quinque Annis In Scaena». Nowadays Root have a lot of new material that waiting for the recording. More details further. So, let's start. Interview with vocalist and the leader of Root, Big Boss, a member of side project Doomy Ballads and project Equirhodont

"First of all, Jiří, I want to express you my gratitude for consent to be interviewing by your inveterate admirer and at once I'll ask you about your plans as for Root in 2014?

We are working on the new Ballads, Root and Equirhodont albums so 2014 will be mainly about recording preparations an

d of course about live shows as well.

More than 25 years for any band is not an easy way to go, without mention such extreme genre as black metal. How do you feel looking back at such huge history of Root existence and does it inspire you for going ahead an active band's work both studios and concerts?

It was a wonderful 25 years! During those years new blood Ashok and Igorr came into the band and already have left an indelible mark in the form of such amazing albums. Moreover Black Metal is very specific genre in metal music. We try to do things different way than other bands in the world which accentuates and differentiates us. I think we did a good piece of work.

At the end of September this passing year you have released a live album "Viginti Quinque Annis In Scaena" with a great amount of exclusive material an

d a full concert in Brno, 2011. Was it a peculiar endline in the name of 25 anniversary? Tell us about this album more detailed.

OK, let me take our guitar player Ashok as the helping hand. He knows more about the details refer to the release of this album. So it's up to him:

Ashok: Well, yes, this live album is something like the celebration of the 25th anniversary. It is complete live show recorded in Brno on the fall of 2011. There are no overdubes or any kind of censorship so you can really hear and enjoy how the band sounds live with the current lineup. All we did is just more accurate mix in the professional studio but it is still very raw and „in your face“ sounding live album.
A bonus DVD is also interesting as you can find plenty of live recordings throughout last 6 years as well as some tour documentaries. Check it out and look forward to the L

P issue coming out this year.

You as an individual and Root as a legendary band are respected by a lot of musicians all over the Europe and even further. The leaders of such bands as Shining (Swe), Watain, Moonspell repeatedly declare that your music directly or indirectly influenced on their own and with some of them you appeared at the scene together, what indicates on your friendship. Talking about Eric Danielsson (Watain). Except of the guest vocals in two songs at the Heritage of Satan album he design the art for this album. Could you tell about your friendship and about that idea of such partnership?

Well there are many years of friendship between Root, Moonspell and Behemoth both on personal and musical level. I did some guest vocal parts for their records so did they for us as well. Eric contacted us regarding the cover artwork of Herit

age and quickly made a draft / preview idea. We liked it so we discussed the final form of the cover and he made it. He also made some graphics for Root t-shirts. This led to the following musical collaboration.

The fact the other bands mention us as their inspiration is great honor and pleasure for us.

What about a side-project Equirhodont? In some 2011 interview you told that you and guys started to work with a new album. How does the process go?

Equirhodont is very extensive story. We cannot afford just to do a sloppy job of it. That is why it takes so much time. We are just finishing the musical part of the 3rd album and then I have to work on my vocal lines so we are well prepared for the recording.

Also it will be interesting to know... Have you got the material for continuing your art process

with the project Big Boss?

I already have all the lyrics and even cover art work ready now. So these days I go through musical ideas and choose the guests I like to cooperate with for this record. The album will be sung in Czech language this time but there will be English translations in the booklet for foreign fans. Working title for the album is "A collection of Black Roses“.

Your incredible vocal at the last Big Boss album "Doomy Ballads" strongly reminds your blues roots in singing. Don't you miss that times when you were not so involved in metal music?

Well honestly I do not miss them because it's just evolution. But I sometimes sing the blues (which is really my roots) at jam sessions in various clubs. Blues is a lot about the feelings and emotions so I try to bring it into my way of singing in metal and its expressio

ns.

Fans of dilatory and epic black metal on the edge with doom which has extraordinary vocal often called such music as dark metal. What do you think about this term? Root as Moonspell, Samael, Black Crucifixion for instance are considered to be one of the founders of this occult genre standing at the roots... But so far this genre isn't accepted in wide ranges and substituted with terms like just black\doom metal, what in a case with your music is not really correct...

I do not really like such kind of playing with genre boxes or so called pigeonholes. But the name Dark Metal surprisingly captures it. It is very close to Doom but Dark is more accurate if we talk about singing. Dark Metal vocals are darker than the night, more stretched and epic. This is quite different from the Doom genre. But as I say I'm not dealing with it so much. For me i

t is most important that the voice is portraying the atmosphere of music and possibly make it even more developed.

And for the continuation, if the occult theme is touched, I want to ask you about lyrics. There are some different influences: from Satanism, occultism and magic to mythology (including Lovecraft's one) and dark philosophy. Do you write something except lyrics for songs? Maybe poems or some philosophical work? Sometimes listening to the Root it seems that you are filled with creative writer's potential.

You're right, lyrics are not the only thing I am have been working on. I write my dark poetry (Doomy Ballads) and the other works as well. I have already written three books. But it is rather philosophical themes. For last five years I have been working on the fantasy book about Kärgeräs. The first part (Kärgeräs

- Lost Nation) has been finished and nowdays I am busy with the second part (Kärgeräs - Return From Oblivion). So we'll see what is going to happen.

In 2010 Pavel Kubát (drums) and in 2011 a guitarist Jan Konečný are joined to Root. How does the work with them at the stage go and is it possible that these guys will bring something new in your music at creating process?

Paul "Paul Dred," Kubat and Jan "Hanz" Konečný are great musicians, people and friends. We understand each other very well which of course is a basic precondition for playing in the band. And last but not least they bring their musical contributions to the band because each of us has its own individual playing style, character and innovative ideas. But mostly they have sense for our specific kind of humor and are able to drink like us :-)

Finalizing the interview I'll put you a curious question which interested many fans: have you or somebody else from the band ever been in Ukraine? Maybe with gigs? If "yes", could you make a short flashback to those times?

I have never been in Ukraine and as I know no one from the band were so far as well so we did not play there yet. It's a terrible shame because we know we have a lot of fans in your country. We'd be really happy if there is any promoter to invite us for a few gigs.

Thank you for the answers and wish you and the band all the best in the next year!

Thanks for the interview and hello to our fans in Ukraine. We look forward to finally play in your country - PF 2014. "Stay Proud!"”

Interview by Alexandr Chornyi .
18 янв 2014 the End


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