We recently reviewed a promo received by these Costa Rican melodic black metallers called Rotten Souls. So impressed I got with their work that I definitely had to get to know more about this band and most precisely, about their ultimate offering called “And so we at the Gates”. So I set up a conversation with guitarist and lead vocalist Dr Legion who was able to introduce the atmospheric and depressive concept they follow in their black metal approach.

Everything is good, trying to make it through with our music in a country where it's not common for a genre as it is black metal; but it’s being given great support by brother bands and fans.

2-Awesome…now let’s get started by providing a quick background on what has been Rotten Souls existence so far? How did you manage to find each member…?Why did you decide  to form such a band with such characteristics? Was it hard to do something like that given the nature of your local scene?

Even when we started with a different name (Skollium) we can assure that Rotten Souls was born in 2006. That year new members came in, all of us with very different influences. So… it was like completing a puzzle and new characteristics came along this time in scene.  As we mentioned before, it's not easy to make it through.

3-interesting…and talking about your debut  “And so we at the Gates”… tell us…what does that title represent? Who came up with it? How would you describe this work…I mean musically and conceptually…

Musically speaking, the album’s name is pretty suggestive. You can even create your own concept, hell or heaven’s gates? But as a band it also represents a new door to be opened, full of expectations. And about the graphic concept, due to the mysticism involved in our music we wanted to create an ambient based in another era.

4-Continuing on your album, it is certainly a great work, pretty impressive in terms of overall production, tell us how hard was to put out such a high standard item? Especially because it was self produced…right?

it was not an easy task.  As it is full of details it took a while to finally obtain a great product. Fans deserve it! What could you expect? We love what we do. It is our first shot, our debut album, so jumping through obstacles it took almost two years and a half for our dark baby to see the light.

 

For sure is not a white work… lol, it’s kind suggestive and it questions some Christian topics, is more like the existential fight each one has between good and evil, is about what you call right or wrong, black or white… you can call it as you wish. So what we talk about is something that has been around for too many centuries, touching humankind and its civilizations along the way; there is where gothic, melodic and mystic influences take part of it. And finally, mostly responsible of lyrics is Dr. Legion, even a band’s good friend took part in one song.

6-We know that your record has been just put out…but…are there any clues on how are sales going? Any chance to have released through a formal and serious label? How many copies did you make?

In every concert we play we sell our merchandise and it is also available in a few music stores around our country. It is good to mention that our album has been sent out to a few fans outside Costa Rica. We started out with 500 copies and as a matter of fact a couple of labels have shown interest in our material.

7-Dude…”And so we at the Gates” comes with full colour cover, lyrics, awesome band pics and if that wouldn’t be enough, everything packed on a killer dig pack…what made want to go this further with your album…why not just release an average item?

In the place we live it takes a hard work to come up with something awesome.  It's like having a gun with just one bullet, you better aim straight to the target.  There is no turning back, our first big step.

8-Do you guys play quite a lot?...I saw in youtube some of your live  performances and everyone wears this kind of dress and  make up very much in the middle age vein…why do you do that? Is it a way to build your image as a band or you just do it for fun?

These performances give an image of the band and sure we have a lot of fun doing it. That’s the visual concept as a band. A good story to tell took place a couple of years ago; we had no decent place to put on the make-up, so we painted our faces on the street using car windows as mirrors. You had to see people’s faces...   passing by and suddenly crossing the street to the other sidewalk… by the way, the gig took place on a block across from a church… coincidence?

9-So far how has been the response received to the album?...how are all those “critics” reacting to your debut?

we have heard and read good critics, really positive comments about this album, nothing bad about it so far, thanks god! (Sarcasm included).

 

It’s not like you find a marked difference, both are great! Style prevails; but, since you are putting us in the line of fire we must choose: most of us rather listen to “Cannibal Corpse” with “Chris Barnes”. A good album to mention is “The Bleeding”.

11-What do you think about the massive come backs from classic bands such as Exodus, Pestilence, Overkill….etc? Do you think it is because new generation of bands are unable to take the flag of metal properly or is more a matter of passion for metal?

Obviously classic bands have that great essence of metal; too many bands are also taking properly the flag of metal, giving us an enriched menu with a mix of genres but we bet passion for metal is the main reason of those come backs you are talking about.

12-Hypothetical question…if Rotten Souls would have the chance to go out on a worldwide tour…which bands would you take with you? Do you remember when you started in metal music?...which was the first band you listened and said “wow…this is my thing”?

well… you didn’t specify if it could be locally or internationally, so we are answering both.

From our country we would like to go worldwide with a brother band that we really respect and that also have supported us in our process: “Mantra”, and a band that shares the black metal genre as it is “Alastor Sanguinary Embryo”.

About International bands, we can’t even get to an agreement…there are too many bands we would like to play with, so, every one of us has chosen a band: “Emperor”, “Belphegor”, “Behemoth”, “Marduk” (we already did! But not worldwide) and finally “Dimmu Borgir”.

How we started in metal music? Same as before, every “rotten” took a piece; “Metallica” “Death”( voted twice) “Samael” and “ Iron Maiden”.

13-Ok…let’s get back to the band…what’s coming for you guys?...what is going to be the next movement for Rotten Souls?...some new stuff on EP format?...by the way…what merchandise is available at the moment?

Next to come is a great gig that we actually consider as the best for this year in our local scene, “Costa Rica Metal Fest” on August 21st, and a couple of dates out of our borders, in Panama and Nicaragua. We are also working on new stuff: our second LP format. Merchandise available; “And So Do We… At The Gates” album in digipack presentation and t-shirts with the album's cover on front and the band’s photo on the back.

14-Well my friend…I think that’s it for now…it’s been really cool to talk to you…please feel free to add anything else you may consider relevant to the voracious readers of Archaic Magazine…

Yes, we may consider it relevant to your voracious readers the fact that we hope to meet them soon, specially cause we are trying to play some gigs overseas.

Want more info on Rotten Souls?
Visit Rotten Souls's band information page!

Other articles for Rotten Souls:

Album review

And so we at the Gates»

by Ronald 30 Jul, 2011