What a Revolting Interview!

Musician Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Ribspreader, The Grotesquery, Demiurg, Putrevore) has put together an act that takes the horror and goriness of the 1980s and brings it back to life. Since today's modern horror scene is sucking beyond all belief - Rogga felt it was time to kick it up a notch and return to the past with resurrecting the death metal scene once more, except with his rendition of old school brutality titled Revolting.

Rogga says that by teaming up with Razorblade Records/DFA-Rekotz he's taken what he's created and made something of it, releasing three solid carnages he can call his own; "Dreadful Pleasures" (2009), "The Terror Threshold" (2010), and most recent addition "In Grisly Rapture" (2011). He sees to it that the old school death metal scene is alive and well and will forever reign above all the rest.

1. So your guy's style is about princesses, unicorns, fairies, and knights in shining armor right?

Rogga: I guess you could say that, at least with a twist. The princesses are mutated, the unicorns are undead with a taste for flesh and the fairies are slowly feasting on the flesh of the knights, digging deep into the tendons and veins under the harboring armor.

2. What are some of your favorite horror/gore films that you can name off the top of your head?

Rogga: As I’m born late in the 70s I grew up with stuff like Friday the 13th, Terror on Elm Street, Halloween, you know the teen slasher stuff and I loved it. When I was in my teens I then discovered the zombie horror, and Fulcis stuff is still my favorite.

3. Why did you want to take Revolting and trance back to the classic old school era? What do you hope to accomplish by doing this?

Rogga: Revolting was the concept of Billy Nocera at Razorback, that guy is totally crazy when it comes to horror. We´d been talking for years about doing something together and then he came up with the Revolting concept. Why did it turn out to be old school death metal? It’s the stuff I like, and it’s what I can play rather ok.

4. You're a part of the Razorback Records/FDA Rekotz who approached who?

Rogga: As mentioned above Billy at Razorback invented the band, and now for the third album we chose to do it on FDA Rekotz instead. Rico at FDA is just as Billy a great guy, and I hope the album will do ok.

5. Tell me about your new album, what’s the title and the meaning behind it?

Rogga: The title is In Grisly Rapture, and you gotta check out the artwork to fully understand the title. The album title, lyrics and most importantly artwork and layout is done by Desmond Root. And needless to say he did an awesome work, it’s just killer.

6. Can you explain a little about the monster creature that’s on the cover of your album "Dreadful Pleasures" what exactly is that? It’s made up of several creatures by the looks of it.

Rogga: That monster is the creation of artist Putrid, and I guess he wanted it to be as fucked up as possible haha. It’s a sick creature, but I have no idea where he got the inspiration from, probably from his nightmares.

7. How about your band name, Revolting, where does one get a name like that?

Rogga: Billy came up with that, and I think it’s the best name band could have that plays this sorta music. I am still surprised that it wasn’t taken when we decided to use it haha.

8. Besides this band there have been other projects are you still up to date with those or are those on hold for the time being?

Rogga: I usually play in Paganizer, Ribspreader and Demiurg too. To mention a few; Paganizer is just completing a new album, and so is The Grotesquery which I have with Kam Lee. So no, nothings on hold really, I keep the bands separated only in my head, not by time.

9. Speaking of bands what bands does Revolting turn too in regards to inspiration/influence matters?

Rogga: Old horror movies of corpse! Each song on the new alum deals with an old movie, for example I guess it’s easily understood that Dr Freustein deals with House by the Cemetary. But all the other songs are also based on movies, and when reading the lyrics you can almost feel like you are in the movie itself. Desmond is a real genius at that.

10. What does the touring schedule look like for you guys? Will you be hitting the road anytime soon or possibly this coming summer or nothing set in stone at this time?

Rogga: Nothing is decided yet, I need to beef up the lineup a bit haha. But the future of Revolting would hopefully be holding lots of gigs, just some stuff needing to be fixed first and then we will check out any possibilities of playing live.

11. What is the music scene like in Gamleby, Västervik Sweden? Are there any bands that you'd like to recommend?

Rogga: Around here it’s been up and down through the years, it’s a small scene but there have been some great bands, unfortunately most are dead now. But active ones are Blodsrit, Sinners Burn, Planets Align and Zombified.

12. If there is one thing you can say about Revolting that hasn't been said what would it be and why?

Rogga: It’s never been said that it’s the best band in the world, and why? As its fucken not haha.