Interview: Grot

Photograph by Grot

Unearthing talented black metal artists is one of the ultimate goals as a publication, which makes it so rewarding when stumbling upon an artist like Grot out of Wisconsin. Upon first listening to the 2021 release Hymns of the Woodlands, I was fascinated by the distinct sound, both vocally and musically. It’s intense, yet beautifully composed. However you choose to describe it upon first listen, you have to admit that the sound differentiates itself from many other artists in the genre. It’s executed so well, which is why Grot is likely not going to be “underground” for too long.  

The artist’s latest release titled Beneath the Waves of Eternity is a masterful follow-up release, which further solidifies my confidence in this artist that they are not a one-album wonder. Similar to Hymns of the Woodlands, Beneath the Waves of Eternity brings an intensity to its portrayal of beauty, nature, and the eternal.  

Blacforje had the honor of asking Grot some questions about their music, the vision behind Grot, and what we can expect from the artist in the near future.

Thanks for joining Blacforje for an interview! I’ve been following you for a little while now, and I have to admit that I was totally caught off guard when I first heard your work. It was wild (in a good way). Fantastic stuff. 

For starters, where are you based?

Thank you! I am from Wisconsin and the drummer is from Tennessee. The other live members are kinda spread out, as well.
To date, you have released two albums: Hymns of the Woodland (2021) and your latest release, Beneath the Waves of Eternity (2023). What inspired you to start the Grot project in 2021, and what inspired the distinct sound on both of your records?

I started all my ideas for Grot in high school, about 2018. I had a friend from the Netherlands who suggested the name at that time. “Grot” means cave in Dutch. I just wrote whatever riffs I had in my head and put together songs. I had my first song on YouTube in 2020 when I was still in high school. It was not very good. I always like to write songs that sound pretty to me, so that’s what inspired it.

What is Beneath the Waves of Eternity (2023) about conceptually?

Each of the songs have some different themes, but most of them are about different nature scenes and my admiration for wildlife.

In our written correspondence, you and I briefly discussed your Christian faith, which we share. How does that influence your work as an artist? Is it reflected in the lyrical elements and general ethos of what you’re doing with Grot?

Yeah, so I mainly focus on the nature themes, but to me that reflects my love of God for His beautiful creation. I’m not great with words, so lyrics are not my strong suit, but I strive to honor God in everything I do as best I can. It’s an interesting task considering the type of music I like and the people I interact with. 

What bands and artists have influenced you the most?

I think, in the beginning, the most influential artists for me were Imperium Dekadenz and Horna. Now I take influence from a lot of different types of music. I like melodic and pretty music in general. I mainly listen to black metal bands, but I also listen to folk music and plenty of random music I’ll come across. 

I believe I saw a post on your social media about you playing live. Are you planning on doing more live shows in the near future, or was that a one-time thing? And how did it go?

There will definitely be more shows after this one. This first show is May 19. I’m really excited. There is at least one show planned for next year, and I plan on looking for more opportunities after we get past this first one.

Photograph by Grot

If you could work with one band or artist of your choosing on a future album, who would you pick to make a guest appearance? 

I don’t know if I would ever collaborate with another band for a split release or something like that. I may change my mind on that, but currently I just like my music to reflect my own interests, and trying to collaborate with a whole different band with different values would be complicated. That being said, if the band Евроклідон still existed, it would definitely be awesome to work with them on something.

Last question: Do you plan on releasing a vinyl of your albums?

Yes, I’m working with Goatowarex for my latest release. I have no idea what the timeline is though.

You can follow Grot on Bandcamp, Instagram, and Facebook.