Distant is a down-tempo/deathcore band from the area of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Alan Grnja - Vocals
Nouri Yetgin - Guitar
Eise Smit - Guitar
Vladimir Golic - Guitar
Elmer Maurits - Bass
Jan Mato - Drums
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to (insert band/artist name here)? How long has the band been around?
Elmer and Nouri who started this band were part of “Homeward”, a melodic hardcore band from The Netherlands. Alan and Jan were in “Shrill Whispers”, a deathcore band from Slovakia. We have now been a band for 6 years, with the main line-up being around for 4 years.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
We have always been named “Distant” and started off as a bunch of kids that really enjoyed playing shows and especially touring abroad. So from the start we focussed on playing international shows, and thats were we met Alan as well. As we live 1200km apart from each other, really Distant haha.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
We are writing our songs as a collaborative, so everyone is part of the progress. The project however floods around our own lore. It’s a bit of a gloomy story that takes places in an alternative universive, Tyrannotophia, and has elements of nightmares, betrayal and hierarchy.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
That’s a long list! As we combine alot of genres. But if I have to name a few: Suicide Silence, Slipknot, Acrania, Slaughter To Prevail.
Old and new styles of Deathcore mixed with some Slam, Nu-Metal and Black Metal elements.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
Not really, but we do love energetic live performances.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Listen to our backing track way too many times and get hyped up just before the show.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Our tour with Ingested, Signs of the Swarm and Within Destruction in 2019. It was really sick to be on the road for a month with such talent musicians and meet so many fans all around Europe!
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Signs of the Swarm, just because they are such nice guys and play the American alternative of our music! A perfect match socially and music wise.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Go check out our new EP “Dawn of Corruption”! The second chapter of our lore and a good representative of what kind of music we make!