Rootwater is a Polish nu metal band, formed in Warsaw, Poland in 2002 by Sebastian Zusin, Yonca and Pablo. Soon, Maciej Taff has joined the band as a vocalist. In their music there are many hardcore, trash, folk and punk, or even ambient influences clearly hearable. The name of the band comes from a Magic: The Gathering card captioned "Rootwater Commando". The band is famous for their psychedelic, technically perfect album covers. Many critics are comparing Rootwater's music to System of a Down's music, which is probably caused by a similar use of native "folkish" melodies by both groups. Rootwater's vocalist, Maciej Taff usually sings in English, but some songs refer to Hebrew folk (Hava Nagila), or are sung in traditional Roma language (Caje Sukarije), Polish, or French (Climchoque).
All the founders are musicians with some experience under their belts, and ROOTWATER is no one's first band. Taff got famous with GEISHA GONER, Sebastian ran SPARAGMOS for 12 years, Paweł played drums in the Warsaw lineup of NEOLITHIC, and Yonca never tasted fame, but he played with everyone in this country. Six months of rehearsals in the former SPARAGMOS' rehearsal studio CONTRAS is the time spent writing songs for the band's first unofficial recording (demo rehersal). Rehearsal is recorded in July 2002, still without a bass player. In August 2002 Przemo (bass) joins the band and the lineup is at last complete. ROOTWATER begins playing live shows and immediately becomes one of the best live acts in Warsaw. After a series of rehearsals, some polishing touches and final arrangements of songs ROOTWATER enters the 'KOKSZOMAN & Złota Skała' studio at the beginning of October 2002, where it begins recording its debut. ROOTWATER's music is a crossover of various styles, ranging from heavy, hardcore riffs, thrash metal rhythms and mystical ambient to punk-style expression backed by Taff's charismatic singing.