This year, on September 4–5, there will be a big Psych party in Pusztazámor! RoadkillSoda, who already proved themselves before Unida, will show here as well that they take their music seriously! To mark the occasion, we did a short interview with them.
- A large part of the Hungarian audience probably first encountered you as the opening act for the 2023 Budapest show of Unida. It was a memorable evening. Now you are returning to Hungary, this time to play at the Jam in the Psych Castle festival, which welcomes audiences with a unique location and a very strong international lineup. What does this festival mean to you, and what are you expecting from this special event.
- Hello everyone, Panda here from RoadkillSoda. Yeah, the whole tour with Unida was one hell of a good experience.Fun was had. We’ve played many times in Budapest thru the years, and each time was a blast. We’re expecting nothing but having a good time, and giving the audience a hell of a ride.
- RoadkillSoda’s music has always been defined by heavy grooves, powerful riffs, and raw rock’n’roll energy. At first listen, it might seem like a slightly different direction compared to some of the more psychedelic acts on the festival lineup. What do you think is the common ground that makes you a natural fit for this environment?
- Well genres are for critics. We play rocknroll. You can find find elements of stoner, grunge and psichedelic in our music. But I think RoadkillSoda is about pure rocknroll energy. And in a live set is the beat chance to experience that with us.
- You have been an active band for more than ten years. Looking back on this journey, what do you think has remained unchanged in RoadkillSoda since the beginning, and what are the areas where you have developed or changed the most?
- I’ve started this band back in 2011, and i’ve had the chance to play with a lot of good musicians. The drive and musicality remained the same. Music changed as I aged, and as I always like to say, you don’t wanna release the same song/album thru out your whole career, right?
- Since Sagrada (2020) – apart from Pandamonium Sessions Vol. 1 – we haven’t heard a new full-length album from you. Where does the new material currently stand? Is the atmosphere and direction of the next RoadkillSoda album already starting to take shape?
- Our I think 8th album is in the works. We have 3 songs completely done, probably 23 other songs in the works. I decided to take my time with this album, as the results are excelent for my taste and feel, and I don’t want to rush the process. But it will be a banger of an album.
- One of the interesting aspects of stoner rock is that many bands are constantly searching for a balance between traditional, heavy riffs and new musical ideas. When you write new songs, how important is it for you to preserve the familiar RoadkillSoda sound, and how much do you want to explore new territories?
- Well, songs always start from my guitar riff. So I think that is what makes it familiar. But, the one period in time when this happens is always different.So it’s always evolving. Also having changed members, brings it’s own twist to the song I bring. Everybody is different, but everybody keeps in mind the past of the band, and respects that, and I respect them for that.
- The Eastern European underground scene has been receiving increasing international attention in recent years. From the inside, how do you perceive this change? Is it easier today for a Romanian band to reach foreign audiences than it was when you started out?
- I think nothing really changed. There is not much interest for Romanian music. “Luck”? You make your own luck. You have to be consistent and visible. And play each show as if it’s your last. Make it count, as it might very well be.
- If you had to recommend a single RoadkillSoda song to someone discovering you for the first time, which one would best represent who you are today – and why would you choose that particular track?
- If it’s sho we are today, it would be the 2026 single, “Vita”. It’s a banger of a tune. Listen to it for yourself.
- If you had the chance to organize your own one-day festival with three other bands – whether they are active today or already considered legends – who would you invite to join you, and why?
- Well, we actually have our own festival here, RoadkillFest. But if it were any bands, active or not, Hendrix experience, Led zep and Black sabbath. Hell that’s where it all started, right?
- Over the past decade, the stoner, heavy psych, and doom scenes have changed a lot. More and more festivals, labels, and themed events are being built around this community, while streaming has completely transformed the way people listen to music. How do you see the current state of the stoner community? Has the audience changed? Are new, younger fans discovering the genre, or is it mostly the same generation keeping it alive? And perhaps most importantly: does that family-like underground feeling still exist – the feeling that made so many people fall in love with this scene in the first place?
- I think outside Romania, you do have a feeling of comunity. And whenever we tour, there is great fun to be had everywhere. Times change, our music remains the same. This is old music, played loud and proud. We release on tape and vinyl. Who wants that ‘70 feel will get it. Who doesn’t, won’t. It’s not for everyone, and that’s just fine.
- The stoner community has always been more than just a musical genre: for many people, it represents a mindset and a way of life. Do you still feel this sense of unity at concerts and festivals today? What do you think is something this community should never lose?
- Having a good time. Regardless of anything else. We are united by the music, for the music. This should have no limitations.
The 2026 Bearstone Fest report is long overdue thanks to my own laziness, but I'm finally posting it in several parts. 
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