"Rotting" musically differs from the raw, hyper-speed black metal of "I.N.R.I." Session drummer "Joker" brought a different set of influences to the band (such as crossover thrash); Wagner also quickly learned to play guitar, and contributed many of the album's guitar riffs. "Rotting" also marked their first change of aliases: the group's core duo renamed themselves "Wagner Antichrist" and "Gerald Incubus". Their visual department went through changes as well — they dropped the arm and leg spikes because they made playing live difficult.