Interviews

Hi, first of all congratulations with your album, it truly is amazing.

Thanks!

Of course we all regretted your departure from Ensiferum, but, for most of us, that was no big deal, once you released your album. You released two albums with Ensiferum, and only one with Wintersun, and it seems that Wintersun is getting more attention than Ensiferum, how do you think about this?

It's good for Wintersun of course, but you know, there isn't any competition with the bands. My time in Ensiferum has certainly build some fan base and some people were interested to hear what I was gonna do with Wintersun. And I'm glad about that, cause it would have sucked to start from zero again.

In some forums there's been a lot of discussion about the cover of your album, it's seen as a rebirth (the man lying in the snow, and the light in the tree), how do you see your album, also as a rebirth?

Yes, sure. Almost every album is kind of "Death and the Healing/a rebirth". Because you put a period in life in an album and when the album is ready, you feel empty/"dead". But at the same time you feel happiness and excitement of the rebirth of something new, ´cause it's time for a new period in life. In this case the "transition" was more extreme, ´cause I was quitting my old band and starting a whole new thing, so I wanted to make a cover about that feeling. Actually I have had a vision of that cover for many years, but at last now I know what it meant.

As I read in a couple of other interviews there's a big story behind the song "Beautiful Death" Could you tell us in short the idea behind this song.

Lyric wise it's a deep dive into my feelings and thoughts, in a time when I was sick with Tuberculosis. I was hospitalised for months and they had to do a lung surgery. So it was pretty dark time of my life. Music wise it's a tribute to SYL, I love that band and everything that Mr. Devin does, I'm a big fan. I wanted this dark yet magical atmosphere. Anyway I first wrote the music, like I almost always do. Then when I had made a demo of it, I thought that this isn't so great, but with some new ideas in the studio it turned out to be amazing, I love it!

Is this only for "Beautiful Death" or does every song has its own story behind it?

Yes, every song has it's own story or a "feeling". There isn't always any particular story in a song, but sometimes there can be more than one story. In some of the songs you can find different meanings what the lyrics are about, that's why I'm really proud of this albums lyrics. But I'm not going to reveal or start to analyse every song, ´cause I want to leave some of that thinking to the listener.

Where did you get the main inspiration from?

Just life.

Also I think the Wintersun album is more technical in guitars, bass compared to your work with Ensiferum, what's the reason for this difference / change?

It's because I wasn't the main songwriter in Ensiferum and in Wintersun I am. I like technical shit so it comes naturally in my song writing, I guess it's simple as that.

Your first couple of shows with Wintersun have been confirmed, how do you feel about them, are you looking forward to them?

Yes I'm very excited. We have had few rehearsals and I think we're kicking ass, so it will be great to go back on the stage after a long break.

It hasn't been easy finding a synth-player, how is the process of finding one going, and what will happen if you haven't found one before the first shows?

There has been few good applicants, but they are living far away from Helsinki, so it is very difficult and very very expensive to work things out. We already have to work extra hard, ´cause Kai (drummer) lives in Vaasa. It's really hard to organize rehearsals and shows, but at the moment we have found a way, it's not an easy way, but we can do it. Hopefully later, when we'll "get the ball rolling", we can get organized better. The synths will come from backing tape, until we'll find a great synthplayer.

I read that you've been writing some material for your next album. Will that be more of a band project, considering you wrote everything for your first album yourself.

I think I will keep the "dictatorship", hehe! ´Cause that's the reason I left Ensiferum and started my own band. I want to do things my way with no compromises. But if the other guys have some ideas, they're always welcome. But Kai and me will probably work even closer making the new drum arrangements.

Is there anything else you would like to say to the readers of Finnish-Metal.net?

"Laittakaas saunat lämpeämään ja makkarat paistumaan!"

And remember to visit www.wintermadness.net