Deutsche Übersetzung...

Hello Petri, thanks for taking the time to answer this interview. How are you these days?
Hello. Thanks, im doing fine and i´ve been very busy with all these interviews lately.

The reason for this interview certainly is the release of your new Album "Till Death Unites Us". I think the artwork has a very drastic atmosphere. Who is responsible for it? Could you shortly explain why you chose this very untypical cover for the CD?
Killustration did the cover for us this time. We wanted something more for this cover and we had few ideas for it too, we liked the movie “Konstantin” a lot, specially the “Hell” scenes. This cover is a imagenary “Hell” made by mankind.

Comparing your new album with "Death Unlimited", I noticed that you used more Keyboards on your third, than on your fourth album. Are there any special reasons for this or did it just fix better to the new songs?
Well, we recorded and produced “Till Death Unites Us” by ourselves so we also decided to make it sound just like we want. These songs didn´t need so much keyboards and in the end, we are satisfied to that.

The second thing I notice is the slower tempo of "Till Death Unites Us". Not a very positive aspect in my opinion, I personally really loved "Death Unlimited" and "Deep Inside" from the preceding album. Wouldn't it has been better to concentrate more on your high-speed stuff?
We dont plan our songs out ahead, we just write songs what we want to play not what you want to hear!! We have fast songs and slower songs on this album cos they turned out like that.

May I have a problem with my ears, or am I right if I say your Vocals don't sound as done with the same unleashed, uncontrollable fury as on "Death Unlimited" anymore?
On “Death Unlimited” we used some effects on vocals so they sound a lot more furious than on “Till Death United Us”. This is only me screaming my ass off!!

Are there a promotion tour and perhaps even some festival-gigs incoming?
Yes, there is but i dont know when and where...

Enough for the pleasent stuff, now on to the questions you get asked in each and every interview ;-).
Headword Children of Bodom. Since the release of your first album "Dreams of Endless War" you are compared with your countrymen. Do you care about the people who see you as a nice filling material between two Children of Bodom-Albums?
No, I dont give a flying fuck about them!!!!

There are great musicians in metal all over the world, but I think the largest environment of freaks is Finland, look at Timo Tolkki from Stratovarius for example . What's the reason for this? Don't you have to go to work? Don't you need to eat and to drink, so you can practise that much?
Finland is filled with talented musicians and metal runs in our veins I could say!! Im not working at the moment and yes, I need to eat and drink too...

Talking about the finnish metal scene, I also have to ask you something about the Power Metal-Scene. Would you count Norther to the style "Power Metal with harsh vocals"? I think you could, your music isn't that much heavier than the music of some Power Metal-Bands. Do you also have some friends in the finnish Power Metal-Scene?
NO, I would not say that Norther is somekinda power-metal!!! Fuck that!! But I know people from power-metal bands from here like Thunderstone and Dreamtale.

What do you think of bands as Stratovarius, which have singers who are reaching intolerable level with their voice sometimes? And, in this case, of Timo Tolkki as a guitarist? Hehe, right, he's one of my guitar-gods ;-)
I dont care about power-metal bands anymore, I did listen to that over 10 years ago but that music style isnt for me anymore. Tolkki as guitarist: He sucks, he was a hero to me a long time ago when I was practicing very much but nowadays, he has nothing to give to me.

Since 2004 you also play as singer and guitarist in Ensiferum. Some people think that you are just a worse alternative to Jari Mäenpää. What do you think of them?
That is their opinion and I can only hope that they will accept that Im playing in Ensiferum too.

What do you think of Jari as musician and friend?
Jari is a great guitarist, a lot better than Timo Tolkki!! He is a very cool guy too to drink with..

Jari's new band Wintersun, Ensiferum and Norther are all linked between each other. Jukka plays in both Norther and Wintersun, you in Norther and Ensiferum, Jari once played in Ensiferum. I think, if musicians work that much together, there has to be some kind of friendship. Otherways you would play in bands which are only interested in instrumental posing, then friendship isn't important. Could I meet all members of Ensiferum, Wintersun and Norther together having a drink while discussing about everything and nothing? Do you have time for acts like this?
I think that you dont have any idea how it is to play in a band?!!! If you are not friends together, the band wont work so great.. And we are friends within all these bands and we spend pretty much time together hanging out and stuff like that. You could see us all together somewhere..

Are there any musicians you would call "great"?
There is too many to be mentioned...

Okay, enough for this time, at last the Metal1-Brainstorming. Ready?

True Metal: Manowar

Ajattara: I love that!!!

Nile: They could be better...

Finnish lyrics: Eppu Normaali!!!

Windir: ???

Pizza: is best in hangover!!!

Greece:Warm

Thank you for the interview Petri, hope to meet you someday on a festival or after a gig for perhaps another interview ;-)

Interview von: Marius