Interview mit Esa Uusimaa von Crowen

CROWEN was founded in 2019, and since then you have released several singles and EPs. Do you still remember the moment when your first musical ideas actually turned into what would become CROWEN?
I’ve always been writing and composing music, even during the times when I wasn’t involved in any band. Music has always been a big part of my life, and I’ve constantly had new ideas and songs coming to me. Then, in 2019, I simply felt that it was time to create something of my own and finally get my music out there. That’s when I founded CROWEN, originally as a solo project. As I continued writing songs, I was fortunate enough to get a record deal with Inverse Records, even before I had officially released anything. Through Inverse Records, I’ve been able to release my own music and bring my musical visions to life.

Looking back at the early days of CROWEN, what was already typical of the band back then – and what would you approach completely differently today?
In a way, I see CROWEN as a continuation of my previous band, RAIN OF ACID, where I also played together with guitarist Sami Sandberg. I believe that if RAIN OF ACID had continued, its music would probably have evolved in a very similar direction to what CROWEN became. So musically, CROWEN feels like a natural continuation of that journey. One thing I would probably do differently today is bring more melancholy into the music right from the beginning. I’ve always loved melancholic music, but back then, writing that kind of music was still something quite unfamiliar to me. It wasn’t something I had really explored in my own songwriting before. Looking back, I think I would have embraced that side of my music much earlier and made CROWEN even more melancholic from the start.

What kind of mystical and dark concept has been at the heart of CROWEN since the very beginning, and how does the band name fit into that concept?
From the very beginning, CROWEN’s music has been mostly written in minor keys. There has always been a certain melancholy in the melodies, even though the music was more aggressive in the early days and not quite as dark as it is today. Over the years, the darker and more melancholic side of CROWEN has become stronger, but those wistful melodies have been part of the music since the beginning. The name CROWEN comes from combining the words “crow” and “raven.” I wanted a name that would already have a mysterious and dark feeling to it. In a way, the name itself brings that mystical element into CROWEN’s world.

Sami Sandberg joined CROWEN in 2025, having already played with you in RAIN OF ACID. How much has your shared musical history influenced the way you work together in CROWEN today?
Working with Sami has been very natural and easy because we already have a long musical history together from our time in RAIN OF ACID. I haven’t really thought about it that much before, but I guess we still work together pretty much the same way we did back then. We know each other’s playing styles, so working together feels very natural. In CROWEN, Sami’s role is to bring out the guitar melodies and give them his own personal touch. He also plays all the guitar solos. I consider Sami a very talented guitarist, and I’ve always really liked his playing style. That’s one of the reasons why working with him has always been so easy.

How did your long-standing connection with Tuomas Saukkonen come about? He has taken on different roles on various CROWEN releases and played drums on “I Live On Darkness And Sorrow”. How has his experience influenced the CROWEN sound?
My collaboration with Tuomas Saukkonen goes all the way back to 2011, when we were working on the debut album “Lost Souls” by my former band, RAIN OF ACID. Tuomas was the producer of that album, and our musical collaboration started there. When it comes to CROWEN, Tuomas hasn’t really influenced the musical direction or the overall sound of the band. I’ve always had my own vision of how I want CROWEN to sound, and the music comes from my own songwriting. Tuomas has also played bass on CROWEN’s EPs and other releases, bringing his own personal touch to the music. On our latest single, “I Live On Darkness And Sorrow”, Tuomas played the drums. With his powerful and heavy groove, he really brought the song to life and took it to a whole new level. I’ve always considered Tuomas an incredibly talented musician, and his drumming on this song is a perfect example of how his personal playing style can bring something special to the music.

When people try to describe CROWEN today, Melodic Death Metal is probably the first genre that comes to mind. But your music also incorporates atmospheric, folk and other metal elements. Are there any musical boundaries that you feel CROWEN should never cross?
However, the newer CROWEN material has evolved in a more atmospheric direction. There are also some subtle black metal influences in the music. Overall, I feel that atmospheric elements have become a stronger part of CROWEN’s sound, while the music has perhaps moved a little further away from traditional melodic death metal. Personally, I don’t believe in setting any musical boundaries for CROWEN. I’ve always approached songwriting by following what feels natural and right at that particular moment. I want to have the freedom to create whatever kind of music feels right to me, without worrying too much about genres or expectations. For me, that’s the most natural way to make music.

Darkness and melancholy have become a recurring theme throughout CROWEN’s music. What is it about these themes that fascinates you personally so much?
Over the years, music has given me a way to explore and express those feelings more deeply. When I compose music, I often see images and different atmospheres in my mind at the same time. The musical and visual sides have gradually come together and become an essential part of CROWEN’s world. For me, darkness is not necessarily something negative. It’s more about the atmosphere, mystery, and emotions that come with it. There’s a certain beauty in melancholy that I’ve always been drawn to. In many ways, darkness and CROWEN are inseparable. Darkness is at the very heart of CROWEN’s identity, and it’s where the whole world of the band comes from.

CROWEN’s songs contain a lot of emotional, but also highly energetic riffs. When you’re writing, how do you decide which ideas are worth developing further and which ones you eventually let go?
For me, it’s largely about the feeling I get while composing. I can usually tell when a particular riff or melody fits the song and when something doesn’t feel quite right. Sometimes I might come up with three or four different riffs for the same section, and even though they might all be good ideas, only one of them really serves the song. The others simply don’t fit the atmosphere I’m trying to create. Over the years, I’ve ended up with a lot of unused riffs. Sometimes I’ve thought about turning them into completely new songs, but that rarely happens. Most of the time, I just move on and keep creating new material. Ultimately, I trust my own instincts when writing music. A riff can be great on its own, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for the song I’m working on.

“I Live On Darkness And Sorrow” is now the first chapter of your upcoming debut full-length album. When did you realize that the time had finally come to turn all those individual singles and EPs into a full-length record – and why did it take seven years of CROWEN to get there?
Over the years, the music has evolved into something more atmospheric. It’s no longer just melodic death metal, but something that combines different elements and creates a much deeper atmosphere. That’s one of the main reasons why I feel that now is the right time to make our first full-length album. CROWEN has developed naturally over these seven years, and I feel that we’ve reached a point where making another EP simply doesn’t make sense anymore. Another important factor is that the band has grown. With Juho Lepistö joining CROWEN as our permanent drummer, it feels like everything is finally coming together. For me, this is simply the right moment to take CROWEN to the next level and release our first full-length album.

After your first three EPs, what can we expect from a full-length CROWEN album? And can you already reveal the title of the album, which is scheduled for release in 2027?
There will be plenty of heavy and melodic elements, but also a strong atmospheric side to the music. As for the album title, I do have a few ideas in mind, but nothing has been decided yet. So at this point, the album still doesn’t have an official title.

If someone listens to “I Live On Darkness And Sorrow” and then goes on to hear the entire album, what kind of musical surprise would you like to give them?
The album starts off quite explosively, with some very heavy and melodic CROWEN material. As it progresses, the music gradually moves into a much more atmospheric direction. If you compare the songs at the beginning of the album with those towards the end, they are actually very different from each other. One of the biggest challenges was writing the songs in a way that would make the album feel like a cohesive whole, despite the differences in musical styles. Combining the explosive and heavy material at the beginning with the much more atmospheric music towards the end, while maintaining a common thread throughout the album, was particularly challenging. I think that contrast, and the way the atmosphere changes throughout the album, will be one of the most interesting surprises for the listener.

Until now, CROWEN has essentially been a studio project. With Juho Lepistö joining the band as a new and, most importantly, permanent drummer, what does his arrival mean for the future development of CROWEN?
One of the most important things is that Juho can now create his own drum arrangements and bring his personal playing style into the music. He has the freedom to develop the drum parts in a way that feels natural to him. It also gives us the opportunity to work more closely together on the arrangements. We can go through different riffs and ideas together and discuss what kind of drum parts would work best for each section of a song. And of course, another very important thing is that having a permanent drummer makes live performances possible. Juho also really enjoys playing live, which is extremely important for the future of CROWEN. I believe his arrival will have a very positive influence on CROWEN’s musical development and the way we work together as a band.

Naturally, the next step will also be bringing your songs to a live audience. Are there already any concrete plans for a first tour or individual shows – perhaps together with other Finnish or European bands? And how likely is it that we will get to see CROWEN on German stages?
At the moment, our main focus is on getting the band fully prepared for live performances. Since CROWEN’s music contains a lot of atmospheric elements and backing tracks, we need to make sure everything works smoothly together in a live setting. That means rehearsing the entire live set carefully before we’re ready to hit the stage. Of course, it would also be amazing to tour with other bands, whether in Finland or elsewhere in Europe. As for playing outside Finland, we’ll have to see what the future brings. We don’t have any confirmed plans for international shows yet, but of course, we would absolutely love to perform in Germany as well. For now, the most important thing is to get the band ready for live shows. We’re definitely looking forward to finally bringing CROWEN’s music to the stage.

What are your hopes and ambitions for CROWEN’s future, and where do you see the band five years from now?
My main hopes for CROWEN’s future are to release albums at a more consistent pace and, of course, to play live shows. Looking five years ahead, I think one of the most interesting things will be seeing how CROWEN’s music has evolved by then. It’s really difficult to predict what our music will sound like in five years. Will we continue in the same musical direction, or will our sound develop into something different? I believe CROWEN’s music will continue to evolve in one way or another, but I honestly can’t say exactly which direction it will take. That’s also one of the things I find most exciting about the future.

Esa, it has been a real pleasure talking to you about CROWEN and the upcoming album. Thank you very much for taking the time. And finally, we have our Metal1 Brainstorming for you:
Crows and ravens: Crowen
Joy and sorrow: Two sides of life
Forests and lakes: An endless source of inspiration.
Creativity and AI: Creativity comes naturally to me, and I haven’t needed to use AI to create my music.
Past and future: The past has shaped who I am, and the future is yet to be written.

Publiziert am 5. November 2026 von Michael Schurig