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5 May 2010

Vreth from Dark City Magazine

Translation of the Finntroll article from a Russian magazine Dark City, issue May-June 2010:

Translated by Lotta.

Translator notes:
Mistakes in names and titles as in original.
Some notes:
*We have a not metal band called "Mummy troll", so maybe it was a throwed stone in their garden.
**Maxim Galkin (gosh..) and co it's a popular pop stars who are everywhere on TV and shows.
***DDT is a rock band, but it's strange association I think. No folk line, no mythical creatures in their lyrics at all.

Originally posted on the Finntroll Forum.



Since 17th February in their native Finland, to 22th February is already all over Europe, and on 9th March even in the United States of America.
So by this wide-range attack trolls have signalized release of their new album "Nifelvind". And this is not any Moomintrolls*, they don't look like hippos.
These are the most common, known to every schoolchild, Finnish trolls. Aren't you believe me? Look for it on Wikipedia for example... So, let's meet a new work of FINNTROLL band. 8th place in Finnish charts, by the way.

Every time get wonder how cool to be a metalhead in Helsinki, where is Ville Valo instead of Maxim Galkin**, Tarja Turunen instead of Alla Pugacheva, instead of band "Lubeh" is Lordi. Finntroll, perhaps, there on the rights of our DDT***... Here, even in Germany, where the position of heavy music is a little worse, new album of Finnish trolls reached already 31th place in charts. But let's start about everything in order...

Initially album must be called "Mot Skuggomas Vaerid", what can be translated into Russian like "On the road to world of the shadows".
But in terms of military tactics, new name "Hellish wind" is suitable for the next troll's attack much better.
Vreth, frontman of the band (real name is Mattias Lilmans), comments situation with title changing in the next way: "Nifelvind", in our opinion, is really suitable for that our fans are waiting for in music of new album." "From "Mot Skuggomas Vaerld" we have refused for the reason that this combination of sounds too hard, if you aren't Finn or Swede. We did not want that everyone called the new album simply "the new album." And it is in the best case ... "
New straight title in many ways reflects the trend that was appreciable on the previous album "Ur Jordens Djup" - Finntroll started to sound a bit furiously, extravagant... Darker. As if by chance started to return to their Black-metal roots.
"And not only this, - acknowledges frontman. - from one side, we really had a wish to do much more aggressive arrangement of material, but from the other one - we did not want to refuse from many typical stylistic elements of Finntroll. So that's how we reached those changes, which hovered around us in recent years. From the Black metal past through the troll-folk to the latest album - just the way that we have done and which is important for us. " Sounding of "Nifelwind" turned much more monolithic and menacing than the sound of his predecessors
So that's how, probably, should sound close-knit crazy crowd of armed to the teeth trolls who are crossing the edge of the forest. "We certainly did not run the full of fury in the forest, - argues vocalist of the band, - but we've tried to turn new tracks to be more straightforward and archaic. Cohesion? Trolls are very amicable people, you should know it.
Amicable trolls were not squeamish to use bizarre and strange folk elements, is as indispensable part of the album "Nifelvind", as the worried Finnish mentality. For example, "Galgasaeng" - is a completely acoustic work.
"Many of these folk elements emerge spontaneously, when we work together in the studio - says Vreth. - This really has something of the old sagas and legends, where men were seated together near the fire and played the music. Of course, folk motives are essential for our creativity and again play a big role within our latest release.
A significant role also has been given to the choir parts. If you had a creep because of song "Blodmarsch", then you, in general, know what it is talking about.
"The album in some degree bears some Voodoo atmosphere - continues frontman - and this intro, we just wanted to pass it to the fullest. All these shamanistic chants we perform ourselves. On "Nifelvind" we are more the narrators, and the music is designed to expel people from the land of trolls. And if people are frightened already having heard just the intro, so much the better. As for the stories, then, like the narrator of antiquity, we are dealing with eternal themes of human existence.
Elementary questions of our being, our roots and values of our existence. Lyrics aren't so gloomy as it can be assumed judging by the name of the album. There are many issues raised which worry humanity through its existence and will excite it for a long time. Nature. death, co-existence on this earth ... From the immemorial times these stories were told, and messages were hidden among the trolls and other dark creatures of the ancient sagas. I find this very wise and entertaining."

Unfortunately, Mattias grew up with his family just in a couple of hundred kilometers away from Helsinki, where these ancient tales of trolls do not have such a wide distribution as in the province.
Nevertheless, as any more or less interested in their roots young man, though he knew the folklore of his people: "Of course, I no matter what, being the child has already learned some stories that are instructive, but do not suffer from unnecessary moralizing ".
Very much in the work of group was predetermined by enchanted landscapes of Scandinavia in only which under these conditions may raise such stories about the cunning trolls, spirits of nature and the dark creatures.

Notice that frontman does not deny similar geographical backgrounds: "Here are no any questions! In southern Italy, of course, is simply meaningless to talk about forest trolls. But they have their own legends, which had absorbed the aesthetics of the region. When I stay with my family in north, I'm almost not see the sun in winter. And in summer, conversely, couldn't be dark. "
Most of the interviews in support of new album, frontman gave in January of this year, and that's why he could not recall when he last time saw the sun.
When the material is ready and will be released (it's about this magazine), in Moscow, hopefully, already will be prevail a sunny weather.
But if the exemplariness of the legend is valuable in itself, then because of weather is not many changes. So listening crazy songs and the dances of the dark forest creatures with a beer is possible at any time of a year!

23 Apr 2010

Root of All Evil radio show Finntroll/Moonsorrow Interview

Root of All Evil radio show,
KFAI Twin Cities/Minneapolis, Minnesota
April 18, 2010

Transcription by Megz


Interviewer - SwordLord (promoter for the Minnesota show)

Interviewees - Routa, Vreth, Ville Sorvali

SwordLord: (to show host, Tim) Dude thank you so much for this amazing opportunity. For those of you who missed the Finnish Metal Tour 2010 tonight at Station 4, I'm sorry to inform you, that you may have missed one of the coolest shows I will ever produce for the rest of my life.

Host: Oh yeah, it was good stuff going on there tonight - it was nice!

SwordLord: After a thunderous opening by Rochester's own, Minos, we had Swallow the Sun and we had Moonsorrow and then to top it all off we had 90 minutes of the Finnish trolls, we had Finntroll. And speaking of which we have some of these very good gentlemen in the studio with us tonight. They've volunteered to take off some of their drinking time to come and talk to all of us, although they did not come to the studio unarmed. I think that there is probably more alcohol per capita in here tonight than at any other time in Root of All Evil history. So without further ado, why don't you gentlemen introduce yourselves to our listening audience.

Routa: Hey this is Routa from Finntroll, with the... iced tea, kinda... based stuff. (laughter)

Vreth: Yes and here we have Vreth, the singer of Finntroll.

Ville: And I'm Ville, from Moonsorrow, and...I haven't drank anything today. (all laugh)

Routa: You have a radio voice, by the way.

Ville: Yeeeesssss, I have a raaaaaadio voice. (more laughter)

SwordLord: Well gentlemen, number one, thank you very much for coming down. We play you a lot on this show, we admire you very much and the show was absolutely amazing. First of all, how is the US tour going for you guys? Turnouts good? Response good?

Routa : Oh yeah, yeah...turnouts has been pretty good, so far. Somewhere not so good, somewhere better, but...

Host: What did you think about tonight?

Routa: Tonight was fucking excellent.

Vreth: I love the audience tonight.

Host: Yeah...yeah everybody was there.

Vreth: Yep!

SwordLord: It was a great turnout!

Vreth: In the beginning of the tour there was not that much people. But at some point the rumor spread about a good show and a good tour....

Routa: At least after the Canadian shows it has been really good. (Vreth agreeing)

Ville: When did we not have that many people?

Vreth: The first two shows were quite...quite silent.

Ville: Right.

SwordLord: What...uh...how did this all come together? I mean...Finntroll's come through a bunch of times, but this was really unique to have a tour that was comprised of entirely Finnish...uh...Finnish bands. Is that something that your agency put together? Or is that something that you all sort of orchestrated and brought to the agent?

Routa: Actually it started with the thing, we were at our booking agent office and we had this huge list of bands that....you know, like...as possible support for us. And we were listening to them like *no* *no* *no* *no, fuck that* *no* *fuck that* *no* *no* and then the booking agent was like, well who do you like? *Well Moonsorrow would be nice, for example* cause you know, we are good friends with them and all of the band likes their music. And then like, at first it was supposed to be Insomnium on this tour, but that didn't happen, so we were like....um....and then our booking agent came up with this idea of the Finnish Metal Tour, and blahblahblah...and Swallow the Sun....of course!

SwordLord: I think it was a great package, I really did. And the funny thing is that Moonsorrow actually has been to Minnesota twice before on Heathen Crusade, and so we've actually seen you more than I think the rest of the country has, when Heathen Crusade was back in business.

Ville: Yeah, that's definitely true.

SwordLord: You actually gave a little shout out to that tonight on stage - you mentioned that.

Ville: Yeah, of course. Like, we started, like, invading North America from here, so it's special place.

SwordLord: Well we're very very happy to be that place!

Ville: And I have absolutely no idea how it happened in the first place, anyway.

SwordLord: Yeah, I guess that would be a question to ask the Heathen Crusade folks. But that's actually how I got turned on to you guys, was seeing you at Heathen Crusade, and started the madness from there. But, surely, on a tour like this you gotta have a story or two for us. Give us a good story from the tour.

Routa: Mattias you go first.

Vreth: nononono. (laughter) Well I don't really have any stories from this tour, except that...ohhhh....the amount of alcohol.

(all laugh)

Ville: Ok, I can get over with it as the first person, so you can invent your own stories...(all laughing)... because I actually did fell from a tree. (more laughing)

Vreth: Yeah, that's true, by the way.

Ville: We were in Worcester Massachusetts, and I had this idea after taking a few shots in the bar, that since I'm drunk like a monkey I should also act like a monkey and I try to climb a tree, and I failed.

(laughter)

Routa: And we actually tried to get to a hospital after that, but we were in Canada and it really didn't work out.

Vreth: He got a really nice concussion over there.

Ville: Yeah it lasted for two days.

Vreth: Yep. He fell like 12 feet and hit the back of his head.

SwordLord: What? Well I mean.... 12 feet... if you were up 12 feet I wouldn't call that a fail. Maybe a partial fail. At least you get an A for effort if you get up 12 feet...that's pretty good.

Vreth: We actually had some local fans to get him up in the tree.

Ville: Yeah they helped me, I couldn't reach the branch so I asked a local guy to please help me with this.

SwordLord: What about either of you two - anything you're gonna share or are you gonna make me tell the story from two years ago?

Routa: I would really love to tell the story about Berlin but I can't.

Vreth: nononono

Routa: That's out of the limits.

SwordLord: Well I've just gotta tell, from two years ago, when you guys played the Triple Rock, and you were with Warbringer. I just remember that you had gotten off the bus, Mathias, and you were just...you were looking miserable, you were really in a lot of pain.

Vreth: Yeah, I know...

SwordLord: So I went up to the tour manager and I said *is he ok, is there anything I can do for him?* And he says, the tour manager says to me *well, we were stranded in Wisconsin, the bus had broken down, and he....he ate a hot dog from the gas station grill.* And I said *oh you never do that* and he was like *well yeah, he knows that now.*

Routa: That hot dog was similar, if anyone watches Seinfeld series, where they've got the fucking movie theater and there's this one fucking hot dog over there - it was the same and he ordered that one. (Vreth laughing) *Can I have that one?*

Vreth: Yeah, that was horrible, because...you know, we had been stranded in middle of nowhere for 7 hours, nothing to eat on the bus, no. We had half an hour drive and we got the trailer fixed. For some reason I decided I wanted something warm and nice, and ...um... you know in Finland you can actually eat from the gas stations, you can eat those.

Routa: Yeah, yeah....most of the time it's pretty mellow stuff over there.

Vreth: I was puking for three days. I tell you.

Routa: Yeah but, I mean come on, didn't you watch what you fucking order?

Vreth: Yeah it was kinda green, yeah.

Routa: *Kind of*

(laughter)

SwordLord: Why don't we take a little break, and...what have you got on deck for us, Tim?

Host: Coming up next, I got *Kivenkantaja* from Moonsorrow (mispronounces title)

Ville: Kivenkantaja.

Vreth: That's a good song.

Host: Yes, I picked it myself. (laughter)

SwordLord: Play away sir.

Host: Here on the Root of All Evil.

*plays Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja*

Host: Moonsorrow right here on the Root of All Evil show. KFAI Minneapolis....We've got the SwordLord down, he's got members of Moonsorrow and Finntroll down here taking a visit after their excellent show at Station 4 tonight. What's going on, man?

SwordLord: Oh man, now I just wanna see the show again after I hear that. Amazing stuff. I want to tackle a tough issue on the air, and just see how much trouble I can get into with everybody I know. Basically I don't think it's any secret to anybody who reads your lyrics that you are definitely of a different religious viewpoint than America, even though we're considered a quote/unquote *Christian nation*. And especially, the first thing that pops into my mind, is the Finntroll...is my personal favorite song Rivfader that deals with the Finnish troll that will liberate from Christianity. And even though I don't have a particular Moonsorrow song that's coming to mind, I'm sure you do. So I guess, briefly, why don't you talk about what the religious ideology of your bands are, and what it is like to tour in a nation that is predominately of a different viewpoint.

(throats clearing)

Ville: I cannot say that there would be a definite ideology behind the whole band.... When I am speaking of these tough issues, I can only speak on my behalf, anyway...but...I myself I am a pagan, I oppose Christianity, all the organized religions.... I like to have...uh.... a stronger respect for nature, for example, than these modern people have. I respect old traditions better than the modern....whatever. And....yeah...I get lost in it. I think I got lost in my cup, actually.

SwordLord: I think that covered the ground pretty well.

Routa: Yeah, but I mean....That's basically what...ok, of course I cannot talk everybody on the tour, on their behalf. But that's more or less...how Ville put it.... Organized religions are....not that well taken...with our point of view.

Vreth: You hear all these stories that we are against Christianity, but it's not only that. We are against Christianity because that's the thing you get in Finland, for example...the only religion that they actually try to....really force onto us, so of course we attack Christianity.

Ville: Yes, and by the way, you have a very loud voice. Because you are like, further from the mic than me and Routa, and you can still hear it on the same level.

(all laugh)

Vreth: That's true.

SwordLord: Have you.... If you had to name one song from your band that sort of encompassed your...your ideology, the perfect song, that speaks for you and the band, which would it be?

(silence)

Ville: That's tough question, like seriously. I could pick like, the song from our demo that's also remade on the new EP - Taistelu Pohjolasta, The Battle for North - which is like...very straightforward opposing Christianity, it kinda speaks for the whole band, but it's also a bit too aggressive for...for today, for us, because it's like...it was written over 10 years ago.

Routa: Beause you guys are getting mellooooow.

Ville: Yeah, we are getting mellow, we are getting old. We just like....you get older, you start thinking more of things and like...considering a wider perspective. So we are not that straightforward anymore. But it kinda speaks for the whole band anyway. Band was built on anti-Christianity. We are not black metal, but we are anti-Christian, anyway.

SwordLord: Sure. And the Finnish trolls?

Vreth: I would actually like to name one song of one of my other bands, on this - *You Will Not Lie To Me Christ* it's called - this thing with the lies and everything. That probably sums it all up.

Routa: I mean....with Finntroll it also started as like, anti-Christian thing, kinda... In a way. But it has moved in a ways that....like, you know....like...not just anti-Christian, but just you know, use your own brain basically thing. Like, what you feel good, is gonna be good with you....but not just like....fall into the lies of everyday life....

SwordLord: Sure.

Ville: I would also like to stress on this subject, that it's not only opposing religion, but I think the main idea behind both bands is also opposing modern society.

Routa: Yeah. Exactly.

Ville: All the consuming and everything. That takes away meaning from people's lives.

Routa: The basic concept is just - use your own fucking brain.

Vreth/Ville: Yeah.

Routa: *Darn* brain! (all laughing)

SwordLord: I was sitting right here and he said plucking....

Ville: Yeah, use your own plucking brain.

(laughter)

SwordLord: One thing that has always stood out to me, not only for Finntroll but also Moonsorrow, is the fact that you have not...you've always recorded in your native language and have not translated to English, whereas many of your counterparts - Sonata Arctica for example and whatnot, have. (Routa - they suck) Is there a particular reason for that, or do you just prefer to record in your native language and stay true to your roots - what's the reason behind that?

Ville: Yeah it's like...it is a strong part of the concept behind the band. We did our first demo in English anyway, but we changed to Finnish because we felt it fit the concept much better. It's part of the band. We are Finnish anyway, we are talking of subjects that are more or less Finnish, we are playing music that sounds Finnish, and English is not even spoken in our home country. So....I don't know, why should we do it.

SwordLord: And yet you speak it very well. (laughing) No, and that wasn't a jab, I mean that as a compliment. It's always amazing....What do you call a person who can speak three languages - trilingual, a person that can speak two languages - bilingual, a person that can only speak one language - American.

Ville: Yeah but, you should hear when I'm really drunk, because then I can speak like 17 languages.

(laughter)

SwordLord: Have any of you discovered any opposition on any of your US tours because of your content - your lyrical content.

Ville: Yes we have.

SwordLord: Really?

Ville: Not beause of the lyrical content, but on the last American tour we decided to make it like, just to test the ground a bit, we made one t-shirt design that had a viking ship coming to the shore of New York with the Statue of Liberty on fire with a Finnish flag planted at the place of the torch. We got some opposition because of that.

Host: Yeah, I can imagine.

SwordLord: I would give you 100 dollars for one of those shirts right now.

Ville: We don't have any because they sold out!

(laughter)

Vreth: I actually really appreciate... yes - there's something I really respect in this...

Ville: Yeah, it's....we never, like...we never thought we would be insulting the Americans or whatnot. We just wanted to make...like... a good fancy picture like, we're invading America with our own Finnish stuff. And somehow, we probably got crossed the border a bit, some Americans got pissed off.

SwordLord: What about the Finnish trolls?

Routa: No actually, we have to say that....there has been none.

Vreth: No, no problems with us. We haven't really done anything.

Routa: All of our graphics is anyway more or less like, shamanistic in a way. Samuli's.... uh, the other guitar.... SKRYMER's ...weird things of art....thing is so.... yeah, I'm going with my hands all over the studio...

(laughter)

Vreth: This is not the best time of the day to do an interview anymore. Because....as...uh... You may not...may not see... but there has been consumed a considerable amount of vodka during this interview.... actually, we are running out..

Ville: Yeah, we had one liter of this.... iced tea and now it's like....empty....which is kinda sad.

Routa: There is not gonna be any more plucking words...

Ville: I have to mention, on that last subject, actually. The misconceptions we've had.... many times during our career.... people are for some reason mistaking us for Nazis. We get these people, like last year in Kentucky there was this one well-trimmed white guy without a shirt, and he had like, a swastika tattooed on him and on his belly it said *weiss macht*, which is like *white power*. He came to us like *yeah, my brothers*....and all that kinda bullshit... I want to say to all those people we are not your brothers. Go *beep* yourselves.

Routa: Same thing with Finntroll, actually. Definitely... We have had those kind of things in the past as well, and whatever...

Vreth: Yup....and when you go to a show and they're gonna show....the sign of old Germany...you know...

Ville: The logo of Germany...

Routa: The *German logo* - it's a bad joke actually, it's kinda like a joke between the bands. Nobody will get that anyway... sorry...

Ville: Yeah we make those jokes...whatever...but it's like... I don't know why these people chose us. In the first place... Because we are like...we are national romantic, if you get the term right. And if you get the term wrong, then you can really easily see us as Nazis, which is nothing we have to do anything with.

Routa: Yeah but....we are not like we hate anybody over there...

Ville: Yeah we don't hate anyone... or everyone equally.

(laughter)

Routa: That's a better way to put it, yeah, definitely.

SwordLord: Well, guys, I want to just thank you for taking time out of your schedules to come down and talk to all of us, and talk to the Minnesota metal radio audience, it was a real, real honour and pleasure to have you here.

Routa: Oh, thank you so much.

SwordLord: Good luck on the tour, I hope it continues to go well for you. I guess in closing, the one thing that I really want to say is, I know - I haven't been in this business for very long, but I've been in it long enough - I know the American market is a tough nut to crack. I know you play to tiny little venues and not nearly as many people as you do overseas, but don't give up on us. We need this type of music. We love having you here and believe me - when you come we will be there to support you, and we can't wait until you come back again. Truly.

Vreth: That's really nice to hear, thank you very much. (thanks from the others too)

Host: I appreciate you coming down, and bringing your presence down here - it's very special to this radio show. And I'm gonna ask you a favour on top of that. I want to get a radio ID from all of you live right now, since we've got recording...so just say your name, the band you're in and *you're listening to the Root of All Evil show*. Anybody can start.

Vreth: What are we listening to?

Host: The Root of All Evil. (everybody practices saying *the root of all evil*)

Routa: Who's first?

Host: Anybody.

Vreth: He is first!

Routa: Hey this is Routa from Finntroll and you're listening to the Root of all Eviiiillllllah!

Vreth: Hello! This is Vrrrreth from Finntroll and the Root of All..... Evil rocks....

(laughter)

Host: Yes, and finally...

Ville: Yes...hello. This is Ville, from Moonsorrow. You're listening to Root of All Evil, the greatest metal show in Minnesota.

Host: Right on, man.

Routa? (not sure): You suck...

(all laughing)

Host: It was great having you guys down. We're gonna play some Finntroll, we've got Demonicon coming up next. Thank you SwordLord for showing up.

SwordLord: Thank you!

Host: We'll see you next week. You guys have a safe trip.

Vreth? (not sure): Will do...will do...

Host: And a good tour. Root of All Evil on KFAI...

*plays Blodmarsch, Solsagan, and I Trädens Sång*

10 Apr 2010

Finntroll - Thanks, Mom!

Published in Rock Hard, April 2010
Author: Ronny Bittner
Translated by Megz, published on the Finntroll forum

PART 1:



With Nifelvind FINNTROLL succeeded a little stroke of genius: first, their fan base should not be alienated due to a lack of typical FINNTROLL-deployed elements, and other metal fans without blinders will also find pleasure in the journey through countless musical genres. We met singer Vreth and guitarist Skrymer in Dortmund Century Media Office.


Some musicians dread promo tours. Not so FINNTROLL singer Vreth and guitarist Skrymer: The men are happy that they loll in mid-January in the offices of their record company in Dortmund giving interviews. "At home I would be waiting around doing just about anything-except the tour preparations. They only start in a few weeks because our other guitarist Routa spends his honeymoon in Thailand just now," Skrymer tells us in a low voice after the lunch break of half scorned Pasta.

With "Nifelvind" You have made a big step forward. To what extent do you feel as part of the Pagan scene?

Sk: We have never felt a part of this scene. To be honest, we avoid being labeled as part of that scene.
Vr: This is true for all the genres in which people want to pigeonhole us. If you get stuck there once, you must keep to certain conventions, and we do not want that. When you play in a pure folk metal band, you can not publish an album like "Nifelvind". The stylistic diversity is not accepted.

On the other hand you are playing on tours such as the Paganfest and present your shows in typical Pagan clothing.

Vr: Certainly there's similarities with the scene.
Sk: But we haven't copied anyone in selecting our outfits. When we started twelve years ago, there were not many bands who dressed like that.

What would you say about your last album "Ur Jordens Djup" in retrospect? Unlike "Nifelvind" it is a very hard, dark and one-dimensional album.

Sk: The disc was musically more back to our roots. Part of this style is also heard on the new record. Total "Nifelvind" combines elements of all previous FINNTROLL albums. So it's like the first real-FINNTROLL album (laughs).

Vreth, for you it is the second album with FINNTROLL. Do you feel fully accepted by the fans and the band?
Vr: Yes, that was the case from day one. We had some communication problems, and it was a new and unfamiliar role for me, but that subsided quickly. With the fans there was no problems. Only when I was announced as a singer, some skeptical comments found on the Internet: "That is the new singer?"
Sk: "He's not even fat!" But it was not according to this criterion that we were looking for a singer.

It's always hard to tell one's parents that you want to make your livelihood with a metal band - especially when it is dealing with such a chaotic bunch of drinkers as FINNTROLL, right?
Sk: My parents have always given me free rein and I never want to squeeze in something. Perhaps this is part of the Finnish mentality.
Vr: I grew up in a musical family. My father played in the seventies and eighties in a band called Sound, which was quite well known in Finland. He knows what it's like to be constantly on tour.
Sk: Trollhorn's father was one of the most legendary jazz drummers in Finland. My father is a photographer and cameraman and has a fairly liberal mindset. My mother wanted to visit one of our gigs, I said to her: "Will you really want to see your son dead drunk on stage?" My mother became especially delighted after the gig. She said: "You have sounded almost like a real band!" Thanks, Mom!
Your keyboard player Trollhorn is the musical mastermind of FINNTROLL, but he is not touring with you. Do you feel like puppets without a master on tour sometimes?

Sk: No, because there would not be FINNTROLL if we were not all there. Trollhorn produces a demo of the album, which corresponds to his vision, but what we will have on the finished album is realized by all the members. If we had to enact strictly only his stuff, I would be bothered. But we all feel that they are our songs. Trollhorn is just the idea-maker.
Vr: Trollhorn said in the studio last production, it would not sound like FINNTROLL if he was recording the songs alone. Skrymer provides the pieces with a personal touch already just with his guitar playing.

For some international fans, it may be difficult to understand the contents of your Swedish lyrics. Have you ever thought to sometime provide a song with English text?

Vr: We have discussed this, but that does not benefit us all in question.
Sk: Why should we sing the Finnish folklore and Finnish myths in English? That makes no sense at all to me. Of course there's people in our business environment, advising us to sing in English, so that more people understand us. But if you ever have a problem with the language, then you will probably have still more problems with our music.
Vr: If you really want to know what we sing, you can go into the net. A week after the release of our albums, Finnish or Swedish fans have the texts already in translated form up on the Internet.

PART 2:

Vreth and Skrymer and the songs of "Nifelvind"

Blodmarsch (Intro)

Vr: The intro is consistent with its light circus and a Voodoo-Vibe on the album.

Solsagan

Vr: We have chosen Solsagan as a video single because the song contains all the elements of the album.
Sk: Solsagan has black and death metal riffs and eerie and orchestral moments. We found it funny to start the entire album with blast beats. This is not necessarily expected.

Den Frusna Munnen

Vr: The eighties pop song.
Sk: Thanks to Peter Gabriel!
Vr: This is still a Danny Elfman--influence.
Sk: It sounds like Danny Elfman would produce Dismember. This song is TrollHorn was not sure if he has not exaggerated. But that's what I believe in this band.

Ett Norrskendåd

Vr: I think this is the first song we wrote for Nifelvind. Ett Norrskensdåd includes both Swedish folk elements and oriental influences. Therefore, we have had a friend from Iran take over the percussion. The violin is played, by the way, by Olli Vänskä of Turisas.

I Trädens Sång

Sk: The song is musically "back to the roots".
Vr: Yes, the track would have fit well on Midnattens Widunder.

Tiden utan Tid

Vr: Perhaps the most epic song of the album - and I may not actually want the term "epic". A very atmospheric track that breaks out of the usual structures.

Galgasång

Vr: The Country Song. This song would have fit well on our acoustic album Visor om Slutet. We wanted in the middle of the album to have a song that turns a gear down. For me it was a challenge to work only with clean vocals.
Sk: It is also the first song of ours that works without keyboards. On it only acoustic guitars can be heard.
Mot Skuggornas Värld

Vr: That's Tundra Vision. A real Bodybuilder-track (laughs).
Sk: A rock song with Industrial-Vibe.

Under Bergets Rot

Vr: A punk version of FINNTROLL with rockabilly twist. The main theme is from our other guitarist, Routa.
Sk: I always had the wish that Rob Zombie sometime produced a video for us. This song would be perfectly suitable for that.
Vr: The song was damn hard to mix, simply because there's a lot going on.

Fornfamnad

Vr: Perhaps the most experimental song on the album. Also in this one, Routa had his fingers in the game. My vocals are very varied.
Sk: The track had a lot of guitar tracks. When someone at one point had the mix of guitars turned down a bit, and we thought: leave it so, it is perfect!

Dråp

Vr: A Swedish death metal song with FINNTROLL impact. One of our longest pieces and a perfect end of the album.

9 Mar 2010

FINNTROLL - Die Shakiras des Black Metal

Author: Rainer Janaschke, from March 20th 2007
Original link: http://www.musikansich.de/artikel.php?ID=426, Music an sich


Am 30. März veröffentlichen die schwedisch singenden finnischen Trolle von Finntroll ihr neues Album Up Jordens Djup. Welches mich persönlich sehr positiv überrascht hat, und bei mir immer noch in der heimischen Stereoanlage seine Runden dreht.
Das Angebot ein Interview mit Finntroll durchzuführen, habe ich daher gerne angenommen.
Am Telefon hatte ich den sympathischen Schlagzeuger Samu (alias B.Dominator), der gerne Auskunft gab.

MAS:
Hallo Samu, wie geht es Dir?

Samu:
Danke der Nachfrage, mir geht es gut, aber ich bin ziemlich müde!

MAS:
Von wo rufst Du an?

Samu:
Ich rufe aus Vantaa an. Das liegt in der Nähe von Helsinki

MAS:
Zuerst einmal Glückwünsche für euer neues Album, ein wirklich starkes Stück Musik. Für mich war es der erste Kontakt mit Finntroll, und wir dürften auch noch ein paar mehr Leser haben die euch nicht kennen, wie würdest Du eure Band beschreiben?

Samu:
Gute Frage, nun ich denke wir sind die verkrüppelte finnische Monster, die Shakiras des Black Metal. Ich denke das beschreibt uns ganz gut!

MAS:
Ich war sehr von eurer Musik überrascht. Ich konnte mir vorher nicht wirklich vorstellen wie die Kombination aus Black Metal und traditioneller finnischer Humppa Musik klingt und einer gehörigen Portion Fröhlichkeit, die man von einer Black Metal Band nicht unbedingt erwartet. Wie würdest Du eure Musik kategorisieren?

Samu:
Unsere Musik setzt sich hauptsächlich aus Black Metal, finnischer Folkmusik, also Humppa im speziellen, mit ein paar karibischen Einflüssen im dunklen Soundgewand zusammen.
Wir sind sozusagen der Long Island Ice Tea des Black Metals.
Und wie du schon sagst, haben wir auch ein bisschen Fröhlichkeit in unsere Musik gepackt, auch im Black Metal muss man nicht immer alles Todernst nehmen. Ich hoffe, dass man heraushört das wir das was wir machen auch lieben.
Manche Leute mögen was wir machen, und manche nicht!

MAS:
Ich bin kein Experte in skandinavischen Sprachen, aber ich denke eure Texte sind in schwedisch geschrieben und auch der Albumtitel „Up Jordens Djup“ ist schwedisch!
Ich hoffe das habe ich jetzt richtig ausgesprochen!
Warum singt Ihr in schwedisch?

Samu:
Unser ursprünglicher Sänger war halb Schwede, halb Finne. Hier in Finnland wird schwedisch auch in der Schule gelehrt, so daß hier fast jeder schwedisch spricht. Und außerdem ist schwedisch die trolligere Sprache als finnisch, zusätzlich hört sich diese Sprache auch noch besser an.
Wir dachten schon mal darüber nach dies zu ändern und in finnisch zu singen, aber warum sollten wir das ändern, wenn es bisher gut funktioniert hat!
Für jemanden der nicht schwedisch spricht, hast Du den Titel sehr gut ausgesprochen!

MAS:
Wovon handeln eure Lieder?

Samu:
Unsere Texte handeln von Trollen, alten Geschichte. Es ist unsere eigene Fantasy Welt mit Trollkönigen, Menschenjagd und über das Verzehren seltsamer Pilze. Jedes Album setzt diese Geschichten weiter fort.

MAS:
Ihr habt ja schon einige Wechsel im Line Up der Band gehabt. Wie schwierig war es die Band am Leben zu erhalten, insbesondere als eines euer Gitarrist Somnium gestorben ist?

Samu:
Oh, das war sehr schwer!
Wir standen kurz vor der Auflösung, und das zwei bis dreimal, aber wir dachten es wäre in seinem Sinne gewesen wenn wir weitermachen.
Und mit dem neuen Line Up können wir glaube ich alle schlechten Dinge die in der Vergangenheit passiert sind, wirklich hinter uns lassen!
Wir sind zurück aus unseren Höhlen, und es macht wieder wahnsinnig Spaß.

MAS:
Mit Vreth habt Ihr einen neue Sänger in der Band, wie habt Ihr ihn gefunden?

Samu:
Vreth ist ein guter Freund unseres ersten Sängers, und der hat ihn uns empfohlen. Er passt wunderbar zu uns, er kann auf schwedisch singen. Ich hoffe das wir und unsere Fans noch lange Freude an ihm haben werden.

MAS:
Eure Tournee ist grade angekündigt worden. Spielt Ihr diesmal auch in Orten, wo Ihr vorher noch nicht aufgetreten seit?

Samu:
In Europa waren wir schon 2 oder 3 mal Unterwegs. Diesmal sind wir zum erstenmal Headliner auf einer US Tournee, inklusive ein paar Dates in Kanada.
Auf Japan bin ich ebenfalls sehr gespannt, ich denke die Japaner werden etwas anders auf uns reagieren als die Fans denen wir bisher getroffen haben.

MAS:
Gestern habe ich das „Trollhammaren“ Video gesehen. Werdet Ihr zu eurem aktuellem Album wieder ein Video produzieren?

Samu:
Ja, wir werden dieses Wochenende ein neues Video aufnehmen. Zu welchem Song wissen wir allerdings noch nicht.
Das Video soll allerdings etwas hochwertiger werden als das „Trollhammar“ Video, das war mehr ein Fundreh. Ich denke in circa einem Monat wird das Video dann zu sehen sein.

MAS:
Auf eurem Album „Up Jordens Djup“ habe ich am Ende einen Hidden Track entdeckt! Hat es etwas besonderes auf sich mit diesem Song?

Samu:
Hey Mann, Du bist der erste der das Entdeckt hat, oder zumindest der Erste der mich darauf anspricht. Ich glaube die meisten Leute haben gar keine Lust mehr sich die Alben komplett anzuhören.
Der Track sollte eigentlich ein kompletter Song werden, aber am Ende hatten wir keine Zeit mehr im Studio und dieses Ding haben wir dann im angetrunkenen Zustand aufgenommen und einfach mit auf das Album gepackt!

MAS:
Die letzten Worte in diesem Interview gehören Dir!

Samu:
Ich hoffe das eure Leser eurem Magazin treu bleiben und das sie das neue Finntroll Album mögen.

MAS:
Danke für das Interview!

19 Jan 2010

Interview with Wilska from Finntroll

Author: Unknown, May 2005
From Spirit of Metal Webzine
Original link

De passage à Belfort, non loin de chez moi, je profite de cette occasion pour rencontrer Tapio Wilska, le chanteur du groupe pour une petite interview très agréable...


Alors, comment se passe la tournée jusqu’à maintenant ?

Oh, comme toujours très épuisant, je crois que c’est notre 21ième date, mais nous avons de la chance, nous avons une très bonne équipe et je n’ai à me plaindre de rien… de nombreux concerts ont affiché complets, et nous sommes donc très contents !
Et puis nous faisons cela un peu plus facilement que lors des tours précédents, nous sommes pour une fois un peu moins détruits.

Donc pour parler un peu de votre dernier album : sais-tu à quel point il a mieux marché que le précédent ?

C’est définitivement notre album qui s’est le mieux vendu. Je ne connais pas exactement les chiffres, mais je sais juste qu’il s’est autant vendu en un mois que le précédent en 3 ans. Bref, il a été très bien reçu et n’ai pas à ma plaindre !

Quelle est la signification de Nattfodd ?

Nightward…

Nattfodd sonne moins joyeux et plus agressif que les précédents, était-ce quelque chose d’intentionnel ?

Oui, une fois de plus avec cet album, nous voulions brasser tout le spectre musical de Finntroll et il est venu naturellement des chansons plus agressives. Nous avions déjà parlé de nous orienter vers quelque chose de plus violent, mais cela est venu naturellement et de façon très facile au cours du processus d’écriture de l’album.

Et alors justement, comment se passe le processus d’écriture de l’album ?

Généralement, c’est notre gars du synthétiseur qui écrit les titres, mais nous n’avons jamais été le genre de groupe à tout composer ensemble en salle de répète. Nous avons chacun notre propre home-studio et chacun écrit des démos de titres avant de les apporter au groupe. Et après cela chacun fait juste une petite suggestion ou un petit arrangement et puis je rajoute les parties chantées. Généralement à ce stade, le titre fonctionne déjà bien et nous répétons alors ensemble le titre jusqu’à ce qu’il tourne parfaitement.

Et quand aux paroles, de quoi parlent-elles ?

C’est le premier album pour lequel j’ai écris les paroles. Et tu peux les prendre à plusieurs niveaux car la plupart sont métaphoriques. Il y a beaucoup d’éléments sortis de mythologies et de contes anciens avec le troll qui a toujours été dans Finntroll, mais comme je le disais, la plupart sont métaphoriques de ce que nous nous plaignons : je dirais principalement cette façon de vivre moderne et aussi cette façon de penser. Cette attitude totalement égocentrique et uniquement axée sur le profit que je déteste personnellement. Si je disais que nous sommes contre le christianisme et les religions, ce serait un peu cliché, mais disons que nous sommes anti-dogmatique et pour le fait de penser par soi-même.

De qui est venue l’idée de réaliser ce vidéo-clip Trollhammaren ?

Cela faisait longtemps que nous voulions réaliser une vidéo pour un des nos albums. Nous avons eu de longues discussions pour savoir laquelle des chansons allait être prise pour cette vidéo et nous sommes finalement tombés d’accord sur Trollhammaren, chanson à laquelle je tenais beaucoup, car je pense qu’il s’agit là du titre le plus représentatif de Finntroll.
Et puis pour finir, je dirais que tourner ce titre fut vraiment très amusant !

Et est-ce que ce titre a été diffusé sur des chaînes en dehors de Finlande ?

Oui, je crois que certaines chaînes allemandes ont diffusé le titre ainsi qu’en Amérique et au Canada et je crois au Japon. Mais je crois qu’un des trucs les plus fous de ma vie est que Trollhammaren a été numéro 1 des charts sur une chaîne commune aux pays nordiques et cela pendant 8 semaines envoyant chier Britnay Spears… enfin non, pas Britney Spears car ce n’était que pour des artistes nordiques, mais tu vois ce que je veux dire…

Vous avez déjà mentionné la venue prochaine d’un dvd…

Oui, nous y pensons et allons voir ça avec notre label. Mais il sortira sûrement après notre prochain album, car nous attendons d’avoir assez de matériel pour le réaliser et faire quelque chose de conséquent, pas juste un stupide concert et quelques ajouts de backstage…Nous voulons vraiment que les fans aient quelque chose pour leur argent… donc après le prochain album peut-être.

Donc tu en parles déjà… un nouvel album prochainement ?

Oui, nous entrons en studio en automne et l’album sortira sûrement en février-mars de l’an prochain.

Et comment sonnera-t-il ?

Aucune idée en ce moment… Pour l’instant, nous sommes juste en train de définir le concept de l’album. Je pense que tout cela dépendra de l’état d’esprit dans lequel nous serons quand nous entrerons en studio. Mais à ce stade, je sais que nous allons explorer de nouveaux territoires … avec des nouvelles rythmiques ethniques…

Es tu jusqu’alors totalement satisfait du support de Spinefarm et Century Media ?

Oui tout a fait. Nous avons vraiment un très bon contact avec Spinefarm et nous vivons à 200 mètres l’un de l’autre… et Spinefarm a toujours été à 200% derrière nous…

Est-ce que tu écoutes d’autres groupes finlandais et de la musique folklorique finlandaise ?

Oui bien sûr. Je suis un grand fan de musique traditionnelle issue de Finlande, Suède ou de Norvège. Et puis sinon il y a beaucoup d’excellents groupes de metal venus de ces pays, par exemple Amoral qui tourne avec nous, qui est un excellent groupe de death technique et que je suis très content d’avoir avec nous ! Et puis, il y a énormément de « demo band » qui arrivent, alors gardez les yeux ouverts car ces gars-là promettent !

Justement pour ces petits groupes, penses-tu qu’il soit difficile d’être comparés sans cesse à Stratovarius, Nightwish ou Children of Bodom ?

Oui, bien sûr... Ces groupes sont grands et quand tu débutes de nos jours, tu te retrouves inévitablement comparés en fonction de ton style à un de ces groupes. Mais pour moi, faire de la musique a toujours été créer mon propre style, notre propre son… Et évidemment, de telles choses ne sont pas évidentes pour des musiciens débutants, mais si tu es sérieux et que ta passion est sincère, il n’y a pas de raisons pour que tu n’y arrives pas…

Comment décrirais tu ta musique ?

Euh… Finntroll… (rires). Non, plus sérieusement, j’essaye de ne pas tomber dans le piège d’essayer de mettre à tout prix un nom sur une musique. Tu peux dire que nous faisons une sorte de folk metal ou quoique ce soit d’autre, mais je pense que nous avons notre propre son metal avec énormément de choses dedans.

Et penses-tu que Finntroll a créé un nouveau style de metal ?

Je pense qu’il serait un peu pompeux de déclarer cela, mais je pense que nous avons réussi à sonner comme nous le voulions…

Et à part cela, quels sont les groupes que tu apprécies ?

J’écoute vraiment de tout. Sur cette tournée j’écoute beaucoup de Pink Floyd, car quand tu joues des concerts tous les soirs, tout devient un peu saturé niveau metal et tu as besoin d’écouter autre chose… Mais sinon à la maison, j’écoute pas mal de metal…

Et as-tu d’autres projets ?

Oui, pour l’instant je suis resté très concentré sur Finntroll, mais bientôt nous allons enregistrer un nouvel album avec mon autre groupe : Sethian. Cela fait quelque temps que j’ai commencé à travailler sur de nouveaux matériaux, principalement parce que cela m’amuse de faire quelque chose de totalement différent. Ce sera quelque chose de très lent, très doom… mais sans aucune partie orchestrale.

Et pour revenir un peu à la tournée, et plus précisement au concert de ce soir… comment le sens-tu ?

Pour l’instant, toutes les dates que nous avons faites en France ont été géniales ! Le public français est toujours très énergique. Hier, nous avons joué à la Ferrière, au Mats Café et ce fut assez marrant car cela a énormément ressemblé à un vieux punk-show dans une salle toute petite et sur une scène minuscule, mais avec une ambiance énorme ! Et j’espère que ce soir ce sera tout aussi bien !

Alors pour finir, quel est l’esprit du metal pour toi ?

Indépendance, penser par soi-même, être fier de ce que tu es… Je pense que le metal a des fois tendance à devenir un peu grand public, mais l’esprit du metal, lui, a toujours été underground.