Metal Invader - Amorphis Interview



M.I.: "Silent Waters" has been voted as one of the best in METAL INVADER's top albums for 2007! What is your opinion about that? Esa: It's a great honor and feels naturally very good. All this great feedback motivates us to work harder. Over all we are very happy how people has reacted to "Silent Waters". M.I.: How did your fans react after listening to your new album? What kind of response did it have? Esa:My answer to your previous question explains this little bit. Mostly what people like is the variety of music we offer on this album. The response has been awesome. M.I.: Only one year has passed since the release of your previous album "Eclipse", when you released "Silent Waters". Do you have any plans for a new album during 2008? Esa:We have already lots of ideas for next album and looks like we enter the studio late 2008 so the album is going to be released second half of 2009. We also have a plan to live recording which will take place this fall. There's going to be DVD out with live cd. Pretty hectic plan but it's good. M.I.: Have you thought yet of your next album's lyrical theme? Is it going to have stories from Kalevala too or another traditional book, or is it going to contain lyrics inspired by our era and situation? Esa: We are currently working with the ideas and theme for next album. It will be based on Kalevala and is continuing to Silent Waters. Pekka Kainulainen is working with the lyrical theme with us, he's known for his work for Silent Waters as well. M.I.: Have you noticed any drop of sales over the last years due to Internet? Did "Silent Waters" bring the presumable earnings? Esa: We sell more albums than in years and received gold in Finland from Eclipse and Silent Waters. I know what you mean but metal fans are loyal and even if they download albums they also buy them which is great. The problem is more with second hand music. Rap, Pop and crap. Spreading music without rights is anyway illegal, I don't support it but it's also a good way for younger bands to promote themselves. Bands should pay more attention how the visual side of the album looks which makes the album forth of buying. We want to put as much art and information as we can so the actual release is definitely worth of buying. M.I.: Do you believe that if you make an intelligent use of Internet, you could use it to your benefit? Esa: Sure. Our friend Timo Tolkki from Stratovarius just released his project Saana through internet. He's getting all the profit and controls everything. He can keep the download costs low and still earns better than go through some label. Clever! Which is your opinion about musical distribution through Internet? Esa: We don't have time to focus on it so that we could release Amorphis music on our own, I don't think it would work with our case. Nuclear Blast are great partners and best possible label. We have so many years together so I trust their work 100% and they trust ours. In future we are probably seeing more and more new coming bands releasing their albums only through internet. M.I.: In "Silent Waters" is apparent the return to your early musical attitude with many brutal vox and aggressive rhythms. Was it intended or was an expression of your personal style? Esa: Tomi Joutsen wants to express himself with different vocal styles and as he is very good with both frequencies it gave us more variety to do different kind of tracks. M.I.: Over the last years is observed a constant competition of the already existed sounds and a general lack of inspiration. What do you think about this? Esa: You hear comments that everything in rock music has been done but if you believe in your own thing and don't follow any current trends you are on right path. Mind is endless source of inspiration and I personally believe that there are lots of musical ideas what haven't been done yet. You just have to make clear to yourself what you want to do and what to create. There are lots of bands I admire but I don't want to copy what they are doing. I can "block" some arrangement ideas though… Greek music scene has grown and become respectable in Europe with many great bands like Rotting Christ, Septicflesh, Firewind etc. Do you discriminate between them any that you would tour or collaborate with? Esa: RC has been around for a long time, they are propably the most known death metal band from Greece. I think Septic Flesh opened for us in Greece, great band. And sure, I've met Gus G and other Firewind fellows. I hope all the best for them, really talented guys and great live band! M.I.: What are your experiences from your visits in Greece? Describe to us some happening that took place in our country and you'll remember for ever…! Esa: Great audience! Greece is one of our favorite countries. You have so rich history what we respect a lot. Hmmm. First time we came to Athens I had horrible fever, I thought I was going to die to my hotel room. It started the morning we flew over but fortunately we didn't have show at first evening. All the other guys went to eat and had meet and greet happening with fans. I felt a little better next day so the show went out fine. M.I.: You're last words… Esa: Thanks for the interview. See you in Greece, we promise to put up a great show! It's first time with Tomi Joutsen so he will impress you all. Cheers!