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17 Jun 2011

Katla interview from Sveriges Radio

Link: http://static.sr.se/Laddahem/Podradio/p3_kultur/SR_p3_kultur_100606_7ba7bd.mp3
Date: June 10th 2010.
Translation by WiCkEdRock.

Katla:I like that, sort of like, especially with the style we're doing, one of those screaming, howling ?? style. You can sound sort of like, aah, angry and evil in that language, you can sort of tear at the word in a way.

Reporter:His artist name is Katla. His actual name is Jan Jemsen and he writes the songs for the Finnish folk metal band Finntroll. The group has chosen to sing in Swedish and Jan Jemsen tries to explain why the language is so well suited for the genre.

Katla:Well, words like for example Vidunder are, I think that word is so powerful, it describes it in an entirely different way than if it would say hyrvryät (? Finnish) if I wrote it in Finnish. Then it would sound like Lordi, like, that wouldn't be what we were after at all. If we're going to discuss song titles then I'm really fond of the word "ur" (used in for example URkraft (ancient/extreme power), URåldrig (ancient)), because that word holds such a terrible amount of power.

Reporter:For Jan Jemsen the language choice is partly about the Swedish words, that they sound more ancient, powerful and bewitching/magical. But it's also that the Swedish tone and word length suits the groups' way of singing.

Katla:You can howl and scream better in that language, but if I wanted to sing in Finnish I would like to sing it more with tone, maybe more like a sort of clean vocals instead.

Reporter:Finntroll is a Finnish band that has chosen to sing in Swedish. The first in the genre, folk metal.

(Followed by short bit about a band called Delta Boys)

Reporter:blablabla delta boys did it for their fans, but finntroll did it for completely different reasons. Swedish gave a possibility to hiss, scream and howl in a better way. And the Swedish mythologi and folk music gave the songwriter Jan Jemsen ideas for lyrics.

Katla:Nursery rhyme lyrics inspired me a whole lot, I like that concept that you back in the old days, when you had gone to bed, the parents would sing and maybe they'd warn about these creatures. Those songs or motives have been very interesting.

(followed by the lullaby Trollmor)

Katla:Nowadays when I write a lyrics it's more like, I emanate more from that it's a poem or some sort of "kväde" (another word for poem more associated to ancient nordic times) instead of some kind of nursery rhyme. But for the first two, three records I have a lot of stuff that could be a nursery rhyme, but maybe a little bit more bloody or more naughty version.

Reporter:blablabla the decision to record in Swedish came suddenly in the end of the 90s.

Katla:When we were taping the first tracks someone said that now we're gonna have some lyrics, så they said to me that now I should write something in Swedish. Then we started laughing, what we were doing couldn't be happening, it's gonna become like the muppet show, that. But then when you listened to the whole thing we were set that this sounds different, and well, like you say, it turned out a bit strange the way it happened, and then so strange and personal so we got attached to it. Sometimes it happens that you try a lot of different and then all of the sudden something completely illogical happens and it works really well.

Reporter:The other members of Finntroll only speak Finnish, but can still understand the lyrics that Jan wrote. They had learned Swedish through the obligatory education. Finntroll got an increasingly bigger audience back home in Finland, their first two records sold well. Soon the band started getting e-mails from fans who wanted to thank, not just for the music, but because they had gotten such good Swedish grades from having listened to the lyrics of Finntroll.

Katla:And that was really interesting for me that, even though I didn't mean to we got some other sort of cultural meaning because of that.

Reporter:That sounds really interesting! Because it's really a kind of special vocabulary you're using for your lyrics. It's not really everyday Swedish.

Katla:No no, that's the Trollswedish for you. that's my own Swedish.

Reporter:But I'm also thinking about this with Swedish and Finnish, my perception is that the Finnish population in Finland isn't too keen on Swedish, doesn't want to use Swedish, and it's become a language that's being forced on you. So I'm thinking how was this received, that you were singing in this language that you don't really want to make use of?

Katla:I have to say that it was received better than in, for example, Sweden. I think it's pretty odd, but I was thinking about today that this was, we're always saying that this was like commercial suicide. well, we didn't start off thinking like that but if you're going out to do gigs and the dream was to make a living of it, you didn't expect that part of the gang was going to live off of it today.

Reporter: But it wasn't only in Finland that Finntroll's language choice made an impression. In St.Petersburg lives Alexandro strani, a big finntroll fan since the beginning of the 2000s. And to understand Finntrolls lyrics he decided to learn swedish.

blablabla Svartby interview in English, among other things they talk about the title of their first album "Kom i min kittel", which by many Swedes sounded like "Cum in my cauldron". He was a bit embarassed about that.

Johanna Koljonen: Jan Jemsen that we heard in the Finntroll reportage earlier, he went to the same high school as me, and he used to scare the shit out of us kids as the dungeon master for the Swedish roleplaying game Kult. That was completely irrelevant, but I just wanted to tell that I was studying classical singing around this time, and I had such a near metal experience when he once heard me sing and wondered if I didn't want to be in his new band. Well, I said, why not. During this time we listened a lot to an album by the Norwegian folk metal band Storm that was named Nordanvind. This wasn't the same as the white power band Storm. So I was very excited and almost became member of Finntroll, but then it didn't happen because Nightwish came out with their first album and those classical vocals quickly became a cliché. And it was pretty obvious that I wasn't as good a singer as Tarja Turonen, so I was screwed! But almost, my life could almost have been different.

15 Jan 2011

Finntroll - Interview

Originally published by Demonic-Nights.at (Now at http://www.facebook.com/demonicnights#!/demonicnights) on February 12th 2010
Author: Dawak
Finntroll scheinen ihre Frischzellenkur abgeschlossen zu haben. Auf ihre Humppa-Wurzeln haben sie zwar nicht vollständig vergessen, widmen sich aber längst verstärkt Black Metal und wollen auf "Nifelvind" sogar ein wenig Peter Gabriel verewigt wissen. Gitarrist Skrymer weiß, wie es zu dieser ungewöhnlichen Mischung gekommen ist.

Es wäre untertrieben zu sagen, dass euer letztes Album "Ur Jordens Djup"  verdammt gut gelaufen ist. Rückblickend, wie zufrieden bist du mit dieser Platte? Gibt es etwas daran, das du gerne ändern würdest?

Es war sehr stark, aber das neue Album ist um Welten besser. Natürlich (lacht)!

Wann war für euch die Zeit gekommen zurück ins Studio zu gehen und neue Songs aufzunehmen?

Als wir mit den alten Songs gelangweilt waren und neues Material brauchten (lacht). Wir wollten uns dieses Mal nicht so viel Zeit lassen wie für "Ur Jordens Djup". Nach dem Ende unserer letzten großen Tour haben wir angefangen zu schreiben.

Erneut habt ihr mit Mika Jussila gearbeitet. Was macht ihn zum richtigen Mann für Finntroll?

Da wir bislang auf allen Alben zusammengearbeitet haben, scheinen wir so etwas wie ein gemeinsames Verständnis für Musik bzw. für den Finntroll-Sound entwickelt zu haben. Wir haben sogar einen Song mit einem anderen Produzenten aufgenommen, aber mit dem Ergebnis nicht zufrieden. Mika weiß einfach, wie er mit der Orchestrierung umgehen muss.

Im Vorfeld der Veröffentlichung von "Nifelvind" gab es wilde Spekulationen über den Sound des neuen Albums. Unter anderem war von 80s-Pop die Rede. Wie passt das zu Finntroll?

Sehr gut (lacht). Unsere Geschmäcker sind sehr verschieden. Als wir uns nach der Vorproduktion die ersten Songs anhörten, fühlte ich mich stellenweise an Peter Gabriel erinnert. Nicht, dass an Peter Gabriel etwas falsch wäre (lacht).

Eigentlich ist es eine Journalistenkrankheit Vergleiche herzustellen. "Oh, Band A klingt wie Riff B aus Song C." – wie würdest du selbst den Sound von "Nifelvind" beschreiben?

Das ist schwer (überlegt lange). Wenn man Bandnamen zum Vergleich heranziehen möchte, dann klingt "Nifelvind" so, als ob Dismember, Emperor und Peter Gabriel miteinander Musik machen würden. Das würde es wohl am besten treffen.

Die Lyrics stammen einmal mehr vom längst ausgestiegenen Gründungsmitglied Katla. Warum ist er nach wie vor eurer Texteschreiber?

Für uns scheint er die natürlichste Wahl zu sein. Er hatte die Idee für das Finntroll-Konzept, er lebt in dieser Welt. Außerdem muss alles auf Schwedisch sein, was er perfekt beherrscht. Ich glaube nicht, dass ein anderer Interesse daran hätte. Auf einem Album war Katla nicht mit dabei – mit den Texten sind wir bis heute nicht zufrieden. Wir kümmern uns um die Musik, um die Arrangements und überlassen ihm die Lyrics.

Kannst du mir ein wenig über das Konzept des neuen Albums erzählen?

Es handelt sich um keine einzelne Geschichte, die sich durch das ganze Album zieht. Vielmehr sind es eine Reihe kleinerer Geschichten, die wiederrum Nacherzählungen und neue Versionen alter Sagen sind, allerdings in ihrer eigenen Welt spielen. Es ist also kein Konzeptalbum im herkömmlichen Sinn, sondern eine Sammlung von Geschichten einer speziellen Sagenwelt.

Das Artwork zu "Nifelvind" stammt – wie bereits bei den letzten Releases – von dir. Wenn du dich ans Design setzt, wie gehst vor? Hast du bereits das fertige Album vor dir, nur gewisse Titel oder gar gerademal eine wage Idee des Konzepts?

Dieses Mal habe ich fast gleichzeitig mit dem Songwriting bekommen, als wir die Ideen zusammentrugen, gemeinsam besprochen und mit Bier begossen hatten. Während die Songs langsam aber sicher Form annehmen, arbeite ich erste Entwürfe für das Artwork aus. Wenn dann tatsächlich die fertigen Songs da sind, steht auch das Artwork. Es soll die Musik begleiten, soll einen Rahmen bieten, während man das Album hört, soll zur Atmosphäre beitragen. Und so arbeiten wir erfolgreich seit Jahren (lacht).

Wie passt der Albumtitel "Nifelvind" in dieses Konzept aus Musik, Lyrics und Artwork?

Der Titel verbindet diese einzelnen Bestandteile. "Nifelvind" ist ein – wie soll ich das übersetzen? – vielleicht kein höllischer Wind, aber wohl ein Wind aus der Unterwelt. Vielleicht fasst dieser Begriff die Lyrics nicht voll und ganz zusammen, aber er schien am besten zu passen.

Rund um den Release eures neuen Albums werdet ihr euch der "Paganfest"-Tour anschließen. Wie seid ihr ein Teil dieses Packages geworden und was hältst du von der Idee dahinter?

Letztes Jahr waren wir Teil der "Heidenfest"-Tour und haben uns verdammt gut mit Eluveitie verstanden, die für uns wie Brüder sind. So macht eine weitere gemeinsame Tour natürlich doppelt Spaß und wir freuen uns darauf.

Wie ist es um das Package für die darauffolgende Nordamerika-Tour bestimmt?

Wir werden mit Moonsorrow, Swallow The Sun und Survivors Zero auf Tour gehen – vier finnische Bands in Amerika. Mit Moonsorrow wollten wir unbedingt touren, eigentlich in Europa, aber du musst wohl ein Visa für die Staaten beantragen, wenn du uns sehen willst (lacht).

Ich habe es fast befürchtet. Abschließend bitte ich dich um ein paar letzte Worte an unsere Leser und eure österreichischen Fans:

Kill them all, the Norse gods are coming!
Besser kann man ein Interview nicht beschließen. Danke für deine Zeit!

Videonkuvausraportti: Finntrollin matkassa Hämeenlinnassa

Published by YhteisHyvä, from December 8th 2009
Original link: http://www.yhteishyva.fi/viihde/haastattelut/videokuvausraportti_finntrolli/fi_FI/vidonkuvausraportti_fintrollin_matkassa_hameenlinnassa/

***
Yhteishyva.fi vieraili metallibändi Finntrollin videonkuvauksissa ja kuunteli helmikuun puolivälissä ilmestyvän Nifelvind-levyn ennakkoon. Lue bändi kuulumiset ja katso diashow kuvauksista jutun lopusta.
Helsinkiläinen Finntroll on noussut kansainväliseen suosioon eriskummallisella reseptillä: se roiskii raisua humppametallia ruotsiksi! Bändi on kiertänyt omalaatuisen fuusionsa ansiosta niin Euroopassa kuin USA:ssakin, ja sen levyjä on myyty pitkälle toistasataatuhatta.

Yhtyeen levy-yhtiö, saksalainen metallijätti Century Media Records, kutsui kymmenkunta lehdistön edustajaa seuraamaan bändin musiikkivideon kuvausta Hämeenlinnaan ja kuuntelemaan Nifelvind-albumin tuoreeltaan. Suurin osa toimittajista lennätettiin paikalle manner-Euroopasta. Yhteishyva.fi sai kunnian olla toinen kahdesta kotimaisesta kutsuvieraasta.

Kuvausryhmä Vasara Films oli rakentanut isohkon hallimaisen rakennuksen sisälle ”luolan”, jossa video kuvattiin.

Osa bändistä oli jo puettu riepumaisiin kangasrytkyihin ja maskeerattu maasta nousseiden metsänelävien näköisiksi. Kuvaukset olivat alkaneet paria tuntia aiemmin, ja videolla valon valtakuntaa symboloivan naisnäyttelijän osuudet oltiin saatu jo purkkiin.

Laulaja Vrethin osuuksien taltiointi alkoi paikalle päästyämme. Mies asettautui selälleen märkien lehtien päälle laitetulle makuualustalle ja ryhtyi toteuttamaan ohjaajan ohjeita. Ketään ei tuntunut haittaavan, että toimittajat räpsivät samalla kuvia ja sinkoilivat mielensä mukaan videokameran takana.

Pimeässä ja koleassa hallissa vallitsi rento tunnelma. Kun soittajilla oli taukoa, he antoivat haastatteluja – joko aamutossuissa tai paljain varpain!

Koska paikanpäällä ei saanut kattavaa kuvaa musiikkivideon sisällöstä, päätin kysyä asiasta Vrethiltä.

Mitä videolla tullaan näkemään?
Vreth: - Tällä hetkellä kuvataan lähikuvia hienoista ihoistamme ja huudoistamme.
- Videossa on ikään kuin kaksi eri maailmaa: valoisa maailma, jota me tuhoamme, ja meidän paskainen mutamaailmamme.

Videobiisin nimi on Solsagan, liittyvätkö kappaleen sanoitukset videon juoneen?
Vreth: - Ei ihan. Musta tuntuisi kornilta tehdä video, joka seuraa orjallisesti sitä, mistä laulat. Mutta molemmissa on samoja elementtejä mukana, kuten valo ja pimeys.

                   Visuaalisia peikkosäveliä

Videokuvauksissa leijonanosa ajasta kuluu yleensä odotteluun, ja aikataulut ovat liki aina myöhässä. Niin kävi nytkin. Filmiporukka ja bändi jäi viimeistelemään otoksiaan hallille, kun toimittajaporukka ja manageriporras ajoi Hämeenlinnan keskustaan syömään reilun tunnin myöhempään kuin oli suunniteltu.

Ennakkokuuntelun piti tapahtua Helsingin keskustassa sijatsevassa anniskeluravintolassa, mutta yhtyeen pr-henkilö päätti kuroa menetetyn ajan kiinni kuunteluttamalla levyn paluumatkalla tilataksissa! Kuski nakkasikin kiekon kelkkaan ja väänsi volume-namiskan kaakkoon.

Nifelvind vaikutti yhden pyöräytyksen perusteella Finntrollin monipuolisimmalta – ja kenties jopa parhaalta – levyltä. Siinä yhdistyivät sekä ensimmäisten albumeiden multainen, puolihumoristinen peikkosatumaailma että Ur Jordens Djupin (2007) selvästi synkempi black metal -kaahaus.

Niiden lisäksi säveltäjä Trollhorn on maalaillut tällä levyllä yhä laveammalla orkestraatiopaletilla, joka tuo mieleen hänen erään toisen bändinsä, Danny Elfmanin leffasoundtrackeille syvään kumartavan The Wickedin, albumit.

Nifelvind on tunnelmaltaan positiivinen ja erittäin visuaalinen. Kun sulkee silmänsä, sävelet muuttuvat mielikuviksi kostean mullan alla lymyävästä peikkovaltakunnasta.

Vreth, kuinka kuvailisit Nifelvindiä?
Vreth: - Se on vähän erilainen kuin muut levymme. Onhan tässä tietysti Finntroll-soundia, mutta myös enemmän metallia ja riffittelyä kuin ennen. Ja paljon akustisia instrumentaaliosioita.
Millaisia suunnitelmia teillä on keikkailun suhteen levyn tiimoilta?
Vreth: - Kun levy julkaistaan, lähdetään suoraan Paganfest-rundille, kierretään 24 päivää Euroopassa. Sen jälkeen ollaan pari viikkoa kotona ja mennään Jenkkeihin kuukaudeksi.
Entä Suomen-keikat, onko niitä luvassa?
Vreth: - On, mutta niistä ei vielä puhuta, heh.

Finntroll returns to Spain...

Published by Finntroll Spain Myspace, from November 13th 2009
Author:  Marina Mendive
Original link: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=482864169&blogId=518720065

After three years, the Finnish folk metal band, Finntroll, stepped on Spanish soil.  Finntroll MySpace Spain had the pleasure of interviewing Vreth and Skrymer a few minutes before their concert in the Madrid venue, Sala Caracol... 

(FM) Finntroll Myspace: Welcome, what happened? We heard someone missed a flight? 
(S) Skrymer: Yeah, the other guitarist missed a flight and all of our gear was lost. Luckily we got it now here...
(V) Vreth: We only had the hand luggage with us. Everything else was lost.

 FM: During the process of recording a new album, is there a part, a moment, which you like best?  Which is it? 
S: Actually, the whole process this time.
V: Yeah, but the stress was big.
S: Yeah.
V: We should have had like one more week.
S: But, really cool environment. Like, Three different studios, like one studio 2 guys were making children music, “can you guys come here and do backing vocals for this track,” and the other studio were doing like this old Finnish folk singer kinda dude, singing, and then there was like this one living room where we all drink coffee and smoke cigarettes. It was really, really nice environment.
V: Yep.

FM: So you helped with some backing vocals for children songs.
S: Yeah, and they did some for us too.

FM: What do you usually do to prepare for a show?
S: Joking and have a big group hug, no, [laughs] I don’t know, just sit around and wait for it to happen, write a set list, put the makeup and gear on, nothing very special.

FM: The first time you went on stage, did you have any stage fright? 
S: Still do.

FM: What do you do to avoid it?
S: Get drunk! [Laughs] Typical Finnish solution to problems, get drunk [Laughs], no, I don’t know, it’s kind of a cold feeling 5 minutes before going, then we actually go on stage and nothing.
V: I don’t think I actually have any stage fright anymore, when I was little, then I was really nervous. The first shows with Finntroll, then I was nervous.

FM: Vreth, how long have you been practicing growling?
V: Mid nineties, something like that.
S. Since his birth.
[They both laugh]
V: I was a very quiet child.

FM: What is your opinion on the fact that there are women like Angela Gossow from Arch Enemy that also practice growling?

V: I think it’s good that females do it also, because they have the same instrument that we have, so why not? Why would it all be male?
S: Once in Seattle this tiny little girl walked on stage and it was like [imitates growling sound] roar, and,
V: yeah, it was really angry.
S: it was like, fucking hell that’s scary. That tiny little fragile creature, that could create that sort of…, I don’t know, like he said, the same sentiment, so it doesn’t really matter. If it’s good it’s good, if it’s really bad it’s bad, it doesn’t really matter,
V: yeah, there is an equal amount of bad male singers as well as female singers. 

FM: What is the weirdest thing a fan has ever said or done to you or where is the weirdest place you’ve had to sign an autograph?
V: There was actually, a couple of years ago, this mother, she was probably around thirty something, and I thought she wanted an autograph, but no, no, no, she lifts up her little child and she wants an autograph. She had like a pink bag that she wanted me to sign. The girl was like 7 years old or something like that, she was a big fan and I got to sign her little pink purse.

FM: How much time do you usually require to learn a song?
S: Depends on the song.
V: Yeah, like you never learn some songs. We have really hard songs to play and we have easy songs to play.
S: Some may take 2 weeks to learn,
V: the other ones take 2 years…
S: It took like 9 years actually for me to learn, 8, sorry, [Vreth laughs] till I finally learned one thing from one song. 

FM: Can we know which one?
S: No, It’s like this, thanks to the other guitarist player on (Jaktens stage), who is a million times better guitarist than I am now, I kind of had to play his parts… it just didn’t happen. Finally, I learned after 8 years, so. It took me 8 years to get sort of close to the level [laughs]. 

FM: How long have you been playing the guitar?
S: I’ve been playing since 9; I’ve been practicing for [shrugs], well, actually, really practicing for like 4 or 5 years. It sounds weird, but yeah.

FM: If you had to do a balance about your entire career as a musician, what positive and what negative aspects would you highlight?
V: Well, the good side is to be able to travel around the world and play.
S: Play and see that people actually like what we’re doing.
V: Yeah, the negative side is probably the travelling.
S: yeah, waiting.
V: The airports and stuff.
S: That’s the glamour of rock and roll you get to wait a lot.
V: Stand in lines,
S: Looking like retard.

FM: What do you think about music festivals, do you prefer big venues or small venues?
S: small venues, definitely. Festivals are more like, party for the people. If I would really, really want to see a band, I would rather see them in a club. In a festival the sound is never really what you want it to be.
V: Yeah, and usually in a club people are there to see you, not to party, because in a festival there is like a week of partying, it’s just a plus if there is a good band.

FM: What do you think about today’s musical landscape?
[The rest of the group calls Skrymer and they talk in Finnish for a few minutes]
S: They just had a great idea for the album cover.
FM: Can we know?
S:  No, you’ll see.
S: (musical landscape) Honest opinion? It’s going to hell, it’s like there’s less and less real rock bands playing, more and more commercial bullshit. I don’t know, I’m really the worst person to ask that question. [Pauses] Now, it’s all so polished and nice and clean.
V: yeah, it’s lost the punk and the rebelness in some way.
S: Now days, there is more people that listen to Britney Spears than metal bands, the difference is a fucking haircut, but like I said, I’m really the worst person to ask that question.

FM:  Songs that make you dance:
S: hummm.
V: You mean in a club, now?

FM: For example, yes.
S: Janis Joplin, but you need, you know, a female to dance.
V: and the right setting, somehow. You know sometimes, we can go, like after a show to a club.
S: and groove out.
V: and be like: Oh, it’s Britney Spears let’s go dance.
S: Toxic.
V: Britney Spears Toxic.
S: that’s Max Martin so…

FM: Person that has inspired you:
S: [Looks at Mathias] Him. [They both laugh] I don’t know.
V: ugh, this is a hard one.
S: I don’t know I couldn’t name one; it’s like all this bunch of people for different reasons.
V: Different artists, different painters,
S: different musicians, different writers, different filmmakers,
V: ordinary people.
S: Just nice people.


FM: Where do you see yourselves in five years?
V: probably here.
S: yep, probably here, warming up some local band, I don’t know, or Los Angeles, driving fast cars, I don’t really know, I don’t even know where we’re going to be next week, well, I know actually, we’re going to be in Ukraine.
V: yep.
S: It’s kind of as far as I can tell. Hopefully playing.

FM: Earliest childhood memory:
S: I don’t know.
V: I cannot answer that one.
S: It goes the other way as well; I can hardly remember what happened last week so…
V: Probably running around some like summer cottage or something like that.
S: My grandma’s place.

FM: A book.
V a book? The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.
S: Hyperion, Dan Simmons, Trilogy.

FM: A city.
V: My hometown.
S: A city? All the cities have some good qualities and some bad. [Pauses] San Francisco is mellow.
V: San Francisco is nice.

FM: A movie.
S: Holy crap [they laugh].
V: Actually, I saw a really good Norwegian movie a month ago, I really like, called Dead Snow, that’s a cool one.
S: I think Monty Python the Holy Grail.

FM: A color.
S: Blue.
V: Green.
S: Really dark blue.
V: Green, definitely.

FM: Favourite smell.
S: I don’t know, girlfriend, at the time, whatever that is, at particular moment girlfriend, I don’t know.
V: nice smells.

FM: Any word for your MySpace fans?
S: Thank you for supporting us.
V: Check out the new album.

ONE FROM THE ARCHIVES: FINNTROLL


Published in Terrorizer (online issue), from March 25th 2009
Original link:  http://www.terrorizer.com/content/one-archives-finntrol


EXCITED ABOUT OUR BRAND NEW SPANKING WEBSITE WE'VE DELVED DEEP IN THE ARCHIVES TO BRING YOU SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE INTERVIEWS OF THE PAST YEAR, SAVED FOR POSTERITY, ON THIS OUR SNAZZY NEW BLOG.

BARBARIAN WRATH: FINNTROLL - TERRORIZER ONLINE #18

It's cold, it's raining, the Terrorizer team are suffering from a post-deadline hangover after putting to bed an extremely winterized (say that word in your best Abbath impression for desired result) issue so what better to life our spirits than forcing the bearded wonder Paul Schwarz to re-live some of his backstage encounters at this summer's Bloodstock Open Air Festival. Already getting excited about the killer line up Bloodstock are planning for 2008 (Opeth, Moonsorrow, Swallow The Sun) this is just what we need to forget about the descent into below-zero temperatures and look forward to the glory days of summer once again. Terrorizer cornered humppa metal godfathers Finntroll backstage following a signing session, which included the autographing of bums and breasts. Guitarist Skrymer, vocalist Vreth and bassist Tundra decided that yes, they were drunk enough to do an impromptu Barbarian Wrath. Fed fresh-slaughtered random topics over a n ale or five by Schwarz and Tom Cleghorn, the trio explain the versatility of hammers in Finnish domestic life and offer their thoughts on that vital question that gnaws at us all - do pirates go to hell?


PIRATES

Tundra (bass): “Arrr!”
Skrymer (guitars): “Are there pirates in Hell?”
Tundra: “There must be parrots, at least.”
Skrymer: “No, not parrots. Pirates.”
Tundra: “But parrots are connected.”
Skrymer: “Yeah, they're connected to pirates.”
Vreth (vocals): “But what would they do in Hell?”
Aren't Vikings basically pirates - a better class of pirate, perhaps?
Skrymer: “No, they were just bloody peasants.”

HAMMERS


Vreth: “Good to beat your wife with.”
Skrymer: “Yeah. No breakfast? Hammers.”
Vreth: “Dinner half an hour late? Hammers.”
Skrymer: “'What do you mean I have to take that in my mouth?' Hammers.”
Tundra: “Rubbish sex? Hammers!” (thrusts a fist in the air as all three chuckle, unconcerned about whether the ironic deadpan of their delivery will carry over into the printed word...)

MUSHROOMS

Skrymer: “Pink colours. Long hands. Obscure fingers.”
Vreth: “Really good on things, psilocybin.”
Skrymer: “Yeah. Asphalt will turn to liquid.”
Vreth: “I was talking about them as food here!”
Skrymer: “So am I!”
Tundra: “I went and got some last night, actually.”
Skrymer: “You found mushrooms? Did you stuff your belly? We might be able to grow some mushrooms from what comes out.”
Vreth: “German toilets and ditches, those are good places to find mushrooms.”

COVER VERSIONS


Vreth: “You make your own, really different ones. That makes it okay.”
Tundra: “Pour a bit of blues on it, and it's going to be blue.”
Vreth: “Yeah...”
Skrymer: “Bluegrass, the music... Long from the back and short from the sides and short from the top. Redneck! Sorry...”
So you wouldn't do a Grateful Dead cover?
Skrymer: “We wouldn't?”
Well, would you?
Skrymer: “Why not?”
No reason. What would you do?
Skrymer: “'Friend Of The Devil Is A Friend Of Mine'. It's an obvious choice. We had a brilliant idea for a Carcass cover, with lots of horns. It would go like, 'Deet, do de do dee, do de do dee, do de do...'”
'Incarnated Solvent Abuse?'
Skrymer: “Yeah. But the medical names are way too long and really hard to remember. That's why we haven't done it.”

SLEEP

Skrymer: “I need rest...”
Tundra: “Too much sleep.”
Skrymer: “Oh please...”
Vreth: “We're not getting enough.”
Skrymer: “The two of us haven't really slept in two days.”
Vreth: “Yeah. I didn't get any sleep last night.”
Skrymer: “I slept on the floor of the taxi for like, thirty minutes.”
Vreth: “Sleep is overrated, it seems.”
Tundra: “But I find it hard to avoid sleep!”
Vreth: “Then don't eat the mushrooms!”

14 Jan 2011

Tundra Interview from Livingformetal.com

Published in Livingformetal.com, from October 30th 2007
Interviewer: DeathRy

Translated into ‘From The Depths Of The Earth,’ Ur Jordens Djup is a very befitting title for the fifth album from the Finnish sextet known as Fintroll. With new vocalist Vreth leading the way, metal’s favorite trolls have risen from their cavernous lair to unleash their unique brand of blackened folk/polka metal on the anxious ears of the masses. A decidedly darker and heavier affair than previous efforts, Ur Jordens Djup mixes an aggressive guitar attack with traditional melodies and hell-borne hummpa for a sound that is likely to incite mass alcohol consumption. As the band gears up for a lengthy tour that will see them land stateside later in the year, bassist Tundra takes time from his busy schedule to answer a few questions.   – Ryan Ogle

Before I heard Finntroll, if someone had told me that a band was combining folk and polka with metal, I would have asked what they were smoking. How did you create this sound and how do you manage to keep it fresh from album to album?

Tundra: We never tried to do or be anything specific. Especially in the beginning all the ideas behind songs were extremely spontaneous and main thing was to have good time. Still today when composing, if something feels forced or doesn’t feel right, it’s better to ditch the whole thing and try again tomorrow

The band went through a line up change last year. Can you tell me why your former singer, Tapio Wilska was removed from the band?

We’ve decided within the band not to talk about that matter in public. Sorry…

Where did you find newcomer Vreth?
 
He was found from the small town few hundred kilometers away from Helsinki by our first vocalist Katla. They were both studying that time while Vreth’s other band sometimes played a gig in a local bar. I would occasionally call Katla and few times expressed bands dissatisfaction with Wilska. When it was decided that his time in the band would be over, Katla introduced Vreth to us.

What does he bring into the band that Wilska didn’t?

Our new front man is honest about what he does and is extremely motivated to carry our band to where we want it to be. He’s equipped with great voice and musical skills.

Was it important to find someone whose native language was Swedish?

After all that fresh hate we got from the Swedish speaking people from raping their language on last record, it actually felt quite nice to have once again someone who understands what the lyrics are about. Of course itshows in stage presence too when the singer actually knows what he’s talking about.    

Let’s talk about the new album. Give me your personal thoughts on Ur Jordens Djup. What was your initial reaction the first time you heard the finished product?

As I worked as a second producer in the studio, I was quite surprised how chaotic and intimidating the whole package came up at first. We knew we had done great job with each song but still it felt a bit unbalanced and that there’s a bit too much things going on all the time. After we managed to set all the tracks in right order everything just suddenly clicked and we realized it’s by far the best record we had done. 

Since I’m too lazy to learn a Swedish, can you give me a general idea of what you wrote the album about? Is there any sort of running theme that connects the songs?

To be honest, I’m not that learned in Swedish either…haha. From what I’ve gathered they’re about certain spiritual initiation, journey and rite of passage. You have to ask more from Katla who wrote that stuff.

What did producer Nino Laurenne bring to the album in regards to not only the sound, but the direction of the music as well?

His job in the studio was to make the guitars and drums sound as they do on the record and about half of the mixing. All the songs have always been completely composed and produced, now even recorded by the band. There will never been enough space in the studio for a kind of ‘instructor from the outside.’

One of my favorite tracks on the Ur Jordens Djup is the 13-minute Kvalling. In the right environment, the wind sound effects are chilling. What inspired this song?

The intro track, “Gryning”, translates into ‘dawn’. “Kvällning”, means ‘nightfall’. I think the title just fits quite well to the mood of the song.

The reaction to the album has been overwhelming, even finding its way to a few European Top 100 charts. Did you expect such a positive response?

We actually did a bit better last time and naturally expected more after releasing this one. Of course it always still cheers up to see your crap being appreciated. 

What happened with the ill-fated Earthshaker Tour? Were you upset about the cancellation?

The whole story’s way too long to tell. Main thing is that Metallysee fucked everyone over so bad it’s unbelievable. They never paid the money we were supposed to get from the shows and never even cared to apologize. All the bands on tour were left somewhere in Germany without plane tickets when they finally called it quits and the tour manager went home. Were we upset? Yeah.

Tell me about the US tour you have planned for later this year. What do the fans over here have to look forward to when we come to a Finntroll show?

You can expect nothing less than around one and a half hours of laughter and slaughter, on stage and off. Our set list usually consists of old and new songs equally. 

Do you prefer playing the large, arena-sized stages you find at many of the festivals you play or do you like the intimacy of a smaller venue?

It doesn’t really matter to me. Even though it sometimes feels a bit awkward to play those huge ass festivals where you can’t really tell from 10 meter distance whether the first row is having a blast or sharpening their knives. 

The fusion of traditional music (folk, polka, etc.) and metal is fairly common in Europe, but you don’t hear much, if any, coming from the US or other countries. Why do you think this is?

Because we Europeans have thousands of years of history and tradition which are mainly celebrated by long haired geeks who seek approval by dressing themselves as elves and reading Edda. Then all a sudden, a few Italians decide to start grinding guitars and electric violins like their ancestors in Sweden did. I wish it were simpler than that.

The animated television series Metalocalypse has paid tribute to the band by naming a supermarket featured in the show after you. Are you a fan of the show?

I haven’t been in this business for 10 years for nothing it seems. That was the greatest tribute a band can get! Now that you mentioned it I finally have to check that stuff out.

Katla, Trollhorn and Tundra from Železnij Marš

Originally published by Železnij Marš (?), from March 23rd 2002



FINNTROLL в своих покоях обложились пивными батареями и непрерывно глушили сей напиток. Басист Tundra уже с трудом разговаривал, а пузатый клавишник Trollhorn развалился возле стола с банками. Таким образом они торопились подготовиться к выступлению.

На улице происходила давка. Толпа припёрла немереная. Среди неё были люди из Питера, Тулы и даже Запорожья. Места в гардеробе закончились. Само собой, весь бомонд тоже отметился. Большинство пришло на FINNTROLL. Их продукция молниеносно сметалась с прилавков.

Появление FINNTROLL на сцене вызвало бурю восторга. Начали они с открывающей последний альбом композиции. Удалой мотив неудержимо тянул в пляс. Несколько девок уселись на плечи и двигали задницами из стороны в сторону. Это не только отвлекало от сцены, но и закрывало обзор. После первой песни раздались радостные крики. Вокалист Katla сказал: "Мы привезли fucking metal в Россию". На второй песне он рьяно затряс башкой. Somnium и Tundra были в стильных кожаных прикидах с длинными юбками и стояли симметрично от вокалиста. Сам Katla щеголял в народной рубахе, обвязанной верёвкой. Он постоянно веселил публику – бегал по сцене, размахивал руками и корчил рожи. Угоревшие фэны стали прыгать со сцены. Их хватали охранники и оттаскивали к выходу. Но число желающих сигануть только увеличивалось. Медленное вступление к очередной песне напомнило "Эй, ухнем". Продолжилось это настоящим угаром с крутейшим соло. Девки а зале реально заплясали. Katla одобрил фанатский энтузиазм, сказал спасибо по-русски.

Ведьма под шумок чем-то занималась в гримёрке (сказала, что массировала барабанщика). Не знаю уж, что она там делала с Arkki, но только он в неописуемом возбуждении выбежал на сцену и нырнул в толпу. Приземлился неудачно – вернулся обратно весь скрюченный и долго отлёживался на лавке. Юбилейные люди жаловались, что звук не особо настроен. Оказалось, что в зале и на втором этаже возле пульта он совершенно разный. Так что мы забили место там. FINNTROLL начали уходить со сцены, но оказалось, что просто кончилось пиво. Вернувшись с ящиком бухла, они продолжили выступление. Ощущалась нехватка подтанцовки, хотя кроме вокалиста ещё клавишник успевал выделывать кренделя. В конце была исполнена песня "Jaktens Tid". Katla поблагодарил звукорежиссёра, публику и дико распахнул рот.

В гримёрке их взяли тёпленькими. Katla сидел в центре композиции с вытаращенными глазами и сам отвечал на все вопросы.

Корр.: Какие сейчас ощущения?

Katla: Просто охренительные. Клёвое шоу.

Корр.: В этом месяце у группы мелкий юбилей – 5 лет. Почему вы не вынесли на сцену торт со свечами?

Katla: Свечи слишком готические.

Корр.: Многие люди считают, что вашей группе не хватает подтанцовки. Не хотели бы вы завести пару горячих финских парней, чтобы они выплясывали фольклорные номера?

Trollhorn: А мы на что?

Katla: Мы сами горячие финские парни и дико танцуем, когда поём.

Корр.: У IMPALED NAZARENE есть песня "I Am The Killer Of Trolls".

Katla: Да, сегодня они её сыграют.

Корр.: А вы при её исполнении не собираетесь выбежать на сцену и устроить дебош?

Katla: Мы друзья и убивать друг друга не будем, наверное.

Корр.: Какое у вас отношение к различным попсовым группам, называющим себя троллями? Например, у нас в России есть группа МУМИЙ ТРОЛЛЬ.

Katla: Да, я знаю об этой группе. Но они же не такие толстые! Без жирной задницы нельзя быть троллями.

Корр.: У вас в репертуаре есть специальная песня про сауну. Чем вы там любите заниматься больше всего?

Katla: Трахаться, конечно.

Trollhorn: Ещё бухать и жрать сосиски.

Корр.: Как вы планируете оттянуться после концерта?

Katla: Пока не могу сказать. Надо будет развлечься. Русские девки – хорошо, только подваливают в основном малолетние.

Корр.: Tundra, в твоём досье написано, что ты предпочитаешь иметь секс раком и никак иначе. Почему ты не приемлешь другие позы? Может быть, стремишься быть ближе к природе?

Trollhorn: Tundra, иди выпей.

Tundra (с трудом ворочая языком): Да, я врубаюсь в животную содомию.

В завершение разговора состоялось вручение журнала. Tundra сразу же нащупал специальное приложение. Trollhorn воскликнул "Это же мой размер!", но Tundra нелепыми движениями (так как был сильно пьян) оторвал изделие и положил в карман.