Amorphis interviews

[Tiiti]

but food? Seriously?

I agree in many ways. All these wine-things are suitable for music, but last couple of years it has been too much of those. And if there comes Amo sausage, I don´t eat it more than something else.

On the other hand, anything that isn't very commercially viable and comes in limited editions of sorts will be expensive, but eh, I think it's better to make something truly unique which only few dedicated folks would like to buy and will buy, than to make "insertbandname"-Cola or whatever.

Not anything, but almost. Limited Edition Amorphis Bottle would look nice in my bar. But if there is same bottle in liquour shop two years after, the idea of whole thing suffer.


And there is that fact, that most of all these money go to the record labels, not for the bands.

 

[tuonelan]

I buy shirts -- mostly from smaller bands -- so that I know the band is getting the money to practice and record and so I know that more people will see the name and maybe check them out or so I can meet other metalheads with good taste in music. Buying band tees is one form of being a patron of the arts.

I don't really get into the collecting side of it -- too many other things I'd rather have cluttering up the house.

 

[Eurynome]

The new NB catalog/customer mag features a rather extensive article about Circle (thanks @koivusaari for the heads-up ) with comments from both Esa and Peter T. - the first 1 1/2 columns are the usual introductory blah, but here's the relevant stuff:

[Esa on the new approach]
We had the feeling that it simply was time for a change. We met in our management's office to discuss the new album, and we had a clear vision of wanting - for the first time since Am Universum - to work in a new environment with an external producer, to ensure that all band members are actively involved in the entire process.

[Peter on teaming up with Amorphis]
Already back in 1995, on the Nuclear Blast tour, we talked about doing something together. In 2010, the subject came up again at the Finnish Metal Expo, and then last summer Esa called me and asked if it was finally the right time. I really enjoyed working with the guys. We had an extremely good atmosphere during the recordings and I hope very much that we will continue this collaboration on the band's future albums. (After this, it is mentioned that the original plan had been to let Mikko Karmila do the mixing and mastering but then these tasks were given to Peter as well.)

[Esa on the recording sessions]
It was great to work with Peter. The recording sessions were both relaxing and inspiring for all of us. We started out at Petrax Studios amidst idyllic Finnish scenery and had an awesome time, including sauna, eating well and having a few beers together. In a way it felt like back in the old days, and that was really nice. Peter is a very pleasant guy. The mood was excellent... at least basically.

[Peter on whether he had any influence on the songwriting, e.g. in case of "Nightbird's Song"]
No, I had nothing to do with that. I only insisted on tuning down the bass a bit and coming up with the heaviest guitar sounds they've ever had. In addition, I worked a lot with Tomi on different vocal styles. On the whole, my mission for Circle was to make Amorphis heavier than ever before.

[Esa on said heaviness]
"Nightbird's Song" in particular sounds almost like black metal. More than ever, we concentrated on giving each song an identity of its own, and Tomi's aggressive vocals have become much more versatile.

[on the folky "Narrow Path" and the album as a whole]
When working on Circle, we recorded 14 songs in total, several of which contained clear folk references. But "Narrow Path" was the only one of them that fit well into the album as a whole. Of course it's always hard to drop songs you once thought might become a hit or would at least fit the concept of the album, but this time we didn't want to make any compromise. The album had to work from beginning to end, without any fillers.
I'm really optimistic for the new album and consider it on par with Eclipse, Elegy or Skyforger in terms of quality. It is one of the best albums we've ever made. Of course it will have to pass the test of time, but for us at any rate it means the beginning of a new creative era.

[on whether the current streak of creativity might end some day]
Everyone knows that all things come to an end, but I'm not afraid of losing my inspiration at some point.

[on the lyrics]
It's a modern version of the tale that also inspired the lyrics of Eclipse. In short, it's about a man who has no luck in life and, in search of hope and energy, turns to the old Finnish gods. All of this takes place between dusk and dawn.

[on the cover artwork]
I really love Travis Smith's work and I'm sure we will work together again some day, but it just was time for a change in this respect as well. For this album we had a different vision, we wanted to try a completely new approach. Tom did a fine job of integrating the symbolic elements of the lyrics into the cover. His style seems to be very much influenced by Alphonse Mucha, whose work I admire a lot, too.

[on upcoming gigs]
In April, we will play our first show ever in Israel, which I'm really looking forward to. Our plan is to do several summer festivals and then another European tour in September or October, but it is not fully confirmed yet so I cannot give you any details. We will publish the info as soon as possible, though. What is definite, however, is that we are going to play an exclusive show at Wacken Open Air featuring an acoustic set with some guest musicians. Besides the acoustic songs, there will also be electric ones, but it will be the only show of this type we will do this summer.

 

[tuonelan]

Reading between the lines there it seems like they were a bit disenchanted with TBoT after the initial release. I can sympathize. Not a bad release by any stretch and many of the songs were quite strong and creative, but it did not take hold of me the way that the previous ones had. I think they were right to conclude that they needed a change to shake things up -- less Nightwish and more dirt.

 

[xptrinity]

Reading between the lines there it seems like they were a bit disenchanted with TBoT after the initial release. I can sympathize. Not a bad release by any stretch and many of the songs were quite strong and creative, but it did not take hold of me the way that the previous ones had. I think they were right to conclude that they needed a change to shake things up -- less Nightwish and more dirt.

I hear you, brother!

This interview sounds more than promising.
I guess I will also get my NB customer catalog shortly. Too bad it will be in German, as usual.

 

[Eurynome]

I hear you, brother!

+1 to that. The passage "Of course it's always hard ......it will have to pass the test of time" sounds particularly revealing. I remember my strange discomfort at the TBOT listening session a couple of years ago - not that I disliked what heard, but most of the time I was missing what we call tarttumapinta, something to grab a hold on. As in wanting to grab my guitar and play along, which was my initial reaction to Skyforger and which I very much hope to be the case again with Circle.

 

[Saara]

I buy shirts -- mostly from smaller bands -- so that I know the band is getting the money to practice and record and so I know that more people will see the name and maybe check them out or so I can meet other metalheads with good taste in music. Buying band tees is one form of being a patron of the arts.

I don't really get into the collecting side of it -- too many other things I'd rather have cluttering up the house.

I want also buy things of which money goes to the band or at least something goes. I want to support the band. I don't know how the money is shared with band and their recored company so I happily take information of that. How about the gigs? How much a band gets of said like a gig in a club in Helsinki 2000-3000 people in? I mean, the place must take something too?

 

[Tuuletar]

I want also buy things of which money goes to the band or at least something goes. I want to support the band.

Same here. I also want support the bands I like, especially those who get their bread by making music. To me it's bit funny when one says that "the band X is my favourite, I really do love them", while having all their music as illegally downloaded files. Like, I always buy real albums but Amorphis would be the last band which albums I would download without paying. It's just that I feel that downloading is kind of stealing from the artists. Besides it’s nicer to browse through a real cover sleeve, admire beautiful artworks and read the lyrics.

I have an impression that bands get their bread mostly from the gigs, just because people rather download music than buy real albums. But someone wiser can say how much they actually get from one gig, because I actually have wondered this as well.

 

[Tiiti]

To me it's bit funny when one says that "the band X is my favourite, I really do love them", while having all their music as illegally downloaded files.

You are so right! But to me it is not a bit funny, it is ridiculous and very stupid to download illegally files.
If I like only one or two song from artist X, I listen it from YouTube or Spotify, but not even then download it illegally. At the case I'm not sure if I like a album, we still have those YouTube and others to check if we like it.

And if I really love (inc. prize and respect) some band, I don't download the album even by paying it, I need to get real copy to hold it my hands.

 

[Tiiti]

And what comes to the article Eurynome translated (thank you for that), my expectations goes even higher and higher all the time.

+1 here also.

 

[Eurynome]

I don't know how the money is shared with band and their recored company so I happily take information of that. How about the gigs?

Xptrinity just pointed out that this topic is worth a thread unto itself, so let's continue the discussion under "Thoughts about the music business"...

 

[Saara]

Good decision since this is Amorphis interviews

 

[Tiiti]

http://www.vihdinuutiset.fi/artikkeli/225593-amorphiksen-tomi-koivusaari-ika-ei-paina-kun-ei-suostu-jamahtamaan

Interview with Tomi K.
Nothing really new. Vihdin uutiset is a local small paper, oriented with generic local news, not into (metal)music.
This paper (or this journalist unleast) also uses Wikipedia as a source, like professional papers do.


Tomi says that he (or band) doesn't feel themselves old, and a rolling stone gathers no moss.

He tells, that Tägtgren gave five string bass to Niclas and told him to play all things down instead of playing them up like usually.
Tomi also tells that it was awesome to lock guys in to the studio for a four or five days, like old school.

 

[Karhu]

Tägtgren gave five string bass to Niclas and told him to play all things down instead of playing them up like usually.

woah, good luck with that. I have tried 5 string bass and 7 string guitars, just fucks me up. Guess I'm old school. And not sure about the play all down, heard that before too. Hmmm. Suppose I'm mixing in acoustic with electric. Plus I play without a pic on bass but have heard from other bands "you should play with a pic for attack"

 

[Tiiti]

Same interview, with a distinct heading, is in Vantaan Sanomat.

 

[xptrinity]

On Sunday, sometime between 4 and 6 p.m. EET, there will be an interview with Esa. You can hear it here: http://radiotangra.com/player/

EDIT: If we're lucky, we'll at least hear some snippets from the other songs as well.

 

[Eurynome]

Thanks! And another heads-up, tonight at 20:30 CET (GMT + 1h) there will be one with Tomi Joutsen on www.radiofips.de (click the "hören" button at the top to listen to the stream)

 

[papajohnny]

http://nocturnemagazine.net/interview/178/amorphis-moc-prezivljavanja

Interview with Tomi K.
The biggest and in many ways the only real Serbian metalzine Nocturne published it.

Nothing really special here, I thought about translating some important bits, but there isn't anything that hasn't been said before or that any of us doesn't know about.

 

[xptrinity]

For those who missed the interview with Esa on Tangra: http://radiotangra.com/album/548f5060d02cd2bfdea07fc28ee54735.mp3
Just the interview, no songs.

 

[Saara]

Xptrinity thanks a lot! I've missed it all