Interviews | since the day it all came down | vates-noctis.de
With since the day it all came down INSOMNIUM released a very Finnish album.
What do you think about that?
Ville Friman: I think you’re right. We have been told many times that we sound Swedish also but I think that we have strong Finnish melancholy behind every song we make. I think we have found a bit darker perspective than most of the Swedish bands. We have also folk-stylish melodies which are very typical for traditional Finnish music.
Much of your land mates take lot of inspiration from the nature, is this so with INSOMNIUM too?
Ville Friman: Absolutely nature around us affects to our songwriting but there are lots of other things like literature and movies and life in general which affects our composing too. Finnish landscape is typical for Insomnium’s music and with it we try to depict the sceneries where the stories of our songs take place. I also study biology in the University of Jyväskylä and this field of science has also affects lot to my view of life an all living (and dead).
Somehow the record reminds me on AMORPHIS` “Tales…” CD, do you know it?
Is this an inspiration for the band? What are your main influences in music?
Ville Friman: “Tales” is one of the albums we all have listened a lot when we were younger. Those were the days when we even didn’t have this band yet. For us it is a compliment to be compared with such a great album. It’s definitely one of our main influences but in our teens we were also influenced from bands like Metallica, Sepultura and in Flames. Of course we think that those are great bands even still but nowadays we listen lots of different kind of music and at least try to take influences from wider spectrum.
What do you think has changed when you look back to your debut in the halls of the awaiting?
Ville Friman: Well “Halls” was more like a compilation of songs we had made during our existence. It got 5 demo-era songs and some of the songs were made few months before entering studio. All the songs in the “STDIACD” were written basically during one year and therefore it represents us better. On this our second release we used more acoustic guitars than ever before and somehow music turned out more varied and richer in atmosphere than on the first album. I think we have also learned to make more progressive arrangements in a way that the songs won’t turn too difficult to listen. I’m not sure what direction our songs will take in the future but I guess we will do some experimental stuff and combine it to what Insomnium has always been about.
Are you satisfied with the new one? I think it’s a great record, with much atmosphere and place for dreaming. How will the next CD be? Have you yet thought about further steps?
Ville Friman: Yes we are satisfied with it and it has got great response around the globe. However there are things which we think we could have done better. With our third release we will try to concentrate on them more carefully and try to make everything sound even better. Our studio session one year ago was quite difficult and we had to make almost everything “twice” so that the result pleased everyone. I have “completed” 2 new songs already and I think they continue with quite similar path. Maybe we’ll add more progressive elements and speed to our sound but it’s really hard to say anything certain yet. We’ll see what happens.
Let me know about the lyrics. What topics have found its way into your music?
Ville Friman: Most of the songs we write tell sad and wishful stories about life in general. Lyrics often turn out to deal with topics like despair, jealousy, love, death and giving up things in your lifetime. All we get we have to also someday give away. We try to create nostalgic and melancholic overall feeling to our song so the lyrics aren’t happy tales either. With “STDIACD” all the songs comprise one longer story but all the lyrics are also “individuals” so that they can be red out of their context so that the listener gets still hint what they are about.
The most intense track on the CD in my opinion is Daughter Of The Moon? What is the content of this track lyrically?
Ville Friman: I haven’t written the lyrics but I can reveal that it’s a story about letting down your dearest ones and dealing with the guilt. I suggest that you try to get the actual lyrics somewhere!
Have you planned to promote the CD live? Will you here in Germany too?
Ville Friman: We will do some touring here Finland during spring and summer and if we get chance to gig abroad it will take place in the autumn but nothing’s certain yet! It would be really great to gig Germany and to see more Europe but I guess we have to sell a bit more records so that we can cover the expenses! We’ll see what happens with this our new release!
All the best from my side, I hope people like the record like I do. Anything to add?
Ville Friman: Thanks for the interview Olli and keep up the good work. I’m glad you liked our music. If you other too got interested take a peak at http://www.insomnium.net and listen some samples. If you like them go and buy our album I guarantee that you won’t get disappointed!
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