Metalglory / February 2005

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Hi Ville and congratulations for "Verisäkeet". I think we should do this interview in Moonsorrow-style - instead of short titles with looooong playing time..short questions and looooong answers. Do you concur with my proposal? :)

Skip my general uninformativeness? I can't. I just can't. :)

Please describe Moonsorrow with three words, not using Epic, Pagan and Folk! :)

Argh! Finnish, metal. (Counted "Argh!" as one of the words.)

What do you think are Moonsorrow's unique trademarks?

The authentic pagan character and healthy self-criticism.

Is "Verisäkeet" the most epic Pagan/Heathen album ever?

Hey, check "Hammerheart" and ask again. No. And after hearing Primordial's newest, definitely no. Yes.

How import are Finnish lyrics for Moonsorrow?

Highly. We are a Finnish band and we need our mother tongue to express ourselves fully. The subjects we deal with couldn't be transferred in any other language.

What means the awareness of tradition and affinity with nature for you as musicians?

It is part of Moonsorrow's collective identity, the message. Moonsorrow wouldn't exist without these characters. Everyone should respect nature and remember where they come from anyway.

I wonder why many Pagan/Viking-Metal bands are tending to glorify the past of the Norsemen. They weren't goodhearted Mother Teresas..

At least we're not doing that. Then again, vikings are not even the concept of Moonsorrow - we deal with pagan culture in general and may occassionally touch the subject. Of course it's romanticised, past always is.

Speaking of other bands: Would you agree that there too many bands dealing with the Viking stuff?

The whole "genre" suffered its inflation long ago. It's not even mildly interesting anymore.

How comes your band-name is English, while all the songs are in a language, which only your fellow-countryman can understand?

We started in English, hence the English name. When we changed the language, we just didn't think about changing the name. We're now known as Moonsorrow and so be it.

Almost ever Moonsorrow-song is very, very long. Maybe you can outline the creation of a song, e.g. Haaska!

Huh. Usually a song gets its outlines with some of us jamming a good riff, and then it just builds upon itself. We can easily tell in the beginning of the process if it's worth to continue. If it is, Henri transfers it to his computer and starts to make a complete demo recording. When it's ready, we get together to rehearse and make some arrangements.

What is the body and the soul of Moonsorrow's music?

The body is epic metal music, cold-sounding and with varied influences. The soul is of a proud Finnish pagan.

Do you need a special mood to compose the songs?

Not really. If we create something that sounds good, the music itself usually inspires us to continue.

How can you perform the new songs on stage?

We have five people on stage, so naturally we have to cut down the keyboard lines quite a bit. Some interludes are also arranged differently. On stage we try to sound like a rock band and not a symphony orchestra accompanied with a Russian male choir.

If you would record a tribute album, saluting the most important bands
for Moonsorrow, which 10 songs would you chose and why?

We wouldn't do it. Speculatively enough, some possible choices: Bathory - A Fine Day to Die, Gjallarhorn - I riden så..., Hades - The Dawn of the Dying Sun, In the Woods... - Yearning the Seeds of a New Dimension, Katatonia - Brave, King Crimson - Epitaph, Manowar - Gates of Valhalla, Primordial - The Coffin Ships, Satyricon - Walk the Path of Sorrow, Tenhi - Näkin laulu.

If "Verisäkeet" would be a movie score, what would be the story of the movie?

It would be an epic movie, but rather without endless gory battle scenes and having a very melancholic undertone, describing the unforgiveness of untouched nature and entering the depths of a solitary pagan mind. Poetic? The script is in the lyrics.

That's all. Thanks for answering. Any last words for our readers?

Thanks for the interview. Last words, well, you just have to buy "Verisäkeet". Only the picture is missing!

geführt am 13.02.2005   von Nameless