IMPALED NAZARENE : WAR AND PISS...OFF

One thing is sure : Mika didn’t add one single drop of water in his vodka. « Fuck off and die !... »

-M : I think that what has happen in the USA and what ‘s going on now prove that you don’t know what the hell can happen in the world. That show completely what humans are able to do, absolutely not any kind of respect to anything, and , even if those people are saying there are, bla bla blah, there’s not rules, there’s always somebody who comes to break them and cause total chaos and anarchy. It’s scaring, what the hell will happen with all this ? This can lead into a complete world war, who knows ? The title of the record was already chosen in may 2000, and now that this happen, we were like astonished : I’m the Nostradamus of metal !

-You’re never too prophetic with bad things in life, shit happens !

-M : Shit happens, exactly ! Of course, it’s juste a pure coïncidence.

-If we say that it’s your best album to date, how do you feel about it ?

-M : Sure, but every band say so, the new album is our best, but I really think it is, because we worked like hell for this, we’ve never been rehearsing so much, since I moved back to Finland last summer, so I finally like a real band again, not a band living in Belgium and go there. Just two weeks before we got the studio I met the guys and we rehearsed one year twice a week and then we rehearsed five hours every damn day, so...I think you can hear it, we’ve been improving even if I say it myself, but I’m fucking proud of it : it’s album seven, this big improvement is about time !

-This LP is much more melodic, the production is great and we see the emergence of more climatic songs like «Never forgive « , for example : is it a new direction for the band or just something ponctual?

-MRT : It just happen, we didn’t say : « Ok, let’s do a more melodic album or something », we just started writing and it just ended that way, and I think one of the reasons is that we’ve become better players, so we understand more of the melodic, dynamic of the songs. It has been a very good learning process when we’ve been on tour. Most of our stuff is fast stuff, and suddenly we break to « Let’s fuckin’ die », and people go crazy because it has a rythm that you can headbang to, not just fast fast fast. So it was kind of like when we were doing the songs, we were thinking like : « Ok, how this is going to work in a live situation ». And this are songs that are made for a live situation for sure, because we did something we’ve never done before : this summer, we played some big Finnish rock festivals and we played new songs, before if was ever recorded, we were tasting them in the front of the live audience, and « The lost art of the goat sacrificing », was a song when everybody went crazy because it’s a very good heavy metal track. So when we were playing it live, we said that it was gonna to be the winner !

-On the other hand, some songs, like «The lost art of goat sacrificing », « Via Dolorosa » are more close in a way to punk rock, in the sense that Motorhead is : do you feel close to them ?

-M : I think those songs are not punk at all, that’s 80’s heavy metal ! I would say that rather a song like « Hardboiled and still hellbound » is more like Motorhead rock, and « Prequel to bleeding » has this kind of punk guitar riff. You’re not the only one to mention the two other songs as punk tracks, reassure yourself, but for me it ‘s a completely different story, it’s like pure heavy metal. On the other end, it’s great to see that everybody hears it differently ! We feel very close to Motorhead, and « Motorpenis » was a sort of tribute to them. They are one of the most important influence for Impaled because they are a band that has tempted all things from the very beginning without giving a shit and they still do. When you see Motorhead now live on stage you’re saying to yourself that you want to be like that when I’m that old !

-Many people says they were are still are the link between punk and heavy rock...

-M : Yes, they are one of the few bands that have actually manage to cross the audiences, definitely, and that’s very rare. We have some punks fans, we have seen it when we’re on tour. Of course, we don’t sell so much than Motorhead do, it’s in a smaller scale, but in a way you can see the parallel between us an Motorhead in that sense.

-The fact to work with people working themselves with Nightwish etc could it be misunderstood by your fans ?

-M : We wanted to have a good sound, and I’m a big fan of Nightwish and Stratovarius and Chilrdren of Bodom, and I listen to the cd’s and the production and it was just unbelievable, is strong and powerful that sounds good even if you play it on a small bad recorder ! So, that what we were after as well. Mikko Karmila , who’s the mixer of the Finnvox studio, when we met him, he listen to our stuff and asked what we wanted. We said that we wanted it powerful and stuff, and he said himself after listening our material : « yes, Im’ gonna make it powerful but I’m also going to give this aggressive axe to the production ». The guitars are not nice, they sound heavy, etc : he understood immediately what this band needed, and he’s expressive, I can tell you ! And the result paid off in the end. Of course, we were a bit afraid when we went there, we thought he could think that it is total shit and he wouldn’t want to spend time on total shit ! He’s very a professionnal guy, and I’m sure we’ll using him next time as well.

-For this LP, as well as « Nihil » before, you change your recording from Tico Tico studio to another one, Astia. Why this choice ?

-M : It’s a different equipment, and Tico Tico is just a studio, you cannot sleep there, ther e’s no bathroom, it’s just a recording place, situated in one of the worst places of all Finland, this town is absolutely filled with rednecks, you just want to kill them, you feel very oppressed when you’re there, you cannot go anywhere, you get beat in up. Tico Tico is in the north of Finland, Astia is in the east, there’s a huge bathroom there, we have outdoor barbecue at three o’clock in the morning when the sky was crystal clear, it was summer and absolutely great, we were drinking beer and having fun with the producer. And there’s a huge sauna, which for Finnish people is very important. We can sleep there. We worked completely and didn’t stop at 8 in the morning, like Tico Tico, we started at 3 o’clock daytime and worked till very late in the night. Tico Tico is ok because it’s very cheap to record, but if compare it to Astia, it’s bowls of shit ! And, finally, what separate them the most is that the guy at Astia studio pays attention to your songs : if you play wrong, he’s gonna stop the machines himself and say that you play it again. The guy at Tico Tico put the recording button on, then quits and smoke a cigarette, and if there are mistakes, he will not spot it to you, which is completely wrong, because you should, as an engineer, spot the mistakes when it is. You can take all the old Impaled albums recorded at Tico Tico, and all of them are filled with mistakes, unfortunately.

-And you don’t consider to rerecord them ?

-M : No, I think it’s better to keep the formula that was, it’s stupid to try to make them better. But that’s why we will do a live album someday !

-This lp was produced by Anssi Kippo ( Bodom, Entwine... ) How did you choose him ?

-M : Actually what happen was that when we did « Nihil », we were supposed to record at Tico Tico but it was full, so when Alexi Laiho ( from Children of Bodom, ndlr) was still in the band with us, he said that we could go to Astia where the Children of Bodom had recorded. So, we tried it and it turned out to be so good that we went back for this album. Anssi Kippo is a genius when it comes recording vocals : he wanted a copy of my lyrics, and when I was singing stuff, he just stopped and said like : « If you start singing this part five seconds before, and this riff goes like this, that you should sing it this way ». We tried, and he was fucking alright, it was far much better than what I was doing. This guy has been helping me out like nobody before. And no matter where we will record, it must be that we go abroad for the next album, who knows, I’m going to take Anssi Kippo with me when we’ll be doing my vocals because I don’t trust anybody but him !

-Do you have a dreamed producer you would like to work with, outside of Finland ? Peter Tagtgren... ?

-MRT : No, I don’t like what he’s doing, I think he completely spoiled Children of Bodom, it was the biggest mistake they’ve ever made when they came to record at Abyss studio : the production is just... bad ! For me, the productions all sound the same when they come out of Abyss. I prefer much more to record in Finland. Colin Richardson has done some really heavy albums, so it would be interesting one day to work with him, but we’re not that huge, so it’s easier to stay in Finland !

-What have been you favorite bands when you started and who are they now ?

-MRT : Motorhead of course, and Venom, Sodom, Kreator, Slayer, and then, later, Napalm Death, the first album, all these grindcore bands, all death metal, black metal, punk : everyting put together gives Impaled.

-What is the quality you research the most for a band you like ?

-MRT : The sound and the energy together, I would say. The bands I like are not necessarely the most original ones, for example what Mayhem is doing now, though the drumming is unbelievable, but I wouldn’t Impaled to go in that kind of direction : we’re not so original in what we’re doing, but we’re doing it well ! I like bands who are energetic. I love Slayer, except for the last two albums that I don’t like at all. But Motorhead, yes ! Mainly, I listen to old albums. There’s one American black metal band, the « Cult of Azazel », I’ve been enjoying a lot, but it’s very rare, because they just sound like a black metal band, there’s a lot of grindcore in their music. And the new Absu, it’s really a killer. And Nile, of course : I saw them live with their original drummer, and they blew my head ! How can he so fucking fast ? !

-Nihil saw two changes of members of the band, who changes again since, but the arriving of a new blood too : was is a real turning point in the Impaled Nazarene history ?

-MRT : Nihil was a turning point to us because we became more professional, and that has a lot to do with Alexi Laiho, because he was such a good player that we had all to start practising because of him ! What really tells he's a great artist is the fact that he can adapt to any kind of style : I’ve been hearing him playing country music, and it’s probably the best country music guitar player I have ever heard in my life !You don’t have too much skills if you can’t adapt to any kind of styles. Which means I’m a total shit singer because I can only sing one style !

-And do you think that, apart from your both commitments, you’ll work again in the future ?

-MRT : I think that it’s not going to happen. He is too busy, and we’re happy with our new guitar player, so. It’s a good player, even if he’s not Alexi Laiho, but he’s getting better every day. He’s still kind of like afraid to try the solos, we have to kick him in the ass like : « Come on, don’t be a homo, play a solo ! »

-We see you very rarely live in Europe, because of the problems we know, especially in France for the last tour. Do you consider to do another one here ?

-MRT : First the album must come out, and then we’ve already booked some shows in Finland. In the springtime, we would like to do an European tour, and in the summer USA, it’s too early to talk about it yet, it happens when it happens, but hopefully it will be a very long tour !

-You’re very faithful to Osmose records, too, as well as your ideas. Do you still prefer to stay with an independant label, where you’re free, than go to a major and sell your soul for playing in stadiums and sell tons more of records ?

-MRT : I think that no major label would want a band like us, we’re not selling enough for them ! Actually, this January, we’ve got offers from different labels, we started to think them up and sent it to a lawyer, who went and said that compared to Osmose offer, the rest are total joke ! And we thought : « Have we been disappointed with Osmose ? No. They’ve been treating us very well, we have totally artistic freedom with them, they don’t fall to us and say that we have to go to the studio next month. No, absolutely not. We phoned them and said that we were going ot record, and they say : »Ok, how much money do you need ? » That’s the perfect relationship. Since we have known Hervé (owner of Osmose records) for a so long time, we don’t need to discuss about business things, we talk about health, his kids, normal talk. Most of the other bands I know which are signed to different labels, they just don’t understand how we can be so friend with our record label : for us, it’s only fight and business, and so I’m really glad that we have that kind of relationship. So, that’s why we’re staying with Osmose. Why change something that’s not broken ?

-Ten years after, how do you judge your career, being described as the longest running extreme metal band from Finland : are you satisfied ? What things would you have changed if you could ?

-M : If I had the power to change something, I would change my vocals on « Suomi Finland Perkele » album, because I sing really weak there, I don’t like it at all, I don’t understand how I let it to be released with that kind of weak vocals. But, for the other things, I would leave them just like they’ve been because everything have been a learning process. Of course, I would like to sell more records, so I have to work, but if it’s not happening, it’s not happening ! At least we’ve been able to tour around the world, so we’re at least selling something !

-What albums are you the most proud of ?

-M : The last one, because we’ve never worked so hard, and then I’d say the « Latex cult » because our bass player just left the band during the recording, we had a new drummer and really didn’t rehearse, and it was amazing that that album got done !And also, after his release we’ve been touring a lot, so, when I think back to « Latex cult », I have a good memory of it, so, that’s an album I’m proud of. I’m proud of all albums anyway, but some one them are not so good ! The favorite is the new one, at the moment : maybe, in six months, it’ll be different. It will come out in a slip case, 10000 copies or something, but the most important thing for me is that it will come in vinyl, ‘cause I still collect. If I had the possibility to buy only vinyl instead of cd’s, I would : I prefer it definitely.

-Impaled Nazarene have known many members changes in his history : do you feel like a captain in a tempest ?

-M : Our guitar player, Jarna has been on every album, so there are two of us ! Our drummer has been with us since 1995, which is a pretty long time. I don’t know that it has been so many members changing, because people seems to forget that between « Rapture » and « Nihil », there wasn’t any member change, we just added a fifth member.

-And you’ve never worked again with your brother (Kimmo, drums ndlr) in music ?

-M : He’s in this band called « Black league », on Spinefarm records, licenced through Nuclear Blast. My brother is drummer then, and the singer is the old Sentenced singer who was also our bass player. So they’re together on the same band. I don’t like it, it’s a kind of Monster Magnet rock. If you like it...

-No, I prefer Impaled !

-M : That’s just THE right answer ! ! !

-Next step ? Projects ?

-M : The typical stuff : do interviews and get on the road, and then start writing the next album. But we’re planning to do a seven inch, with one new song and one cover song, probably in december or january, and will probably be sold on the tour only, and maybe on Osmose mail order, limited to 1000 or something like that. I will tell you the story, with, along with an American magazine, you’re the only one who gets the story : Impaled’s attitude is completely fuck off and die, because we just don’t care. I was checking all of our albums one day, and I realized we’done a song called « Fuck off and die », and one the other side, we’ll cover Venom’s « Fuck off and die », or Voïvod’s « Fuck off and die » or Broken Bones « Fuck off and die », so, as you can see, it’ll be a « Fuck off and die » EP : I think it will send the message !

(Interview made in Paris 18 /10/2001 by JP Coillard)

Thanks to Nicolas for his precious help.