Check out the chat that SOM had with the bass guitar player Sami Hinkka about Ensiferum's latest album, their plans for a next release, his opinion about the current Folk Metal scene and much more!!!!
Last time SOM talked to you guys you were playing at the Finnish Metal Tour 2011 here in the US. Now you guys are back in North America with Tyr, Heidevolk, Trollfest and Helsott for the Paganfest. You are just starting this tour so… were you able to see any major differences during the concerts already?Like you said, the tour is just starting. This [concert in LA] is pretty much the first actual show in a way because we just got our gear today [April 2nd 2013, 3rd concert of the tour]. Our gear was lost: first show we borrowed instruments and we had to change pretty much the whole set. Like, a few hours before the show, it was confirmed that we wouldn’t get our gear. And yesterday’s show was quite a challenge: the whole festival was delayed; there were tons of technical problems. So, in a way, the tour starts today (laughs).
But, the crowds in both shows were really good. They were really good, really wild and enjoying it… good for us because they gave us energy onstage to neglect all the technical problems. People were having a good time so, we had a good time also.
Were these two concerts very different from what you wanted them to be?
(Laughs) Very much. Like, the first one we only played songs from the first 3 albums because we were missing our song engineer’s stuff which includes backtrack stuff and orchestration for the 2 last albums. We couldn’t play any new songs. Yesterday, we kind of played the real set but there was so many technical problems. For example, the bass never came out on the PA system (laughs). But today is going to be good: the pre-sale was good; LA has always been really good…
Well, I guess there is already a difference between the two tours. I noticed that the venue where you are playing at this time is much bigger than the one you played at last time.
That’s true, that’s true. On the other hand, it is not necessarily always about the quantity. You can have just 50 people and you might have the craziest show ever. But of course, when you have a pre-sale way over 500, you know it is going to be a really good evening.
Between these two tours, you guys released a new album, Unsung Heros. You have described this album as more organic and raw when comparing to your previous release. How has this “change” been accepted by your fans?
I think they have accepted the new album pretty well. Of course, you can’t please everyone and that’s not even our goal. We just wanted to do something different this time. On “From Afar” we kind of went over the top with many things and we wanted to step back. We wanted to kind of go back to the roots, have a more organic sound because everything is now so tricked. We wanted to have a more “real”, “live” sound and that’s what happened on this album. We did really old school stuff like, our drum and bass recorded together like we used to do way before computers became more popular in studio technology. Yeah… it sounds much more like the band is playing together, like the band is jamming and not so… humm… [having a hard time finding a good word].
Artificial?
Yes! Exactly. Thank you. Yeah, I think the feedback was really good for the album. The reviews were extremely positive… surprisingl
y good. And we learned a lot from that studio session and we are actually working on new songs already, and we will be much wiser when we hit the studio [next time].You guys hit a good number on the Finnish charts. What about the rest of the world? Were the numbers also good?
I think that in countries where we have a good distribution the sales were good. But, that wasn’t the case in every country, let’s put it this way… let’s be polite.
During our last conversation you did mention that your next album would have much less orchestration. So, in a way that’s exactly what happened, wasn’t it? You did put orchestration a little bit “to the side”.
In a way: yes. Of course, there are a lot of orchestrations. Well, not a lot. “From Afar” album orchestrations were pretty much constantly on. This time we were much more precise: “This part needs orchestration, these elements and here we need a bit of choir”. So, in that sense we put it a little bit to the side. We cut the amount of tracks tremendously when comparing to “From Afar”.
I dare to say that in the next album the orchestrations are going to diminish a little bit more. I think we are going to try to go even a little bit more to “rawer” sound…. Maybe! (laughs)
Let’s see… we have all the songs, in a raw version of them. But, let’s see. There are still tons of arrangements to do and vocal arrangements specially. They kind of show the direction where the song will go, dynamic wise.
So, it sounds like you guys have a good part of your next album already done..?
Humm… we have like the “raw” version of it. Like 75% of the songs are ready. We still need tons of details, the arrangement things… But that’s always really nice because we can just go to the rehearsal room and just try all kind of crazy ideas. That’s actually a very fun part: when things are evolving. Sometimes it is a real pain in the ass, when you are sitting there for two weeks and nothing happens! And then, you just go for one day and [makes weird sound], you have 3 songs ready. You never know how it goes…
You guys have just played in Australia before starting the Paganfest here and you are also scheduled to play in South America. Are you guys excited with all of these new “destinations”?
Yeah. We actually played in Australia before (New Year’s Eve 2010). But it will be the first time we will go to South America. Of course, we are really excited about it because we had many requests from there for years. We finally have our schedule so that we can do it. And of course, financial wise (because it is very expensive to fly there from Finland), this time the offer was good enough so we can pay the flights and we can pay our crew.
We heard from so many bands about the fans in South America… they say they are crazy, in a good way so, I’m really looking forward to it.
Last time we talked, there was a comment about how Folk Metal would probably start getting more popular in other territories and maybe less popular in Europe. Did it really happen?
I have no idea. I don’t follow the scene at all. There are only a few bands that I actually listen from this genre, shame on me. If I consider our sche
dules and all the offers that we get all the time then I think the hype is still going upwards.What about North America? Is it still ramping up?
Definitely! This is the fourth Paganfest and the pre-sales for all the shows are pretty good and the press is still interested [“pointing” at me], albums are selling so there is definitely a “buzz” going on.
Personal question now: if you had to choose any destinations in North America to spend your vacation at, where would it be?
Pretty much everywhere because I haven’t seen anything in this country, which is really unfair! Like, all the clichés: we have been in LA many times (5 or 6 times at least) and I’ve never seen the Hollywood sign even. We’ve been in New York at least 6 or 7 times but I haven’t seen the Statue of Liberty. I haven’t seen any of the tourist things.
One thing I would like to do: go to Vegas and pay a chopper ride to The Grand Canyon. That’s something I would like to see.
You practice yoga. When on the road, can you still have the time to practice it?
Yes! You just have to take the time…
Any other “activities” you like to do while on the road?
I actually read a lot. You know (laughs)… we are getting older so we don’t party so much, especially when I’m doing yoga. I usually do it in the morning as soon as we arrive at the venue and you can’t do it that way, if you have a hangover. So, it is not really worth it (laughs).
You can have a few beers or a bottle of red wine, a few shots of vodka but, really party? Maybe on a day off. But, “after show” parties are not our thing anymore. Sorry to break the illusion (laughs). But on the other hand, you have to have the responsibility. People are paying to see your show, not paying to see a drunk or hungover guys playing with, you know, 50% energy.
Most memorable gift given by a fan?
Well, one of the craziest things: we played in Russia and suddenly these few guys (they were kind of the organizers), came onstage and said something in Russian to the audience and everybody was like : Woooo [clapping his hands]. And we were like: “yeah… ok!” And they gave us these “diplomas” so, we were like: “thank you”… and we finished the set. When we were back home we started to read those and it was like: “Shit!”. It was from the astronomy association… they named a star after us! So, there is a star called Ensiferum. We were like: “what the fuck!!!” And that’s like... official! That’s pretty much the craziest gift we’ve ever got.
Last time I asked you this same question and I will ask you now again: where do you see Ensiferum in 2 or 3 years?
Hopefully still touring, making new albums… you never know what the future brings. Everything changes, that’s life…accepting that makes every moment more precious. In 3 years, I have no idea. I just hope we will be as privilege as we are now to be able to do this. Until then, [I/We] just have to live to the fullest.
Any messages to the SOM readers?
In case you haven’t heard the latest album, “Unsung Heroes”, check it out. Hope to see you on tour.
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Interview done by Deesse_de_la_nuit
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