Amorphis (en)

Interview with Amorphis' bassist, Niclas Etelavuori. Many thanks to the band and Nuclear Blast Records for the opportunity.

interview AmorphisGlad to hear you, Niclas! You released a DVD after 20 years on stage… My congratulations on it, but why just now?
Thanks for the words, at first. We only released it now, because however strange it may sound, we didn’t really have the proper opportunity to do it before, the terms were missing but it was something we were thinking of doing for a long time. The important thing is that it’s already a fact, it’s done. While before we didn’t even have the chance to do it in a proper venue and with people who know what to do, this time it was all just perfect – we got the right people for the job who took care of every little detail. The concert hall was also perfect for an event of this sort.

Sure is, I remember Sentenced also used this venue. For the documentary part you invited many of your old band members. It’s one of the best “views in the past” I’ve ever seen, how did you manage to make it that great?
Well, actually not everyone we invited eventually turned up for the chronological presentation, but I’m really glad you say that because it means that we achieved our goal. We thought to make it as a “walk in the past”, as you said, from the dawn of the band’s career to nowadays. It should make clear some things to our fans and show exactly through what kind of metamorphoses Amorphis passed.

The new compilation “Magic & Mayhem - Tales from the Early Years” also just got released. How did you choose to re-work exactly these songs with new arrangements and vocal lines?
Totally natural – as we got to play those quite a lot live, the decision wasn’t that complicated. They got to sound mind-blowing and many people got the chance to judge them properly during our live performances, so we decided to include them in the re-recorded album, too. Not to mention that we wanted to actually put them down the way they sounded live during those gigs. The reaction of the fans indicated that it’ll be worth it, which in the end led us to the final result. We recorded “Magic & Mayhem” quite fast because we were already used to the new spirit of the songs.

I can’t help but notice how well Tomi Joutsen handles his vocal responsibilities on some of my own favorite classics of yours. Nevertheless, such a re-recording will definitely stir up quite a commotion. What’s your personal prognosis?
Well, I truly hope that most of the fans will like the new versions. Of course, there will always be people desperately in love with the old sound of those tracks, but still, we have many new listeners who never really heard the original material of the band. I think it’s a good introduction to those who come to our concerts without even having the slightest clue of the old songs of Amorphis.

I read that you plan to do the same with the next three albums of your discography?
It’s not decided yet and we ought to wait and see how everything will go with “Magic & Mayhem” before we do the same thing with “Elegy”, “Am Universum” and “Far From the Sun”. At the moment we’re concentrated mainly on writing material for our next studio album, so that can wait. But yes, I can’t say that we won’t do that in future, the idea is still in the air.

The artwork is hardly Travis Smith’s work. The style reminds me way more of “Elegy”…
I forgot the name, but no, it’s not Travis. We wanted to link the fish from the artwork with the title “Majestic Beast” as one of our last songs is called, because the impression is quite the same. Actually, the first idea was exactly to call the compilation “Majestic Beast”, but in the end we chose “Magic & Mayhem”. Why? It’s pretty simple – the chaos always overshadowed the band in the past, and the energy of the magic is what keeps us alive even now. But you’re right on one thing – it’s the same designer who worked on “Elegy”.

So we speak of Kri
interview Amorphisstian Wahlin, then. One hell of a talent.
The very same! The look he gave the compilation is surprisingly perfect, even beyond our expectations. I’d never want to have anything different.

The night on the press presentation of the DVD, your last album, “Skyforger”, got certified gold in Finland. The DVD itself occupied the first position on many charts – something that you managed to achieve for the first time, or at least it’s the first time to cause such a sensation. To what do you owe this success?
To the fact that during the past 5-6 years we broke our backs working, trying to achieve such results. We record and release stuff almost all the time, the tours grow bigger, because for a long time we don’t limit our concerts only in the ranks of Finland. We play everywhere; you can literally see us in a country you choose on your own behalf, haha. We haven’t been on a long holiday since time immemorial, but there’s nothing better than seeing that everything you worked for is not in vain. I hope we keep that spirit, because right now we’re full of energy and different ideas.

I guess some of them will be put to the test in your new album? In October you enter the studio – when and what exactly we’re to expect from the new record?
It’s planned for the spring of 2011, but unfortunately I can’t say anything concrete as for the approximate month. For now we have 18 songs which we rehearse constantly. Of course, not all of them will end up on the album, so it’s still early to speak of the final result. Everything is in the making process, but sure, we’ll try to make it more experimental in a way, without disregarding our traditional elements. We’ll try to record an album that will be loved by all, hopefully.

“Eclipse” was based on the Kullervo legend, “Silent Waters” used Lemminkainen, and “Skyforger” was about Ilmarinen. Have you though of Vainamoinen, I remember Ensiferum did that in “Old Man” and “Little Dreamer”? Some time ago I read that “Skyforger” will be your last album inspired by the Finnish epos; can you shed some light on that?
We thought of using a lot of stuff, including Vainamoinen, but nothing’s clear yet. The fact about “Skyforger” being our last concept album is NOT true – despite we won’t go for an overall concept this time, we’ll still feature several songs inspired by “Kalevala”. We’re not going to quote the book again nor include so many references as before, but also we’re not going to sever the connection with our major source of inspiration. People can’t escape their destiny, and we’re too far from being an exception.

You’re one of the bands with the most elegant and flexible sound for the last two decades. What’s the next step for Amorphis in a strictly musical point of view?
Hard to say! All in all, we managed to reach an identical style which combines all features of the band ever since the early days. Lately you can hear everything in our music, as if you’re a semi-witness to an unending process of a total sublimation of 20 years of Amorphis legacy, enhanced with many new layers. We’re striving to incorporate some elements which are unknown even to ourselves to keep us going. Point is, you can’t always predict how and if things will turn out to be in the end, but nevertheless we are obliged to try, right? That’s what we’re going to do yet again.

We’ve seen you in Bulgaria two times already. Every time you write history with your shows here, especially the second was an unforgettable experience for me and many other fans, of course. When are you going to visit for the third time, huh?!
Thanks for the kind words! I have to say that playing in Bulgaria always brings us immense pleasure. The feedback was amazing, that’s why after our first show there we told each other “hell, we must definitely do this again!” which eventually happened. During our last visit you shocked us – I’ve
interview Amorphis never heard a louder crowd, all the time you seemed even more eager than us, not to mention you outscreamed Tomi himself, haha! That was one of, if not the most successful concert of the entire tour, reaching even beyond perfection itself. The new tour starts next year right after the album gets released, so I’ll see you then, it’s a promise. Can’t wait!

You’re not the only one, believe me. Amorphis is one of the most significant bands on the metal horizon, inspiring whole legions of bands on a worldwide scale. To what do you owe your successful longevity? Has the metal scene evolved during that time, in your opinion?
Depends on the country, this is a more regional question, I think. Some time ago metal was an underground music, something not that popular, even forbidden in some places. Today, at least in Finland, it’s a whole mainstream direction, but it’s still hard to make a living out of your music as a profession. I still hope this will change in time… On the other side, even at the very start we did it because we loved doing that and not because of the business side of things. We had some times at which not everything seemed all that good, but still we kept forward because we love to play. The pleasure you get while creating music is far too good in order to just drop our job. Real music junkies!

It’s even better that you can say that after such a career. What does a band have to do or show in order to keep being on stage nowadays?
A lot of work, ambition and persistence, of course. Some bands get lucky fast, others may take from 10 to 15 years in order to forge their name and sound identity. I’m sure in one thing though – if you play with full force and passion as you did at the very start, everything will get settled eventually. Even having luck isn’t that important, the ambition is what drives you forward.

Have you heard any new bands lately? Anything interesting?
These days I heard Spiritual Beggars, but the band is not new, neither is the album. Lately the tours and the recordings take a lot of my time so I hardly get the chance, but whenever I can, I always try to keep my eyes open for new bands and musicians. Luckily, our label Nuclear Blast keeps me in touch with their catalogue, I’m actually waiting for a delivery here this very minute.

This makes two of us, then. You have a clearly distinguished playing style, so which are the bass players who inspired you to go for this instrument in the first place?
Hmm, I’m a great fan of British rock. Namely Geezer Butler and Steve Harris, they’re two of my main teachers. The manner of Cliff Burton also helped me to polish my technique in addition.

One last summary before the end – Amorphis is not only a band, but an entire ideology for many people; it doesn’t even matter if we talk music or another kind of art. What does it represent today to your crew as its core? Any personal meanings?
With Amorphis it’s always personal. The most interesting thing is that the main feature remained the same after all that time… I’ll get back to the name you mentioned – Amorphis. We still abide to the meaning behind it - back then it was just a word suggested by some musician, but years came to show that it’s more than that, it became our motto. I think the band proved worthy of its name, because after 20 years, Amorphis really is Amorphis – it changes, gets renewed, goes in different, unexpected directions. I’m proud of the fact that we didn’t stick to a particular music style niche, and to speak frankly, we were never such traditionalists to begin with. We keep our “shimmering” spark and we always use it the way we think its best.

That’s what makes you a special band. Keep the spirit during the next couple of decades and we’ll be here to support you and take a pleasure in your music.
I never expected less. Thank you for the interview, I’ll see you around!
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Interview done by darknessguide

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Nastasia - 21 Октябрь 2010: Great interview!
Adarkar - 21 Октябрь 2010: in english but thanks for interview !
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