The previous Amorphis record was something of a dud. It wasn’t a particularly bad album, but it wasn’t exactly an inspired effort either. However, the band is firing on all creative cylinders again on their latest musical offering, entitled Circle. Guitarist Tomi Koivusaari was more than happy to give his two cents on the new album, his personal attachment to the subject matter, playing acoustic shows and the importance of the Kalevala.
Circle comes across as much more spirited and inspired than the previous album. How come?
This time around we changed our recording routines a lot, so for us it was also a surprise how the new record would turn out. The result is a much heavier and spirited effort in my view. I think it’s our best album in years.
The main storyline/concept of Circle is about someone who’s an outsider and who finds his inner strength after a serious incident aided by a sort of spiritual guide. Is this something you can relate to personally? What does the concept behind the album mean to you?
Yes, I can relate the subject matter both directly and indirectly. In my teenage years it wasn’t cool to have long hair and to listen to heavy metal where I grew up. At that age everyone is looking for their own identity I guess. The source of my own identity maybe came from listening to metal and our Finish culture. I never gave it much thought to be honest. I’m not a religious or a very spiritual person. As far as the lyrics go for Circle everyone should have developed their own interpretation. That way they become more personal and meaningful. I know the stories behind the lyrics, but I like to my own thoughts about them.
What do you remember most vividly about the writing and recording sessions of Circle? What were you guys aiming for?
We felt really strongly about the songs written for the album, so that helped keeping us focussed during the whole process. Working with Peter Tägtgren was a blast as well. He had some really good ideas of his own as well. Because he’s relative outsider he managed to keep us sharp during the whole recording session. As far as the general direction goes, we were aiming for a heavier, more guitar-driven sound.
So what did Peter bring to the table?
We know him for decades, all the way since we toured together with Hypocrisy back in 1994/1995. We also met him many times during gigs and tours. He wanted to work with us for a long time, so when we thought about working with an external producer his name came up first. It turned out to be the right decision, because the album sounds really good. Peter is a veteran producer with lots of good ideas about recording guitars and whatnot. As a band we needed a change and Peter provided that.
The Kalevala is the main source of inspiration for many Amorphis albums. What do you find so captivating about it?
For us the Kalevala is a natural and a very familiar source of inspiration and all the stories and themes fit our music very well. Just before we released Tales From The Thousand Lakes we got the idea to use the Kalevala for our lyrics. Amorphis firmly rooted in folk, ethnic and oriental music, using that in combination with stories from the Kalevala seemed like a very original and unique idea to us. We were the first metal band who actually pulled that off. It gives our music a nice atmospheric edge which is very important to us.
July last year you guys performed an acoustic set in the city where Elias Lönrott, the main man behind The Kalevala, was born. How was the whole experience for you? Are there more acoustic gigs in the cards?
We did more acoustic gigs before, but that one was particularly memorable experience. Our lyricist, Pekka Kainulainen, organised the whole event and he asked whether we were interested in performing an acoustic set. We immediately agreed on doing this. It was quite a surreal experience seeing elderly people and even a priest clapping along with ‘Sign FromThe Northside’, a song from our first album. We’ll do an acoustic set at Wacken Open Air this year, accompanied by Sakari Kukko on flutes and Mari M as backing vocalist. They performed as guest musicians on Circle as well by the way.
In this digital age it’s remarkable to witness the rise in popularity of vinyl. Circle will also be available in various vinyl formats. What is your take on this?
All our previous albums are available on vinyl as well. I grew up listening to vinyl records, so for me it’s a really positive development. LP’s simply sound and look better in my opinion. They really have their own spirit and personality. Even when we’re busy with putting songs in a sequence when we finished recording an album I’m still thinking about which songs to put on the A-side and which one on the B-side.
Amorphis is often cited as a source of influence by other (younger) bands. How does it make you feel? Is it a stimulant for you and the rest of the band to stay on top of your game?
It feels great of course. When we started out as a band we took our influences from the bands we listened to at the time. I never thought we would be in that position someday. I think it’s a testimony that we’ve created our own unique sound and style. It feels unreal when great bands tell in interviews that they’re influenced by us. It’s very humbling too.
Being in a band is often compared to a marriage. Amorphis hasn’t seen any major changes in the line-up since 2005. What is your secret?
That’s true. We’re all a little older and a little wiser now. We have enough plenty of experience dealing with conflicts. As long as everyone is on the same page and have the same level of commitment we can solve problems. We get along pretty well nowadays.
Finally, what touring plans do you guys have for the rest of this year?
We’ll do a lot of festivals all over Europe this Summer. In the Fall we’re going to tour in South America, Australia, Japan and Europe. We’ll be on the road for a long time to come, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Raymond Westland