Be pagan!

Finnish pagan metal legends Soulgrind released their seventh studio album a few weeks ago. Although the album bears the title 'The Origins of the Paganblood', the band haven't gone back to their roots musically. Soulgrind was born in 1992 and the band still have something new to offer with every new album.
AM sent some questions to the founding member Lord Heikkinen (guitar, programming) and this was translated from Finnish.

AM: Greetings! How's hanging in Helsinki? Have you opened terrace or bag o' beer season yet?

Lord Heikkinen: In fact I was sitting on a terrace last weekend. Nice stuff. Otherwise I've been drinking bags o' beer on home yard and at neighborhood by outdoor grills.

AM: Would you tell the latest Soulgrind news please?

Lord Heikkinen: We're waiting for reviews of the new album to come up and looking if we can come up with any gigs. The album came out a bit too late when considering about this summer's festivals. And we didn't feel like sending out CD-r discs, because the album would have immediately been available in the internet.
We have some kind of plans for some gigs overseas, but let's see how it goes.
By the way, we now have a new gig promoter Haven Promotions (www.haven.fi).We'll see if we get more gigs this way. Otherwise we're just hanging around. And creation process for new songs has begun.

AM: The latest Soulgrind full length 'The Origins of the Paganblood' was released a few weeks ago. How does the album feel now? What kind of feedback have you received from fans?

Lord Heikkinen: The album feels bloody great. There's no many things I'd change on it. We could have refined a couple of riffs, but all in all the result is truly bueno. The feedback's been generally really positive. Those who have really listened to the album have liked it. It requires concentration and good listening. It can be seen in some reviews, that the album wasn't really listened to, and this makes me angry. If somebody criticizes the album, it is okay. But if somebody criticizes the album without paying attention to the album, it is wrong. Ungrounded bullshit does damage to the band. Kick them mud slinger's asses. Justifiable criticism is always okay.

AM: How is Soulgrind's music born? Your music clearly has influences from outside the boundaries of metal music. Which things have affected Soulgrind's music and especially its creators?

Lord Heikkinen: Everything does affect. One source of inspiration is new music toys; plug-ins, programs, guitar et cetera. It lifts up enthusiasm for doing. Then through experimenting, new things keep coming up we use in songs. You just got to have courage to experiment.
Azhemin listens to a lot of different music. I don't understand everything, but that's how it's got to be. My musical tastes are quite varying. BUT, it got to have feeling!! Anyways, mainly I'm listening metal.
Different incidents influence too. For example the death of pope gave us a positive thrust in creating music. Nature does also affect us.

AM: Could you tell more about your lyrical themes, as they weren't included in a promo version? Tanya's aka Ms W. Lilith's role seems to be larger on this new album, or am I wrong?

Lord Heikkinen: Lyrics have pagan themes. And hatred towards christianity. So they're quite traditional stuff, but "intelligently" expressed. For example, 'The Tree of Life' tells a story about a witch, who is burnt and from the ashes a new life arises.
Tanya was given more space. I mean choruses were created keeping Tanya in mind.

AM: Creature on the cover of the new album is looks a lot like a H.R. Giger painting and I found it rather peculiar. How is the artwork related with the lyrics and the music?

Lord Heikkinen: The creature is pagan mother. A source in a shade of woods. It was done by Filip [Wärnström] from Sweden.

AM: The new album is released with a bonus DVD. Would you shed some light on it, because it wasn't
included in the promo package. Is the DVD available only on limited number of copies or on whole print?

Lord Heikkinen: DVD is included on first 2000 pieces. That's what we were informed anyways. Holy Records didn't give money to compile the DVD, it was wholly done as a community effort. It came out nicely, taking circumstances into consideration. We had 2 weeks to get it done and no budget. Agathon compiled the thing. Live video directors were JP's buddies (thanks Jamo and the guys!!). I gathered everything else from around the world, he. By the way, thanks to everyone who let us use their pictures.
DVD includes:
* gig from January at Tavastia, Helsinki
* 4 promotional videos
* 'Helkavirsiä' promo tape from 1996
* 2 unreleased songs
* over 260 pictures
live audio... Nice package. 88 minutes of stuff.

AM: There's two guys from Thy Serpent in Soulgrind, namely Azhemin and Agathon (at least they have a history with Thy Serpent). This feels like a suitable moment to ask about Thy Serpent. Is the band still active and was mini-album 'Death's name some kind of prophecy?

Lord Heikkinen: Azhemin is creating music for Thy Serpent all the time. I believe they will release a record one day. Agathon hasn't been a member of that band for years.

AM: Do Soulgrind members have a lot of other band projects at the moment?

Lord Heikkinen:
Azhemin: Wanderer, Thy Serpent

Lord Heikkinen: Gloomy Grim, Darkride, Walhalla, Overlords, Äänimurskaamo and Twilight Ophera...
Gloomy Grim and Twilight Ophera are activate all the time...

Agathon: Gloomy Grim, Walhalla and some projects together with foreign people.

JP: Pentatonik

TBite: Twilight Ophera, Clawsharp Grudge

W. Lilith: Black Bitches and some other projects...
...So yes, the member's do have other projects. Doesn't bother.

AM: Cooperation with French label Holy Records lasted for four albums. How did things work with the label, when looking back now? How about a search for new label, has it already begun?

Lord Heikkinen: Holy have an option for us and we are waiting for their answer if they want to use it, before we start to look for a new nest for our art.
Generally things went okay with Holy. We had some cultural clashes, but mainly they are left behind now.

AM: That's it, too few questions. If something wasn't said yet, you can do it now.

Lord Heikkinen: Straight away to records store and check out 'The Origins of the Paganblood'. Get rid of your prejudices and turn up the volume. Be pagan!

Interviewed by Lane.

05/09/2005 19:03