The first question, naturally, concerns your new "Chaotic Beauty" disk - how, where, how much, duration, who is the producer, how many songs, what response and etc.

The duration of Chaotic Beauty is about 40minutes and it contains 9 songs. The album was recorded in Tico-Tico studios by Ahti Kortelainen and some of recordings were done in the Finnvox studios too by Mikko Karmila. The mixing was done in the Finnvox studios by Mikko Karmila (worked previously with Stratovarius, Children of Bodom, Nightwish etc..). The response of the CD has been really great and people have liked our new material very much.

You still will work with Spinefarm Rec. Are you are pleased with your cooperation? How are your albums distributed in the world? You know, that, for example, in Russia piracy circulation CD of "Vilda Mannu" is manufactured, and in Ukraine your albums are accessible on piracy MC.... Though, take into consideration our salary (20 dollars pro month)....

Yes, we are quite satisfied with the deal of Spinefarm..Of course there are always some small things that could be better but after all we can say we are satisfied with them. Spinefarm have very good distribution channels all over the world. Yes, I have heard that our album there are piracy versions of our albums in Russia and in Estonia. It is a bit two sided thing..I know that people on that area are quite poor and can't buy albums if they are sold with the same prices than for example in Finland where the CDs are fucking expensive... So, of course it is good that people have possibility to listen to the music they like... But the other side is that if piracy industry will become still common in other parts of the world too, it isn't profit-making to release music any more...The costs that record companies invest in record industry are not so big and those costs should be got back... Of course bands suffer from this piracy too...there are lots of professional bands that get their earnings from the royalts and you know that bands won't get anything from the sold piracy albums...

What's your attitude towards a phrase " EToS is Finnish IN FLAMES "? How frequently did you have to hear a similar comparison?Is it correctly?

I agree that we had lots of guitar melody harmonies in Vilda MАnnu and In Flames is doing also that kind of stuff. So maybe there was small similarities between Vilda MАnnu and In Flames albums..But in our new album Chaotic Beauty there are just few harmonies in guitar melodies and the whole music style has changed a little bit... I would say that there aren't very much similarities to In Flames anymore...I don't want to categorise our music..People who listen to it can do it if they want.

How frequently should you act? Were there concerts abroad (in Sweden, I heard)? Can will recollect any ridiculous case from tour life?

We do gigs as often as we have time from our studying and work. We haven't played abroad..although we have got some offers..The lates two offers were from Estonia and USA..but as you know it is very expensive to go and do a single performance for example in USA. It's not profit-making for the arranger and even for us. The best situation would be a tour where are several gigs, in that case the costs would be much smaller per a gig. We got also an offer from ST.Petersburg, Russia over a year ago, but we didn't have time to do that gig. Hmmm..I can't get any specific case from tour into my mind...I think that a Finnish tour that we made with Barathrum in January '99 was very fun.

How do you think, why in Finland - all groups are masterpieces, each is original in its own way, and in Sweden it is not so?

Maybe it is a thing called Finnish "sisu".. People want to see how far thwy are able to go with their skills and with their bands.. And maybe it is this whole environment..it is very inspirating.

I have about Finland a stereotype, that the Finns are devided into 2 categories:alcoholics and sportsmen (joke)? Will you comment it?

Hah, maybe you're right..But I know that Russian people like vodka even more that Finns :)...But maybe those two types of Finnish people can be seen when they get abroad...

Again back to alcohol, there is a Russian vodka, there is a vodka "Finlandia". Have you come across the vodka "Ukrainian with pepper "?

Hmm..I haven't heard anything about that.. But have you tried our Ritual Drink? 4cl Vodka+ 4cl Gin+ 4cl Tequila + 4cl Bacardi!! Served without ice and a glass must be emptied with a single draft! It is an elephant killer and worth of trying!

OK, let's try to be serious.Are you still students or haveyou already graduated from university? What did you study? What are your professions (I'm, by the way, by profession an engineer - mechanic)?

Yes, most members of the band are still students. Our drummer has graduated but the other are still studying. I will be graduated in June 2000 and hopefully get some work..I have studied Information Technology. Jarmo is studying IT too in the University of Oulu.. Antti and Pasi are still in a high school.

How would you value the conditions of the Finnish underground,of the Finnish metal-media?

I haven't been in Finnish underground scene for few years but I know it is very active and still growing. Some people say that there are even too much small bands but in my opinion there are never too much bands.. Everyone should have right to play in a band if he's willing...Without small bands there won't ever be bigger and famous bands! There is one bigger metal music magazine called "Suomi Finland Perkele" and two other music magazines that release metal interviews/reviews too.. Of course there are still some underground zines but not so much than a bit over 5 years ago...

Finland is a member of the European Union. How did it influence on life in your country?

I think it hasn't got any influence in my life...Of course the common currency will be one thing that will cause some changings in my life.

Are you going to issue a video?

There have been some planings to release a video from Chaotic Beauty but it's not sure yet. We already did a "Burning Flames' Embrace" video from Vilda MАnnu last summer. It can be downloaded in Real Audio format from our official home site.

Your knowledge about Ukraine is.......... (complete a phrase)?

...quite exiguous.

How does the Internet help you? What can you tell about this global web?

The Internet is very good way to promote bands and get information from bands. We were among the first Finnish metal bands who had own home site in the Net..

Your president is a woman.What's your judgement concerning politics and women?

I'm not interested in politics...but I'm definitely intersted in women!! Hah... In my opinion it's the same if the president is a woman if she can do her job well...

By the way, about the women, in the new disk we shall hear Kimberly Goss? May be you should try to cooperate also with Tarja from Nightwish?

We listened to many woman singers when we discussed who would be the best alternative for Chaotic Beauty. Tarja from Nightwish was also one of those alternatives but we decided to ask Kimberly because her voice suites better in our music in our opinion. And I think we did the right choice.

At the end, a few words for the Ukrainian readers?

Thank you for your interest towards our band! Let's hope that we would have a possibility to play in Russia some day too. Check our new album out and stay in metal! Muistakaa Tekasta! Thanx for your interview!! And I hope this answer wasn't delayed.. You can download our photo from our homesite. Best regards, Altti & Eternal Tears of Sorrow