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IMPALED
NAZARENE
Interview of Mika Luttinen (vocals)
After
"Rapture" which took a direction more punk-metal, Impaled Nazarene
comes back on its old roots with "Nihil".... New production, new
studio, coming of Alexi of Children Of Bodom.... A new Impaled Nazarene ?
Q - Since few months, a new
member and one of the best guitarist in Finland Alexi Laiho of Children Of
Bodom, has intergrated Impaled Nazarene. How have you contacted him ? Do you
consider that he has intergrated the band in order to give a touch more
technical to your music ? We can think that it is not very easy for him to be
in this 2 famous bands ?
M. L. : Since few months?...he has been with us since September 1998!!! We
played a show in St. Petersburg in Russia together with C.O.B. After the show
we were talking in a hotel and we said that we have been looking for a lead
guitarist since 1996. When Alexi heard that, he offered himself because he has
always been fan of the band. We thought he was joking, he wasn't, so that's how
he became member. It has been fucking nightmare to get our schedules right and
it is clear that when we will start touring heavily for NIHIL, we have to hire
a session member because the new songs require two guitars. I don't think we
became much more technical, I just wanted to have a killer leads and he fucking
delivered them. Don't forget that he also plays in Sinergy...he is busy but
music is his life and that's the way he prefers it.
Q - "Nihil", your new album and sixth release of Impaled Nazarene is
out since few days. Could you present us this new album ?
M. L. : It is pure extreme metal record, 10 tracks of
pure hell.
Q - On "Rapture", you took a musical way more punk-metal but it seems
that you have drop out this aspect. Why have you not continued in this way ? We
can consider, in that case, that you come back on your old roots more
"nuclear-metal" for many people...
M. L. : Well fuck off, Rapture was metal record, there was three songs (out of
16) that had punk elements in them. I basically blame the guitar sound on
Rapture, it should have been way heavier and that would have made people
realize it is metal record. When we started writing Nihil, we said no more punk
because we were sick of people telling us punk this, punk that. You can say
that Nihil is an album that has mixture of all the best elements from the
previous albums on it.
Q - All your releases was recorded at the Tico-Tico but "Nihil" has
been recorded at Astia Studio. What have brought this new studio to the Impaled
Nazarene's music ? Do you think that the Tico-Tico didn't bring to you that you
wanted for "Nihil" ?
M. L. : Nope...we couldn't record at Tico because it was fully booked and we
had to record in August last year. We chose Astia on the basis of how Bodom's
cd's had sounded. We made very wise decision and moreover this time we rented
all the equipment instead of bringing our own shitty backline. Besides it was
nice to try something new and we will go back to Astia again because our
co-operation with Anssi Kippo was just perfect.
Q - Your last albums were based on sexe, goats.... but it seems that on
"Nihil", you have tried an other approach on the lyrics. Could you
tell us more about this ?
M. L. : I had the lyrics written for Nihil, which were in the old vein, but ten
days before the studio I rewrote everything. This album is a mixture of two
things. One factor is that my personal life was going straight to hell, my best
friend killed himself, we all lost relatives etc. So I realized at some point
that in order to survive, one must destroy his/her own conscience. No feelings,
no regrets, no nothing. Be a zombie. That's why the title is Nihil because
nothing else could describe this albums lyrics. It isn't beautiful, it is
filled with hate, misanthrophy, desolation.
Q - On your new CD, you have composed an heavy and slow song "How The Laughter
Died". Could you tell us more about this song ? Have you not afraid to
regret a such song because in the past, you have composed a slow song
"Blood Is Thicker Than Water" on "Suomi Finland Perkele"
that you deny now ?
M. L. : Rapture there was Phallus Maleficarum that was slow and heavy. We have
never said that we wouldn't do slow songs, if a song is good like How
The...then we will definitely use it. It is moreover necessary in a live show
to have a slower numbers as well, we have seen that. I don't deny Blood...I
don't like that track (specially I hate my lyrix) BUT we are playing it live
again!!! I have changed the lyrics, hahaa.
Q - Your last albums was written in Finnish, English... but now, your lyrics
are only in English. Why ? Don't you think it is more easy for a band to sing
in its mother language ?
M. L. : I wanted the people to understand what I sing about. For me it is
easier to do lyrics in english and for the other bands, I don't give a reeking
fuck if it is easier for them or not.
Q - When "Suomi Finland Perkele" was out,
you have known problems with the title "Total War-Winter War". What's
happened with this song ? With the time, do you consider that this anecdote is
funny or irritating for you ?
M. L. : Some commie brats took offense in France, that's all. FNAC stores were
supposed to take out SFP but fucked up and took out Ugra instead. I don't care
about this, it was good promotion anyway.
Q - The Impaled Nazarene's members have others musical projects, I think to
Plan E for exemple, I think it is not necessary to tell about Raism.... Could
you tell us more about these projects ?
M. L. : Alexi plays in Bodom & Sinergy. Our drummer & bass player have
Plan E, all the info on the web site; http://www.solardisk.com Raism has been dead since 1997.
Q - Few weeks ago, you have played in New Zealand and in Australia but you have
known serious problems. In first you have had a car accident and you have known
problems with skin heads (fuck them !). Could you come back on these problems ?
In spite of everything, do you keep good remains of this tour ?
M. L. : That's half a year ago. We had the following things: 1. Show in
Wollongong, Australia was cancelled by local city council. 2. Some Maori skin
heads were causing some shit in Dunedin, N.Z. and finally we crashed to a
mountain while driving to Auckland. Got some bruises, car was smashed totally.
The whole tour was fucking great apart from those incidents but shit happens
everywhere.
Q - Could we hope to see you on tour soon ?
M. L. : We should have french tour in April but I am not sure.
Q - Thanks to conclude....
M. L. : Buy Nihil or you are gay!
DISCOGRAPHY
- Shemhamforash (1991, Tape)
- Toag Eht Thao Eht(1991, Tape)
- Goat Perversion (1991, Nosferatu Records, EP)
- Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz (1992, Osmose
Productions, C-D)
- Sadogoat (1992, Osmose Productions, EP)
- Ugra Karma (1993, Osmose Productions, C-D)
- Satanic Masowhore (1993, Osmose Productions, EP)
- Suomi Finland Perkele (1994, Osmose Productions, C-D)
- Latex Cult (1996, Osmose Productions, C-D)
- Motörpenis (1996, Osmose Productions, mini C-D)
- Rapture (1998, Osmose Productions, C-D)
- Nihil (2000, Osmose Productions, C-D)
Osmose Productions
BP 57
62990 Beaurainville
France