Interview with Reversion

Introducing Reversion...

Samuli - I'm the founder of this band. I'm now 28 years old and I play guitar. I guess the history of Reversion reaches back to 2003. The idea behind forming this group was to compose music that I would like to listen myself. I was listening to all these great bands but have always wanted to change something in their music. The music shouldn't be too prog, too soft, too one-dimensional etc. A balanced mix of a little bit of everything so that it would still sound like a tight and compact product.

Aleksi - I am the vocalist and joined in 2004. My influences are anybody who can do something I can't! Lately, the cast of the Simpsons!

Samuli - The next to join in was our bass player Jaakko in 2005. At this point things got a little more serious where we got the much needed kick to our lazy asses! We recorded our first demo, which included seven tracks. Then in 2006, Jonne came onboard. We tried out several keyboardists but none of them really worked. We even had a DJ in the band for a while! God dammit! What the hell were we thinking?! Jonne convinced us by his sense of sounds, which most keyboardists lack in my opinion. Finally in the end of 2006, we found our drummer Toni and haven't looked back ever since.


How did you come about obtaining the band name?

Samuli - Well, that was a huge struggle of us. We really searched the perfect band title for years. It's hard to make up something that all of us approve, whether it's music, a band's name or what ever. The bar is set very high in every thing. Finally we came up with Eversio, which is Latin and means destruction or something like that. Then we found out that there were already couple bands with that name so again we had to search for a new name. Then I thought that it would be cool that if the title doesn't actually mean anything particular, so then our music would describe the meaning of the band name. So we went from Eversio to Reversion which also sounds a bit cooler to us. It doesn't have just one meaning to it, it is some kind of a law-term and it also means converting from one religion to another. So you can convert into our music! Hehe.. And yeah, it's also a name of an acne-treatment! Maybe we could get a sponsor-deal from them?!

Samuli - Back in 2004, when Jaakko joined the band, we recorded a demo. This included seven songs. The CD was mainly made as a rehearsing tool and self-education method for us. There wasn't much production so the sounds were pretty crappy. But it served the purpose for sure.

Then in 2006, when Jonne stepped in, we entered the studio to record our first kind of real demo. It contained two songs, 'Mindstorm' and 'Blue Flame'. The demo was sent to various record companies but it didn't result in anything. We still had our former drummer in the band and soon after the recordings he decided to leave the group. We were in a panic for few days 'cos we had our first gigs coming up within the next couple of weeks so we were in a serious rush in hiring a new drummer.

So, by using Jaakko's contacts we finally found Toni. We practised one song per rehearsal (eight songs in total) and then it was time to hit the stage. The first gigs were pretty awesome! Soon after, it was time to hit the studio once again but this time with the new line-up in 2007. We recorded 'Immortalized' and 'Hurt'. Again, the second real demo was sent to numerous record companies and magazines. This time the feedback was really good and the demo was rated as 5/5 in some zines. We also made some discussions with different labels and finally got signed with a Finnish record company called Kampas Records.

Finally in 2008 we were again in the studio recording our first full-length album. It was released in June 2008 and it contains eight tracks. It also got good feedback from both critics and audience. Now it is released in EU countries and in the US.


How would you describe your music?

Aleksi - Oriental Space Prog!

Samuli - I would say that Reversion's music could be best described as multi-layered, professionally played, aggressive, yet melodic metal with a touch of oriental flavour. Combining real-life lyrics, that together create an interesting and profound music that appeals to listeners throughout the rock genre. It's rather metal with prog influences the other way around. We try not to imitate anybody or any band. The goal is to sound original and interesting. We don't want to let the listener go too easy. We challenge both our listeners and our selves.

What one thing do you feel sets you apart from the rest in this genre?

Samuli - Well, we're honest for sure. We don't want to sound like Dream Theater or Pantera or what ever. Again, the idea is to sound like a band that we would like to listen to our self. I haven't found a band yet, that would play perfect music, where there's not even one little thing that I would want to change. Of course there are a lot of bands who's music I love, but still... To me Katatonia, Symphony X and Meshuggah are examples that make nearly perfect music but still they are all so different from each other. I would say that we are something from between them. So, we are true to ourselves and that's all that we can do. Whether you like it or not!

Aleksi - We are slightly better than anybody else. Not much, but enough to make our gigs and albums better value for your hard earned cash!


How long did it take to record your latest material?

Samuli - It took about four months in calendar days but about one month in studio days. We weren't in any hurry in the studio but still I think we made it pretty quickly. We had played those songs for years before entering the studio so we knew exactly what we were doing. It's the usual thing with bands recording their first album. The scenario is different when it's time to make the second album as you have to compose and rehearse the material in one or so years! So we were really prepared for the first album.

Jonne - I can only answer for myself because I recorded all the synths in my studio in Helsinki. Almost all the synths were made naked and it took about two weeks to get them right including transferring files. That was fucking frustrating due to the amount of network failures! Sending... Connection timed out... Sending... 2h left... Connection failure... !!!

What is the inspiration behind your latest material?

Samuli - The songs in 'King of Deceit' were composed during a four year time period so I can't really name any particular thing that would have inspired me. Still, during that period I listened to a lot of Meshuggah, Devin Townsend, Soilwork, Opeth, DT, Symphony X and Mnemic for example. So those bands have influenced our music definitely even though that's not the intention. That's just a very natural style for me to compose songs I guess. That's just what comes out when I start to write. I try to come up with some dark, energetic and interesting tunes with cool melodies and surprising hooks.

Any plans for a music video?

Samuli - Yeah, we would definitely like to make one. Actually last fall we shot a live studio video with zero budget. I think it came out pretty good considering the money and time spent! Making a real music video is really expensive and we are poor musicians who can barely make their living by making music. So someone should sponsor us to make that happen! But we will most definitely shoot a video some day.

When you go into recording mode, do you find it easy or challenging?

Aleksi - Well, since we know more or less what we're doing, it's pretty easy. The times when we don't know are the times when it gets really fun!

Samuli - To me it's quite easy 'cos I always prepare as well as possible. And the same goes for the rest of the band also. I really don't want to go into the studio half-prepared and spend the expensive studio time fooling around and not being sure what to do. That might work with some other style of music where there's more room for improvising but that's not the case in prog metal in my opinion. So, I really like being in the studio, I enjoy the whole environment and the mood when recording stuff.

Is there a particular market or country you are trying to reach?

Samuli - Not really... I try not to focus our music into any specific group of people or market or what ever. The aim is that everybody can enjoy our music in spite of where they live or what their age is. Of course it would be great to be successful in the States or in Japan. King of Deceit is already available in the US so the next step would be to get it into the Japanese stores. But again, the target is the whole globe. We're trying to conquer the world!


What kind of message are you trying to relay to your audience?

Samuli - The idea is to not let the listener go easy. We don't want to give in and make this three minute radio friendly crap that you would forget as soon as you heard the next song or band. Reversion's music needs to be 'listened' to. I think that this kind of more challenging music is longer lasting rather than easily consumed radio hit stuff. So the message is just to be our self and no one else! Be honest to your self and try not to imitate anyone. There are millions of copycats out there but there's only one you! The lyrics deal with everyday subjects and mostly the little darker ones. Maybe you can find ourself dealing with the same issues and realise that you're not the only one with those things.


Who's responsible for the bands artwork?

Jonne - There have been several trial and errors which come from the art designers so we decided to do artwork for 'King of Deceit' by ourselves. I did all the artwork but of course the whole band was involved in the process. In 'King of Deceit' there is a lot going on all the time; whether you listen from a technical point of view, just read lyrics or get into the artwork. All these elements come together in the CD inlay which is complex and evolving texture. Actually it should be the cover art but things were different in that part of journey!

How hard has it been to get to this point?

Samuli - Well, of course it's always very hard to get to any point with a band, at least in my opinion. It takes a lot of determination to make a band function. But still, I think it hasn't been any more difficult with us than in any other band. There haven't been any major obstacles on our path. In the beginning we had some issues with our drummers but now that we have Toni, everything's good. We make our songs pretty easily. We evolve all the time but of course that needs a lot of work and that's the nature of this business. So I think we've made it pretty easily.


Where does your main fan base / support tend to lie?

Samuli - We've had some good feedback from the States, Russia and some Eastern Europe countries such as Poland. In Finland I prefer the smaller towns. There are too many bands and too many shows in Helsinki so people aren't that interested in going out to enjoy a metal concert these days. We would definitely like to tour more in Finland outside the capital area. So we're hoping to get that done with the help of our new booking agent. I can't really name any specific town but it's more Northern and Eastern Europe that's for us. I think you can hear the Scandinavian influences in our music so it's probably not at its best at sunny beaches or places like that!


What is your favourite venue?

Samuli - I don't have any. It's the audience that makes gig rock! Of course I like having proper monitors on the stage, enough room to headbang, a decent backstage and catering, cool lights etc. But that's for snobs! I'm fine without having any of those as long as the crowd is big and loud! Then I'm on fire!

Aleksi - The one that is sold out, with screaming fans in the front row and shitloads of cold beer backstage!


What are some of your favourite local acts? And have you had the chance to play alongside them?

Aleksi - I like Kiuas! I've done backing vocals for two of their albums, and sang a couple of gigs with them. It was hilarious! At the first gig the guys had come from Sauna Open Air and Ilja (the singer) was having an apocalyptic hangover! When he saw me, he was like, "Thank Satan you're here! Do all the high notes!" Hahaha! And so I did. The look on the audience faces was priceless!

I also like a local guitarist called Petteri Sariola. He's invented his own way of playing the acoustic called 'slamming'. And he can write some kick ass songs too! Definitely worth checking out!

Samuli - I like Diablo! They are not from Helsinki but from Finland regardless. They have a really cool and crushing sound and some little hints of Meshuggah. But they're not a prog band, it's strict metal! We haven't played with them yet but I'm hoping to do that some day.


What would be your most memorable gig / performance to date?

Samuli - Hmm... There have been many memorable gigs! One would be our second gig. It was at the same time as my final exam at the Polytechnics of Helsinki, so there was a jury in the audience evaluating my performance. Plus it was also being shot to DVD so I had some extra pressure on my shoulders. But it went actually pretty well! I got the full score out of it so you could say I was quite happy and relieved after the gig!

Another memorable show was at Lahti, which is a semi big town a few km's from Helsinki. I was pretty sick that day and I thought that it would surely be a shitty gig, but it went really well! We had our first stage diver there and the house was packed. I've learned now that when you least expect it, the gig will turn out to be a really good one. I guess I have to be sick more often!

Aleksi - When we did a Metallica tribute in Tampere and I had horrible diarrhea. For obvious reasons Jaakko ended up singing half of Master of Puppets while I rode the porcelain pony!


Have you got a favourite song you like to play? And is there one in particular you've noticed your fans have started asking for?

Aleksi - The last gig of 2008, we had this guy who kept yelling for 'King of Deceit' during the gig and was severely pissed when we didn't play it. He kept on accusing me after the gig that the reason we didn't play it was because I can't sing it live. He said he's going to come to every gig from now on and pester us until we play it! I promised we would play it at the next gig. So we did. Exactly like on the album, I might add. And the guy never showed up! The rest of the fans appreciated it, though.

Samuli - I like them all. They're like children to me so I can't choose a favourite one. But I still like to play 'Mindstorm', 'Trail of Consequences' and 'Blue flame' 'cos they're all pretty challenging for me. I've done a lot of clinics recently, and I've noticed that 'Mindstorm' works in that environment really well.

I also think that the audience likes 'King of Deceit'. That's pretty cool 'cos you could expect the opposite! The song is ten minutes long, an epic piece with a long instrumental section and confused action in general. Again, you can never know how the audience will react and that's exactly why I like this business!


If you were playing at a metal festival, who would you prefer was playing alongside you and where would that be?

Jonne - Japan, Ram-Zet, Sikth and Meshuggah. Also, it would be fun to see Sta1man's crew allstars band!

Samuli - I would like to play with Meshuggah, Dream Theater, Opeth, Devin Townsend and Metallica. Now there's a line-up! Download festival would be cool or Tuska festival in Helsinki. If we could play with those bands it wouldn't matter where it was held. Some nice and warm open-air festival would be awesome. But we have to work it out so that in the near future those bands will ask if they could play with us!

Aleksi - Number one is Manowar! They're my childhood heroes and Eric Adams is the man who started me singing. One of my dreams is to share a stage with them one day. Number two is PsyOpus. They're my new favourite band. Insane shit! Number three is Jethro Tull. I've never seen them live, so that would be cool. Number four is Diamanda Galas. Same as above. Number five is Cannibal Corpse. Do I even have to explain?! The festival could be in Japan, Australia or New Zealand. I've always wanted to go to those places!


What kind of instruments do you use? And have you done the 'Rock Star' thing yet and smashed any equipment?

Samuli - I have a partnership with this Finnish guitar company called Amfisound. They built me an eight string guitar! I'm totally into that monster and you'll hear it a lot on our up coming record. I also have a seven string Ibanez and seven string Jackson and two acoustics of course; nylon and steel stringed. Jaakko has a couple of six-stringed basses and some five and four strings also. I have no idea about Toni's kit but it's big!

Jonne - I have a laptop based rig with CME keyboards and Access Virus KC. And one word about plugins; Spectrasonics Omnisphere! The only thing running during a love performance is my Stylus RMX. It really rocks! Also, the folks and customer service there are awesome! Get us an endorsement and you will see that happen a lot! This is my fifth mac laptop...

Aleksi - We're too poor to smash our equipment. I do try to abuse my voice a bit at every gig!


Have you had many chances for signings?

Samuli - We've signed a lot of stuff in mostly basic places; some arms, boobs, asses, CD's and pictures. I've been asked to send some autographed photos abroad; France and US mainly. That's pretty cool! I guess that's it if my memory serves me correctly.. Which it usually doesn't after the gig or at the parties where the signings usually take place...


Have you ever had any Mystical experiences?

Samuli - Now that's a progressive question! Actually I think I have! There have been a couple of times when I've been drinking and all of sudden I saw a totally black figure walking in a corner of my eye. Then when I took a look to that direction there was nothing! Scary! I think it might have been our pal Satan hanging around. I've had this experience a few times. Maybe I'm losing my mind! Hehe.. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a Satanist or anything like that!

Where can people purchase your music and merchandise from?

Samuli - In the States there are a couple of stores for example The Omega Order and Target. In Europe you can purchase it from CDon. I think they deliver products to the States as well. Also, check out Firebox, they handle Europe. And of course Kampas Records.

You can also get our fashionable Reversion T-shirt at Verkkopaita. We're going to order some new models in the near future so stay tuned for those.


Fame, fun or finance?

Aleksi - I hate the fame but my higher purpose in life is to have fun and I need more money to have as much fun as I want to! So choosing this line of work, I'm basically fucked no matter what happens!

Samuli - For me the number one choice is fun too. You have to love doing this or else you'll be burnt out in a couple of years. There's no point doing this for money 'cos this is probably the world's toughest job to make money. Anything else would be better for that! I don't have anything against fame, it's a part of the job and I'm fine with it. But I'm not running after it you know!


What words of advice can you offer anyone looking to enter the music industry?

Samuli - You have to be determined and sacrifice your life for this. You have put in 100 percent or else you'll fail. The key is to believe in yourself, don't care if anyone says to you to do it some other way. You also need to have the vision of what you're doing. You need to stand out from the masses and have something unique to offer. Quitting is not an option. You have to be as good as possible in what you're doing, so you need to practise like a madman!

Aleksi - Don't do it! Play the lottery instead! The chances of making it are about the same, but the damage to your soul is much smaller.

Anything you'd like to add or say to your fans?

Samuli - Thanks for reading this! Check out Reversion Website and Reversion Myspace and buy our CD and T-shirt and spread the word. If you like tight eight string playing, crazy drumming, atmospheric keys, superb versatile vocals and crushing low ends then check us out! The tunes will kick your ass!

'Interview with Reversion' by Déa di Morté © 01 June 2009
Hails! to the lads from Reversion for agreeing to participate and taking the time to complete this interview.
All pictures courtesy of Reversion and Kampas Records