How did you come about obtaining the band name?
Jani: The band was looking for a suitable name after recording two demos as Kiduttajat (torturers). It felt like Saattue (procession) was the right name for a band that is playing dark, slow and heavy music.
How would you describe your music?
Jani: We call our music Saatto metal. Saatto, as well as Saattue, means procession in Finnish. Our music is heavy, dark and doomy metal, with a lot of contrasts and influences from several music styles. The main thing is that Saattue sounds dark, oppressive and heavy, but we're not afraid to add atmosphere and Pink Floydish elements in between.
Discography:
As Kiduttajat
Demo 2001
Demo 2002
As Saattue
Kivisydän - CDEP (self-released 2004)
Ikiuneen - CDEP (self-released 2006)
Jäähyvästi - CD (Spikefarm Records 2008)
Vuoroveri - CD (Spikefarm Records, September 9th 2009)
What one thing do you feel sets you apart from the rest in this genre?
Jani: As far as we know, we're pretty much the only saatto metal band in the world. The closest other genres that exists are probably doom metal, doom / death and dark metal. However, each mentioned genre definitions bring along borders that would be too limiting to us and they would keep us away from being what Saattue truly is. The biggest difference, when compared to most of the bands that play dark and heavy, is that we write and sing our lyrics in Finnish.
How long did it take to record your latest material?
Jani: Jäähyvästi album sessions lasted about 20 days altogether. We recorded that one in two sessions. At the time of the first sessions we didn't have a record deal and we were first planning to release a self-financed EP. However with this particular material, we got a deal from Spikefarm Records and therefore went back to the studio to expand the release into a full-length album instead. Right now we're in the studio to record our second album. The session will last for 20 working days. So we'll be in the studio for the whole April.
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Tuukka Koskinen
Vocals - 36
Joined the band in 2004.
Influenced by metal music that has true devotion and spirit in it.
I'm inspired by everything that is dark and ugly. |
What is the inspiration behind your latest material?
Jani: On Jäähyvästi album the main topic was death. On the second album the lyrical subjects are more related to the only thing that can be darker than death; life before death. The title of the new album will be Vuoroveri, which means tide of blood. The title refers to a twisted and two faced human nature, which is being lured into existence with the use of intoxicates and allowed to come into existence due to weaknesses of human nature. It's about losing one's self-control and accepting the twisted reality as the truth.
Tuukka: As a writer, I get my inspiration from everything that is dark, ugly and decadent. The lyrics are sort of reflections of twisted human nature in general. For example, the song called Luopio (Traitor), tells about human's natural capability to deceive one another, whenever it's possible, at any cost.
In Verenperimä (Heritage of blood), I examined the possibility that our selfish and sometimes violent behavior is being inherited from our parents and it's damn hard to break that chain.
The song called Evoluution Kruunu (The crown of evolution) tells about the number one priority of human nature; him / herself. I mean, we can develop new fancy toys, to make our living 'easier', but the human nature has been, and will always remain the same. We want to have it all, even if it means that we'd need to steal, or even kill to get it, and of course without taking any responsibility of our own actions. But isn't that, what we all basically are?! Selfish little bastards! Haha...
The song Itsensä Herra (The master of his own) is mainly describing my personal point of view about religions in general. I can't find any reasonable ground to believe in some higher power, whether it's God, Allah, Satan, or whatever.Usually religions just lead people to underestimate their inner strength, or to ignore it totally. Either way, the opinions of others become more valuable than your own will. In the end you'll just end up following the masses. Pleading for help from God or whatever, instead of trying to help yourself and that's pathetic! I mean, why trust your life in the hands of someone you can't even see?! Just because someone has written a few books about it!
Preaching is not my cup of tea. I'm not any better in this matter, I just observed myself, and the people around, and the human nature in general. After all, we're nothing but disposal human waste! Haha!
Any plans for a music video?
Jani: Yes, a few years ago we made a video for the song Kaaosmaa and at this moment the director of that video is working on a video to one of our new songs. I suppose that the new video will be uploaded to Youtube around the same time that our second album will be released.
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Tero Kalliomaki
Guitar / Composer - 32
Joined the band in 2001.
I'm a passionate musician with versatile music taste. I mostly listen to dark, moody and slow music. It doesn't matter if it's metal or pop, as long as it sends chills down the spine in a good way. Composing new songs and getting inspired by them is what keeps my mind lively and keeps the interest up towards this thing. |
When you go into recording mode, do you find it easy or challenging?
Tuukka: For me, it is the unavoidable evil! Haha... I mean it's challenging in every possible way. In the studio there's a lack of that special connection which you get from the audience in live situations. It makes it harder to keep up the spirit and the attitude that the music demands. Of course it is easier in the sense that you can choose the best tracks and sing everything in small sections, but you still need to find those two things that I mentioned earlier and have them present and in right balance. But this is only my opinion.
Jani: Sure, it is challenging. For example, we have three guitarists who have their own particular ways to play and who all play on the forthcoming album with slightly different sounds. It can sometimes be challenging to find a way to make this all sound like one unit. There are parts that go very smoothly and then there are some small details which will demand a lot more attention to be able to make them sound solid. There are a lot of instruments and elements that all have to be timed right and they have to be in tune also when it comes to different playing techniques. Meanwhile, the whole thing has to sound organic and not too clinical or mechanically fixed. It is challenging and stressing to record all the material that a Saattue record has in it, but in the end it is also very rewarding when you get it done right.
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Harri Lampinen
Guitar - 38
Joined the band in 2001. |
Is there a particular market or country you are trying to reach?
Jani: A few years back we were not sure if there was any other potential area for us other than Finland. After all, Saattue has chosen to sing in Finnish and the vocals are a very dominant element in our music. Jäähyvästi album has shown that it can break the language borders and at this moment it seems that 50% of our potential market area is outside of Finland. All over the globe actually! This is the first interview that we've done for Australia. We have already got some messages from that side of the world from people who have bought our debut album and liked it. That is quite amazing!
What kind of message are you trying to relay to your audience?
Tuukka: Heh.. the first thing that popped into my mind is that we're standing behind our music 100%. But any certain message?! Heh.. let's put it this way... We're not here to preach, to save the world or to tell the people how they should live their lives. But I hope that we manage to show them that we appreciate having them around.
Who's responsible for the bands artwork?
Jani: A friend of ours, Petri Kapanen, has been helping us with the logos and t-shirt stuff. Kalle Pyyhtinen did the graphical work and layout for our debut album. At the moment Kalle is working on the stuff for our second album.
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Jani Koskela
Guitar - 34
Joined the band in 2005.
I'm influenced by anything that is dark,
decadent, heavy and has spirit in it. |
How hard has it been to get to this point?
Jani: Making music is time taking and keeping up the schedules means hard work and demands sacrifices. However, that is something that you must be prepared to be able to do if you want to keep yourself active in making music, putting out releases and playing shows. Not hard enough, we are nowhere yet.
Where does your main fan base / support tend to lie?
Jani: At this moment probably in southern Finland. This is where we get a bit bigger audiences when we play live, though we have had good shows elsewhere in the country as well. Central Europe seems promising. Hopefully we will be able to start to play shows there soon.
What is your favourite venue?
Tuukka: Every single one that we've been to so far, and will be in the future. I hate to rank things in some order. Every single person who has paid their tickets to see the show, every one of them, deserves the same amount of appreciation and respect!
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Samu Lahtinen
Bass - 34
Joined the band in 2004.
Influenced mostly by older metal and hard rock
(Finnish and International).
Anyhow, I'm not strictly focusing only in one genre.
If you keep your ears open, you find interesting new stuff everyday.
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What are some of your favourite local acts? And have you had the chance to play alongside them?
Jani: Compared to how small the town we are living in (30,000 people), we have quite a good selection of bands here: Skeptiscism, Colosseum and many others. So far we have done our own shows here in Riihimäki and a few times invited support bands to open for us; such us Murdershock and Nitrous (Estonia). We have done small tours in Finland with such names as Hanging Garden and Murdershock.
What would be your most memorable gig / performance to date?
Jani: That is hard to choose. Our first foreign show in Estonia was cool, so was the record release party in Helsinki and in Joensuu. Local shows are always good. There is something good about each show that we have done so far.
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?
Jani: Two shows back somebody was complaining about the fact that we didn´t play any new songs that she had not heard yet! My personal live favourites change from time to time. Sometimes it´s Hyiseen Veteen, sometimes Vieraaseen Multaan and then it's some other tune. It´s gonna be interesting when we´ll be able to mix more of our forthcoming second album to the live set. I guess that at this point we'll start to hear from people which old songs they would prefer to have in the live set.
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Mikael Ahlsten
Drums - 36
Joined the band in 2005. |
If you were playing at a metal festival, who would you prefer was playing alongside you and where would that be?
Jani: We would be happy to play any metal festival really, no matter who else would be playing there. It would be interesting to go on tour with My Dying Bride, KYPCK or maybe Ajattara. My personal and selfishly chosen list of top five bands would be Triptykon, Dead Can Dance, Rose Kemp, Root (Che) and Univers Zero. Just for the reason that I would like to see them live and that they would disturb the atmosphere of any metal festival in the most positive way.
What kind of instruments do you use? And have you done the 'Rock Star' thing yet and smashed any equipment?
Jani: We have Ibanez, Gibson and Jackson guitars. BC RICH bass and Tama Starclassic drums. On stage we prefer to have Framus Cobra amplifiers and Marshall, or Bugera as the third amp. On the new album we used Framus Cobra, Peavey 6506 and Mesa Boogies Single Rectifier guitar amps. Zildjian and Sabian symbals. We can't afford to smash any equipment that we are using!
Have you had many chances for signings?
Tuukka: Some CD covers and posters here and there. The usual stuff!
Jani: Hmm... Nothing worth reading really.
Have you ever had any Mystical experiences?
Jani: Some things somehow related to the nature here but nothing big and mysterious. Just things which make you recognise their existence.
Where can people purchase your music and merchandise from?
Jani: Spinefarm Records are distributed globally and their releases should be quite well available. If not, then you can always order directly from us. We also make small editions of T-shirts every now and then, which are available only directly from the band and at Saattue shows. You can email saattue@gmail.com
Fame, fun or finance?
Tuukka: Definitely for the fun. The music that we compose has no potential to sell masses. Especially due the reason that we will keep on writing our lyrics in the Finnish language! Haha.. I guess you could say that it's a commercial suicide, but we want to remain loyal to the original idea behind Saattue and to what we represent.
What words of advice can you offer anyone looking to enter the music industry?
Tuukka: Hard to say... Stay true to yourself. Do not send a full-length product if you mean to promote yourself. Just pick about 3 best songs from your recordings. Write a proper bio. Do not expect too much too fast. The competition in this business is getting harder day by day. Stay active and promote yourself. Do not get frustrated if you won't get any response from the labels, just record another one. In the end, it's pretty much about being lucky; in the right place at the right time.
Jani: Be yourself and write personal music. If it doesn't have a deep meaning to you, then it won't mean jack shit to anyone else either!
Anything you'd like to add or say to your fans?
Tuukka: Thanks for your support! And for those, who haven't heard of us before, just visit www.myspace.com/saattue to check us out. It just might be worth the distress! Haha.. And of course, buy tonnes of our albums! Haha! Last but not least, thanks Dea for the interview!
LINKS
Saattue Website
Saattue Myspace
Spinefarm Website
'Interview with Saattue' by Déa di Morté © 08 May 2009
Hails! to Jani, Tuukka and the crew from Saattue for agreeing to participate and taking the time to complete this interview.
All pictures courtesy of Jarno Lindén, Petri Kapanen and Saattue.