Spiritus Mortis is the oldest doom metal band in Finland and I guess one of the most underrated ones, too. Lately they released their new album "The Great Seal" (review here) which is a very opulent album with many emotions and catchy melodies. I was able to do an email interview with Jussi and Teemo Maijala (git. / bass) and Marko Ylä-Häkkinen who did the lyrics for them. Soon they will be on a European tour so you'll have the chance to see them live, too! Enjoy reading.

Michael

Hi Jussi, how are you doing?

Doing great! Some warm up gigs in Finland for SM The Great Seal Europe-tour.

The latest Spiritus Mortis album is really a killer. I read some really good reviews about it. Are you surprised about the feedback?

T: Thanks! I/We were worried about if it is too commercial but we knew that if we put "commercial" song through SM mangler it would still sound like…SM

J: As we say here in Etelä-Pohjanmaa where we live (local little Texas) "as always we try to make substandard stuff but get prima as usual" ;). We made this album with piety and thoughts. What Teemu means is we were afraid "if there is too much melodies", well, you cannot have too many melodies and as Teemu says, it will always sound like SM.

"The Great Seal" is much more dynamic and varied than its predecessor "The Year Is One". Was this an intentional process while the songwriting or did this happen more randomly?

M: To be honest I have no idea how The Year Is One is written and never looked at the lyrics of that album. But random is definitely a wrong word since The Great Seal is made intentionally the way it is. And for me it was 0% comparing this album to previous SM albums. :)

T: The Year is One was and is the best we can do in doomy Doom-genre so it is no use trying to overdo it, or do "The Year is One – part 2". So we decided to tune SM slightly. I have given comparisons like if The Year Is One was our "Reign In Blood" then The Great Seal is our "South Of Heaven". Maybe the next album will be more metallic, we shall see. Like I said earlier, everything we do will still sound like SM, everything will be put through "SM Mangler"

J: "much more dynamic and varied " that's correct. More groove, blues, metal, prog, melodic SM this time. We knew we cannot make a better doom album than The Year Is One, our ultimate doom album. I would say this is "from Vol. 4 to Heaven And Hell".

How much were you affected by Covid when you wrote / recorded the album?

J: I "must" say not at all. We don't do a lot of gigs.

Covid may be a quite happy event for a doom metal band concerning lyrical topics and gloomy, sad music. I find that your music sounds even more positive, almost happy for Finnish conditions.... 'Skoptsy' reminds in the beginning pretty much of AC/DC and 'Martyrdom Operation' has a very casual start, just in the vein of ZZ Top. Did you want to build in some easter-eggs in some of the track?

T: We are so slow at writing songs so we "have" to use everything we wrote. That said, a good song is still a good song, I like when there is much variation in songs, it makes listening and playing more fun.

J: 'Martyrdom Operation': at first it was "SM goes through Gates Of Babylon", but we skip organs, Kimmo makes a hitting chorus and this is the result. ZZ top meets SM sounds good. We think it is SM playing Accept and another reporter says "AC/DC". Anyway, good!" 'Skoptsy' reminds in the beginning pretty much of AC/DC", sounds good too :) Those songs fit nicely to our "more rocking SM this time"-purpose. Some surprises and "easter-eggs" (great metaphor!) are always good, it is not good if you can tell all things that are in the record even before listening to it.

'Khristovery' has a fantastic solo - if a painting would visualize this, I would say it is like this endless stairway M.C. Escher painted. How did this one come to life?

J: Great picture and another great metaphor! Our lead guitarist Kari Lavila is a great old-school "Richie Blackmore"-guitarist.

Lyrically almost all songs (except 'Puputan') deal with religious topics/ sacrifices from the last centuries. Is it some kind of concept album?

M: Yep it is. The main theme is religious-lunacy. And 'Puputan' also goes a bit to this theme since they had this ritual-style endgame with the Dutch army.

J: Yeah, fact-based stories of witchcraft, self-immolations, mutilations, suicides, witch trials.

What is "The Great Seal"?

M: "The Great Seal" stands for a procedure where a man gets a full castration and not only the balls removed which would be "A Lesser Seal". I wonder which one was more popular!? ;)

J: This idea hurts my mind every time...

Can you comment on other songs’ lyrics?

M: 'Death's Charioteer' is about one true morbid case where a small group of people sank stolen body parts (from a graveyard nearby) to a forest pond for their black magic business. 'Martyrdom Operation' goes to a world of a suicide bomber. 'Feast Of The Lord' is about the self immolations of the Russian Old Believers. 'Are You A Witch' is about the dark witch trials back in the day and with the song 'Visions Of Immortality' we get a trip inside Teemu's brain (he wrote lyrics).

T: I wrote lyrics for 'Visions Of Immortality'. I borrowed ideas from every place, the main idea was stolen from "So What" by AntiNowhere League". Also Ronnie James Dio's lyrics like "The Sign Of The Southern Cross" and "Falling Of The Edge Of The World". Also "The Small Hours" from Holocaust! Just anything that sounded heavy.

Kimmo Perämäki has his album premiere as "new" vocalist. What would you say is the biggest difference to Sami Hynninen?

T: Sami was and is a great performer, great guy and great vocalist. BUT I have to say, Kimmo is more pro, he takes care of his voice…

J: Kimmo has also great talent with visual things like cover art, social media, and videos. Remember to check out the first SM videos 'Death's Charioteer' and 'Feast Of The Lord' on Youtube.

Spiritus Mortis is the oldest Finnish doom band - thinking back, what would you say have changed in the doom scene in the last 35 years? Besides, do you have any news about Lord Vicar?

Jussi: I have to say we do not check out what is happening in the doom scene. Well, more SOME-stuff and action. But great, we do not have to make videos for TikTok... But now we are also on Instagram! Check it out!

Apropos 35 years - congrats to this anniversary!! Do you have any plans to celebrate this?

T: Thanks! More gigs, maybe 50 years of SM will be the greatest anniversary.

J: In Finland we have this phrase "mikä pahan tappaisi", "nothing will kill evil enough".

SM "The Great Seal" Europe-tour as previously mentioned, coming gigs

12.11 Doom Over Vienna, Vienna Austria

13.11 Klub Papirak, Pícek, Czechia with The Tower

16.11. Fundbureau, Hamburg

18.11 Zille, Göppingen, Germany

19.11 Hammer Of Doom, Posthalle Würzburg Germany

20.11 Schicksaal at Tommy-Weisbecker-Haus, Berlin Kreuzberg, Germany

BtW we are looking for gigs 14.11, 15.11 and 17.11, contact me if you can help us and want SM to play local pubs.

I wrote in my review that "The Great Seal" will probably be my fave doom album in 22 but the new Candlemass is still going to be released. Do you care for it and if so, what do you expect from it?

T: I did/do like Candlemass, just I haven't listened to their new stuff, coz I haven't got the money to buy their records… Last one I got is the Rob Lowe era which is still great.

J: Candlemass is great, it would be a pleasure to tour with them, and I am looking for this new album.

What are your general expectations for 2023, also in real life? Finland is somehow in a really tricky situation with NATO and Russia.....I hope we all get out of this quite safe...

T: Pussy! Hopefully Russian orc hordes will be crushed in Ukraine and we hear the lamentations of their women (nod to Conan the Barbarian 😊)

J:Slava Ukraini! Heroyam slava! Support Ukraine!

Thank you very much for taking time to answer my questions!!

J: Sounds good brother! Hope to see you all in SM "The Great Seal" Europe-tour

T: Thanks! See ya in Germany.

The US metal scene is an extremely rich and expanded community with an insane variety of metal subgenres you could ever think of, so it's very easy to lose track of the basic form of heavy metal within that deep ocean. However, that isn't to say that all hope is lost, because there will always be fans, enthusiasts and musicians that do their best to keep the spirit of traditional heavy metal flying on its wings, despite there being just too much to swallow and digest in this day and age. One of such respected US heavy metal bands of the modern era is Haunt from Fresno, California, which has recently released its ninth full-length album "Golden Arm" and third EP "Hell Tracks" on May 5th. Haunt remains constantly active and rocking, always recording and releasing new material each year, with up to a total of nine albums made just over the 6-year span of the band's existence. That is indeed an incredible achievement which requires immense dedication and will to pull it off, and it's obviously not something that many people can put to test. For this opportunity, I've decided to speak with the band's founder Trevor William Church, where we talk about the band's current status in the metal community along with some interesting bits along the way. Please welcome Trevor William Church, the main engine that powers the wheels of steel which Haunt rides on the hell tracks.

Vladimir

Haunt has just released the new album "Golden Arm" and "Hell Tracks" EP on May 5th, and there seems to be very positive feedback from the fanbase. Was there any specific reason why you've decided to release both the album and the EP on the same day?

Mainly because of Bandcamp Friday. It was a good day to promote the music of Haunt. But the EP is actually a 7" of two cover songs.

Since both releases came out on May 5th, they also clashed on the same day as Enforcer's "Nostalgia". Surprisingly, loyal heavy metal maniacs seem to show attention and support towards both bands without ever having to choose between the two. Have there been any concerns that Enforcer's "Nostalgia" might overshadow both Haunt releases due to the same release date?

I don't generally concern myself with what others are doing as far as release dates are concerned. Enforcer is an excellent band and I support them. I think Olof would tell you the same.

The band is always active and is frequently releasing new stuff each year, be it EP's, albums etc. There aren't many bands or even projects out there like you who are always optimistic and willing to work on plenty of new songs and release albums on digital and physical media. How come that you are always able to push Haunt forward with such dedication and willpower?

I have a recording studio on my property. It's a sizable back house and it's where I spend most of my days. It's very easy for me to find inspiration when I've been this lucky to have such a thing right out of my back door. I just constantly write music. I don't spend time learning others' songs so I just spend it making up my own.

Both of your bands, Haunt and Beastmaker, have a really so to speak a very specific vintage/retro quality to it, expressed both musically and visually on your album covers that look like old school posters. What exactly inspired you to take on this artistic approach?

The artwork I wanted to look like the graphic design work I saw on skateboards growing up. Also, I used to spend a great deal of time watching old movies and the lobby art and posters always caught my eye. I've always been fascinated with graphic design work. The old Powell Peralta boards are a big big influence as far as that goes. I don't make the art personally so usually I just kind of guide someone but generally I don't like to get in the way of anyone's artistic vision.

There are so many great bands that play this traditional style of heavy metal and still manage to dominate the underground with a mass support from followers. What is your take on this entire "New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal"? Do you think that this is a great revival/preservation of the old school spirit or probably just a lack of creative decision that poisons the deep ocean?

I think it's very different coming from California and not being in Europe where it seems to have a lot more traction. There is a great community of metal fans in the USA but it's designed differently. You have to travel great distances to even play all of the USA. As far as NWOTHM goes I'm all for whatever people feel the need to create. I've been around a while now and I've seen things come and go and come back again now that I'm in my 40's. I've noticed the metal has the best underground loyal followers ever though. Which is such an amazing thing that brings us all together.

Haunt can be considered as a good example of US heavy metal which successfully endured all these years in the modern-day era where so many bands of different subgenres seem to care too much about style over substance. What is important for you as an artist when working on your music? Do you focus more on simplicity or the catchiness of your songs?

I like to write music that is catchy. I like things to be a bit more on the simpler side of things so everyone can be involved. I love front row singers and that's generally how I gear my tunes. Is it memorable enough always is something I consider.

The modern-day world is primarily focusing on listening to music that is available on digital streaming platforms (Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music etc.), even within the worldwide metal community, but at the same time there is also a huge amount of people interested in buying various physical media, including 12" vinyls which are a bit more costly than CDs or cassettes. Do you think that Haunt would ever be as relevant or successful with this kind of reputation if it never released any physical media since its inception?

I don't use Spotify. I sadly have to be a part of what is happening in the current state of music. Since I do things very DIY I oversee the manufacturing of our records. I take great pride in this and try to craft everything with a vision. I don't have any vision for just digital releases. If that was the case I could put out an album every weekend. Nothing against people using these platforms, it's just not my thing personally. It is very convenient and inexpensive so I see why people like it.

Haunt's music is obviously inspired by various heavy metal bands from the 80's, but if you were born earlier and you got the chance to experience the late 70s/early 80s as a teenager and even form Haunt around that time, do you think it would have worked out the same way for the band in that golden era as it did today?

I think I would definitely have played music. What would I be playing probably heavy music for sure. I think it's in the blood.

How do you feel about Haunt's overall status within the music world after 6 years since it was founded? Do you think that it's working out pretty well so far or do you think that the band could probably be signed to a major label some day and be more widely available?

At my age I don't focus so much on those things. My priority is my goal as an artist. I want to complete 20 Haunt records and move on to something else. I'll be fairly older by the time I reach this goal. I love producing. I just produced the new Saber album and it was great, bouncing all I've learned about song writing to a younger bunch of head bangers.

Thank you for doing this interview, Trevor! I hope that we as fans will keep getting more excellent Haunt albums in the coming years and that you'll always keep on rocking. Are there any final words you'd like to leave to all your fans reading this?

I just want to thank all the Haunt fans worldwide for the support over the years. Shred till' Death!!!