::
INTERVIEW TO CATAMENIA
PRESENT
YOURSELVES OUR READERS...
O.J.: Vocalist of Catamenia. I replaced Mika Tönning during the studio
sessions of "Winternight Tragedies".
Riku: Lead guitarist Riku. Also the main composer of the band.
WHO ARE CATAMENIA AS BAND MEMBERS?
Riku: The current line-up is following: O.J. Mustonen / Vocals, Riku Hopeakoski/
Lead guitars, Ari Nissilä / Rhythm guitars, Tero Nevala / Keyboards, Veikko
/ Drums, Mikko / Bass. With this line-up the atmospehere and the spirit
of the band has been better than ever.
O.J: Bunch of alcoholic assholes trying to make lots of noise.
WHEN DID YOU HAVE FOUNDED THE BAND?
Riku: It was back in 1993, when I and our previous singer Mika formed
the band. Already then we were old friends. First we wanted to play just
for fun, but suddenly we realized we could record a demo tape also. In
1995 we recorded our fisrt demo, and from that moment Catamenia was born.
Before that we did not have any name, or the name was all the time changing.
But that's pretty much the story of the forming the band.
WOULD
YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE VERY FIRST BEGINNING OF BAND...
Riku: As I said, it was back in '95 when we just wanted to make some music
and have a hobby for ourselves. I asked one of my friends to play drums
when I was in junior high school. First riffs and notes were taken in
his fathers garage. Quite fast we realized that this could be also something
else than playing only in the garage. We decided to record our first demo.
The feedback was so good, that shortly after that we wanted to record
the next demo, 'Winds', and officially that led to the record deal with
Massacre Records.
WHAT'S ABOUT YOUR PREVIOUS RECORDING-EFFORTS?
Riku: 'Winternight Tragedies' is already our sixth album. All the recordings
has went really great. But with this new one, we decided to go to the
same studio as we recorded the previous album 'ChaosBorn'. We decided
this shortly after the recordings of it, cause the sound was awesome,
and the producer Kakke Vähäkuopus did a fucking great job on bringing
the sound for us. Itself the atmosphere at the Mastervox Studios has always
been great, so everything has been perfect when recording there, and you
can hear that also on the albums.
O.J.: "Winternight Tragedies" is the first Catamenia -album that I´m on.
I´ve also done one full-lenght with my previous band, Dorotha. Veikko
and Tero played on that album as well.
WHAT'S ABOUT YOUR FOLLOWING?
O.J.: Hopefully lots of more Catamenia -cd´s.
Riku: Yeah. There will be at least one Catamenia album more, but hopefully
we can renew our contract after the next one, or have a new contract from
other label.
THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTS IN YOUR HISTORY?
O.J.: The day I joined Catamenia. My life´s been going downhill eversince,
heh.
Riku: Heheh. Most important facts has been when signed our contract with
Massacre Records, and had the opportunity to record our debut album. That
was one of my biggest dreams and it came true. Also the fact that we've
had the chance to do more albums, and it'll continue.
IN WHICH WAYS DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOUR NEW ALBUM TITLED 'WINTERNIGHT
TRAGEDIES'?
O.J.: If you like fast, melodic and aggressive metal you´ll be loving
this album. Great riffs, great playing and great just everything.
Riku: Also production on this album is just awesome.
THE HIGHTLIGHTS OF YOUR NEW ALBUM?
Riku: I like every song on the album, but if have to mention few of the
best I like, they would be 'The Heart of Darkness', 'Verikansa', 'The
Crystal Stream', 'My Blood Stained Path', 'Iced Over' and 'The Ancient'.
Heheh...hard to say only one favorite
. O.J.: I like "Verikansa" the most on WNT. The chorus is just awesome
and I can´t wait to do it on gigs. "Iced Over" is also one of the best
songs on the album.
WHAT'S ABOUT THE PRODUCTION OF ALBUM?
O.J.: We recorded it in the Mastervox Studios in our hometown, Oulu. Athmosphere
there was great, we had some qreat time there. The producers of the album
are both really professional guys so we got high qualtity production and
sounds to the album.
Riku: Well I said it before, the production is awesome on this album,
as it was on the 'ChaosBorn' already. That was the reason we decided to
go back to the Mastervox Studios. So again hails to Kakke and Immu.
ANY PARTICULAR CONCEPT CONCERNING THE ALBUM?
O.J.: There doesn´t seem to be anykind of theme on this album, I see it
as a CD full of Catamenia -songs. That´s the only concept I see there.
Riku: Only one thin red line between the songs, they all are about different
kind of Winterish tragedies. From real life stories to completely fictional.
WHAT'S THE MOOD OF IT?
O.J.: "Winternight Tragedies" sounds more like a "bang your head to the
wall" -album than something I would listen when going to sleep or when
depressed. I still woudn´t use word "happy" or anything similar to that,
´cause it still sounds raw and aggressive. Listen to it and find out yourself
what it´s about.
MAYBE ARE YOU INFLUENCED BY SYMPHONIC BLACK METAL?
O.J.: I believe that everyone in our band listens to symphonic bm -groups
like Dimmu Borgir etc. so I would say that we are influenced by them in
at least some level.
THE MOST SALIENT ASPECTS OF YOUR NEW ALBUM?
Riku: Again, itself the music, the whole thing in general. Also the prodiction
notes. The whole album sounds like it would have been recorded in million
dollar studio, but it isn't.
WHAT'S ABOUT THE FEEDBACK?
Riku: Feedback's been awesome. Great reviews, and lot of interviews to
be done all around world.
O.J.: So far the feedback has been really great, most of the reviews I´ve
seen have been positive. Feedback from the fans of Catamenia has been
awesome aswell, seems that everyone loves this new album.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR SOUND?
O.J.: I don´t have any futher message besides doing some great music and
having fun.
Riku: That's true!
TOURING PLANS?
O.J.: Five gigs in the eastern Europe on this spring. Of course we´ll
be doing as much gigs as we´re offered to play.
Riku: There's been some planning we will spread that minitour also to
Florence and Moscow. Hopefully everything goes smooth. But in any case,
we have this main tour also planned, but nothing can not be said, cause
nothing's confirmed.
YOUR LIFE'S PHILOSOPHY?
Riku: Keep on rockin'! There's lot of good things in life like beer, music
and girls, heh.
O.J.: I don´t have any particular philosophies or other things that I
follow on my day-to-day life. I think that any philosophies and religions
etc. narrow your choises down too much when followed tidy. So I like to
keep every door open.
THE FUTURE OF THE BAND?
O.J.: We´re going to do a small tour on spring and hopefully lots of other
gigs aswell. And of course we´re trying to keep recording pace good so
the people won´t forget us.
Riku: Yeah...we are trying to go to the studio already this year and record
our seventh album.
ANY LAST REMARKS?
Riku: Hails to everyone, and keep on rockin'!
O.J.: Go and buy "Winternight Tragedies", it´s great! Smoke crack and
worship Satan!
For more infos:
www.catamenia.net
or
www.massacre-records.com
EMANUELE GENTILE
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