Juha, the title track of your new EP "Plague of Butterflies" has been split actually, in three parts, but has been left in the end as a big track of approximately half an hour. Why did you not leave it as 3 separate tracks? 

For me these are strictly speaking still 3 different pieces, but then are connected by their lyrics and history. In addition, there are a few musical aspects that make them ease into one song.

How did you draw up the idea of this where at the end it was really  only one number? You have spent some time on tour with your Labelmates of Moonsorrow whose last album also existed of only 2 tracks. Has their approach encouraged you maybe indirectly to try something similar?

No, because the music was already composed  before we went with them on tour. Originally I had to write the music for a project, but, unfortunately then the project could come to fruition after all, for financial reasons.  I still hope that the music will come up maybe one day for her original purpose. In the end, I have written all that really for a Ballet and, therefore, it would be great to be able to experience it also in that format once.

After the aforementioned piece you have used your demo „ Out of this gloomy Light “  on the EP. Did people ask you so often for the songs that you decided to publish them this way once again? Or was it easier to complete the EP with that rather than come up with new songs? 

First of all it is like you said, it's an EP and not an album, even if at the end there is one-hour of music. However, we have been asked for many years for the demo, but  maybe only 3 demos were sent, before we received a flat contract, therefore the demo really was restricted in numbers. The timing now of the EP and the space to put the demo on when we have a bigger audience, was very good of course.

You have named it "Plague of Butterflies", but what exactly is this butterfly's plague? Must one see the title in a metaphoric context?

To understand the history, one must read the lyrics....

... unfortunately, the advanced copies didn't have them in....hehe.

You are right there, of course. Let's say it this way: I like the contrast between the way one thinks on the one hand of butterflies and, on the other hand, of a plague.

Was it also an option this piece should be kept and published at a later time than part of your next full album? Or did you compose maybe quite a few new pieces which have simply not fit on " Plague of Butterflies “?

I did not want to do a complete album from it, especially because the music was included in the project as said.. It would not feel proper for me to simply to do a few pieces more and to put it on the market as an album. In my opinion it is more interesting for us if we leave this EP publish them between two studio albums.

Can you say then already something about your next album? "Hope" was in my opinion a great cocktail on light and shade and "Plague of Butterflies" goes in a similar direction. Do you think the next album will continue this path or will you try a little bit different or completely perhaps?

Since this summer I worked specifically and intensely on the next album, but I can't say at the current time unfortunately either way as there is still generally nothing completed and too much is left to be done.  Besides, I have a few very different ideas for the coming LP and it remains to see how much time I will have at the end. Nowadays one must see that quite simply just like himself, everything with the time will develop.

Although you play very sombre music, fans can get to know you off the stage as very friendly and amusing types which of course our viewers could see in the video interview with you and Matti for our last Advent calendar. Do have from time to time some problems to be in the right concert mood for your Death/Doom sound?

Thanks, ha-ha. If our intro starts and itbecomes time to be on the stage, then in my body it's a little funny. Then the music controls me in such a way that I change into another person. You can be torn from the music simply to a sombre place from which one hopes to be able to return. Possibly for your own well being life is easier if you can unload your pain and your grief in the music and thenmust not mope the whole day. This can also become quite dull since it's continuous.

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