Интервю с Noora Louhimo (BATTLE BEAST)

„…whatever you do, do it with passion, with your whole heart and do not underestimate yourself.„

BATTLE BEAST are Finnish heavy/power metal band formed in Helsinki in 2008 as a school rock band. The group undergoes rapid development, especially after winning the Wacken Metal Battle contest in 2010. The contest involved thousands of groups around the world, and the final stage is held within the famous German festival Wacken Open Air. In 2011, BATTLE BEAST signed to Nuclear Blast. In the recent years BATTLE BEAST are touring with bands like Nightwish (Imaginerium tour), Sonata Arctica, Powerwolf, Sabaton and UDO.

The last third studio album BATTLE BEAST took first place in the Finnish charts and climbed to the top places in many European charts.

Only after one week, on April 10, BATTLE BEAST will be for the second time Bulgarian scene as a participant in Sofia Metal Fest 2016.

You can read here our interview with Noora Louhimo, front lady of BATTLE BEAST, taken an hour before their show at the Paaspop Festival, Nietherlands.

Hi Noora,

Here is Rhiannon from Metal Hangar 18. How are you?

I’m good. A little bit cold outside as we have this festival show in Netherlands at Paaspop Festival which is an outside festival, so I just watch here and we are having another late show today at 16:00. We are getting up here backstage. I am trying to get my make-up here and dressed up and the normal stuff before the show.

Are you getting ready for your upcoming show at Sofia Metal Fest in April? Last year you visited Sofia accompanying Sabaton and Delain. What are your impressions from Bulgaria and Bulgarian audience? Do you have specific memories from that show?

They very loud (laughing) and that’s a really good thing, to have a passion in this. We came there and the audience was great and we are really looking forward for this show in Bulgaria, for a good party with Bulgarians.

And again, you will be on stage at Sofia Metal Fest with big names like KREATOR, POWERWOLF. What are your expectations from the festival?

Well, I hope that its gonna be this party and the people have fun, but I do not have any other expectations than to have fun and have a great show.

The band is creating real heavy / power metal sound, closely related to the old school heavy metal. In our modern era of variety of styles and mix of styles how did you decide to do just such a pure and powerful old school heavy metal?

Yeah, I think we combined the old school and the modern stuff, because we are pretty young people ourselves and we have different kind of ideas, like we try to make it sound as authentic kind of sound and effects of the 80’s, but of course we have a modern twist.

Recently, there has been a revival of the old school styles not just in heavy/power, but it is some kind of global tendency? What do you think returns the fans to the old school styles?

Because, they are the best! (laughing) You know the big heavy metal bands that started the whole style , they are still going like Iron Maiden, for example. There are very good examples of old traditions. Especially in heavy metal they are live long fans, not so much as in the pop scene. I think it is a very big to have that long traditions in the heavy metal and the people that are born in 2000 – 2000 and something, they still appreciate the legacy that the people have done in the past.

For three years the band achieves record with Nuclear Blast. And then you continue gaining more and more strength through your very well-anticipated third album Unholy Savior. Now you are often on the biggest stages in Europe. Who generator of this success? How it happens?

Yes, it has been a hard work before I came in the band. The guys did a lot of work up to this point and we have been doing a lot of work and are ready to do what is takes to get bigger in that profession. From the beginning it started with smaller gigs and there have been also big when I came back to the band, but yes, from the beginning they were very little gigs, there was almost no one to listen, and then the fan base started to get bigger and bigger. So you know the more fans and listeners you have, the more bigger stages you get. That’s the thing. Of course – a lot of work also.

With such intensive work and touring, you mentioned you are working on your new album, probably you have hard moments. How are you going through them? Who or what is the soul of Battle Beast that revive it after though moments?

This is just my opinion, but Battle Beast is not just a band’s name it’s whole thing that comes from the band and the audience and that is the Battle Beast.

Is it difficult to be front lady of a popular band?

No! It is not difficult! It’s great! (laughing). I found my place, definitely. Before Battle Beast I used to do a lot of rock and soul music, but with Battle Beast I started sing heavy metal and before Battle Beast I have not been singing metal at all and I think this was my best decision ever. Because now I can do now as a performer and as a singer the things that I love to do with passion and the theatrical side of it, to dress up.

Is there something you are not ready to leave behind because of the music an scene?

Music is the most important thing in my life and I think whatever happens it will be always a part of me and part of my life in some way. I hope that being a singer, being a singer in Battle Beast will last as long as possible.

Battle Beast is the most important thing in this moment.

You often support big band and you made complete tours with many big names like Nightwish, Imaginerium tour, Sonata Arctica, Powerwolf, U.D.O., and of course, Sabaton. You attend huge festivals too. Have you come on stage with some of your idols?

Yes, last summer in Barcelona I met Blacky Lawless and that was the highlighter for me in my carrier. This was like meeting my own idol face to face. I went to him and I told him that he has been very great influence to me as a singer and that was a great moment. A thing that you can have if you are lucky is actually meet face to face the people that woke up you and you get influences from.

How do you see the future of power/heavy metal? What do you think about contemporary scene? Is successful formula to make heavy metal with such a specific harsh soprano female singer?

It seems the people like it. I do not know when it would not be a good time to do it. As long as there is an audience and people love to hear our music – that’s all that matters and we just do not think when it is the best time to do it. People will show us – the audience. If they do not like it, they would not come to our shows. But it is totally the opposite – more and more people are coming to our shows and actually next year we will do our second headlining tour with our new album and there will be bigger audience. I think our carrier is getting higher and higher all the time.

Recently you have been touring with Joona Björkroth as a lead guitar. Is this the lead guitar you are coming with in Bulgaria?

Yes, he is coming with us. He is actually here right now and he is been doing a really great job. He is the bother of our keyboard. He knows the band from the very beginning and it is very easy to work with him.

What we can expect in the future – will there be a change in sound in this relation? You mentioned you are working on a new album – what we can expect?

You can expect Battle Beast style definitely – it has been a new beginning and rebirth of Battle Beast also. You can expect Battle Beast style heavy metal.

Are you working on the recordings or you are at earlier stage?

We have been doing demos and recordings and when we are back from the tour we will continue recording. We are at a very good stage right now.

Battle Beast won in 2010, Wacken Metal Battle, giving a powerful boost in its development. Last year Bulgaria for the first time we sent a participant at Wacken Metal Band. Although you were not part of the band at that stage, what is your opinion, what is would be your advice to our young Bulgarian musicians who will compete this year?

Well, my advice is whatever you do, do it with passion, with your whole heart and do not underestimate yourself.

Going back to your participation Sofia Metal Fest 2016 will there be any surprises for Bulgarian audience? What the Bulgarian fans can expect from you on Sofia Metal Fest scene?

We have always have some little surprises, you just have to wait (Laughing)

Would you like to say something to our fans?

We appreciate your support, so come to our show and we will show you what Battle Beast means.

Thank you for the interview