Интервю с Markus Vanhala и Joonas Koto от OMNIUM GATHERUM

Omnium Gatherum are one of the solid names on the Finnish metal scene with 16 years history and 6 studio albums behind their back. After their gig at the legendary Tavastia Club in Helsinki we had the opportunity to talk to the guitarists Markus Vanhala and Joonas Koto. In the interview below you can read what are their memories from Bulgaria, which will be the song for the next music video, what caused the change of four record labels and other not so serious stuff. You can also check out some pictures from their gig at our gallery.

Markus Vanhala

MH18: Hi! Could you start with introducing yourself and the band in case anyone doesn’t know who Omnium Gatherum are.

Markus Vanhala: We are Omnium Gatherum from Finland and we’re playing too melodic death metal with maybe some weird spices. My name is Markus and I’m the guitar player.

Joonas Koto: I’m Joonas and I’m the other guitar player. The lesser one.

Markus: Noooo. The older one, the wiser one.

Joonas: Or the butt wiser.

MH18: Yeah, they usually come together. About your last album which you released in the beginning of this year – is there any story from „inside the kitchen“ during the recording or song writing process that you’re willing to share?

Markus: We recorded the album with computer. Surprise! No, it was maybe the most easiest album to do in some way. Because I thing the band is getting old so we know how to work and we do our homework really well, like all the preproduction stuff. Then it’s easy to go in the studio and just nail it on tape. This was also the first time for Joonas. Joonas joined the band…

Joonas: During the recordings of „New world shadows“.

Markus: Yes.

Joonas: But I didn’t play at the album, I just hanged out in the studio.

Markus: Yeah, and this was the first album to have Joonas on board.

MH18: And what was the feeling? Do you hate them already?

Joonas: Nooo, they are great guys. Actually I know this bastard for years.

Markus: Yeah, a decade or something.

Joonas: I think it’s over ten years. We pretty much know what we’re going to play before we play it. We’ve got this psychic connection.

Markus: You can see it on our guitars.

MH18: We did!

Joonas: The are similar and it’s by coincidence.

MH18: But you don’t have the logo on yours.

Markus: He has it!

Joonas: I have it, but it’s on the backside.

MH18: Let’s talk about the lineup changes in the band, there were a lot during the years. You’re in the band from the very beginning.

Markus: Yes, I’m the stubborn one.

MH18: So what was the „heaviest one“ that happened? Did you ever thought that the band will break up for good?

Markus: Not exactly. I formed the band when I was 15 years old, so I was a child back then. And when you’re playing melodic death metal for over 15 years it’s just getting more and more serious. It didn’t used to be serious – we just played, but there’re coming more and more tours and stuff and the band is taking more and more time and at some point it almost takes all your free time. So that’s always the point when people think that they’re not going to do it anymore. And we have to get the professionals on board.

Erkki, Joonas, Markus

MH18: And how did you meet with Erkki? He’s the latest member that joined the band.

Markus: Well…

Joonas: Well… it’s a funny story.

Markus: We had some issues with our former bass player so we just had to get a new one. End of story. We did four European tours with the previous one and it was always like five of us and the bass player. It just didn’t work out so we came to a point where that guy was needed. (points at Erkki)

MH18: Did you know Erkki before?

Markus: Yes, Erkki used to play in Amoral and we’ve done a lot of shows with Amoral like… 10 years ago. Where have all these years gone? And he was also familiar guy from the past. It’s easy to have these familiar guys in the family. I really hope that after the next album I won’t have to answer to any lineup changes questions because at the moment we’re having the best lineup ever. Really nice guys and really tide playing and everything is ok.

MH18: What about label changes? You’ve changed like four so far.

Markus: Yeah, I can swear we’re reckless people.

MH18: Do you think that things would be different for the band if you stayed with Nuclear Blast for example?

Markus: They didn’t want us to stay there.

MH18: Their loss…

Joonas: In my opinion it’s better to be big fish in a small pool than a small fish in a big pool.

Markus: Yeah, that’s the way. Because we started on a small label Rage Of Achilles and they did a really good job on our first album. Really, really good for a small label. But unfortunately they ran out of cash so that label quit. Then we got upgraded to the Nuclear Blast family and it was just too big for us because back in 2004 we weren’t as big as Nightwish and others.

Joonas: And we still aren’t.

Markus: Then we just did two albums with Candle Light and we wanted to change back to the German work ethic. And now with Lifeforce it’s pretty good.

MH18: Are you happy with them?

Markus: Yes, it’s a small label but it’s nice to be priority. We’ve done already two albums with them and they did a really good job. They’ll do our next album so we’ll still have some life force.

MH18: This year are 10 years from releasing your debut album. Are you going to celebrate it somehow?

Markus: We had a big big celebration for that – we played a few songs from that album on a few gigs. That’s about it. I guess we’re having one gig in our home town Kotka in Dark River festival this year. It’s 10 years anniversary of that festival and it’s 10 years anniversary from our album so maybe we’ll play some songs from the album, hopefully.

Joonas: Or maybe not.

Joonas Koto

MH18: You’re about to shoot another music video.

Joonas: Actually it’s been caught at the moment.

MH18: Are you ready to reveal the song title?

Markus: I guess we could. It will be released maybe in the beginning of August to promote our upcoming European tour and the song will be…

Joonas: The Sonic Sign!

MH18: Great! And about the European tour – you’re playing at Romania and you still have free dates before that gig – are you coming to Bulgaria?

Markus: Unfortunately we’re not coming to Bulgaria. Because people are always asking the band to come here and there.

Joonas: But it’s not up to us, it’s up to the agency.

Markus: This one is like 16 dates, it’s quite small tour.

Joonas: Two and a half weeks.

Markus: But we’re going to Romania and Serbia.

MH18: Yes, and usually when tours are coming in Eastern Europe they go through all the countries – Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia. That’s why we were hoping.

Markus: Yeah, but this time it’s only Hungary, Romania and Serbia. We had a really good show the last time, well the only time when we played in Sofia.

MH18: You did? What are your brightest memories from it?

Joonas: The first thing that I remember from the show in Sofia is when I woke up in the bus, I walked out from the bus and there was a guy with horse and a carriage.

Markus: Horse or whore?

Joonas: Horse, the animal. When I stepped out of the bus the guy was sitting on his carriage, whipping his horse and asking me for cigarettes or something. Where am I?

Markus: Wild west in the east! But it was really one of the best shows in that Rotting Christ European tour. I remember the venue, it was really packed and really enthusiastic audience. What was the venue called?

MH18: It was R.B.F. if I’m not mistaken.

Joonas: All I remember is that it was quite big venue.

Markus: Yeah, made of concrete.

MH18: Exactly, and it’s not in the city centre.

Joonas: Somewhere in the outskirts of Sofia.

Markus: Yeah. And R.B.F. – like three letters?

MH18: Yes, it’s actually Rock Bar Fans.

Markus: That was it.

MH18: Let’s go back to „Beyond“. What’s the meaning behind that title?

Markus: That’s always the hardest question for the guitarists.

Joonas: Yes, about the lyrics.

MH18: Who is writing the lyrics actually?

Jukka, Markus, Joonas

Joonas: Jukka – our singer.

Markus: It’s like going to the human mind and to the dualism of human minds, you have these two sides. And I think that „Beyond“ is going somewhere there and beyond that point there is always something to look for – the grass is always greener on the other side.

MH18: Of course, beautiful women, the sky is always blue, everything is ok…

Joonas: And the seaweed is greener on the other side.

Markus: Green men are also greener. It’s like going beyond some point… we just play guitars.

Joonas: Yeah, we just rock out.

Markus: I used to be really bad, for the first three albums I didn’t know anything about the lyrics and always at that question I was like „Ahh… let’s speak about something else.“ Nowadays I even read the lyrics, so that’s something! Maybe I don’t understand them, but I read them.

MH18: That is something, you’re right!

Markus: And we even have conversations with Jukka about them. And it was also quite nice metaphor that with the „Beyond“ album we did our first shows outside Europe – in Japan, so we actually went beyond. We were hoping it will be beyond the Atlantic ocean – in USA, but maybe that will come. But Japan was awesome.

MH18: Is there a significant difference between the audience in Europe and in Japan? Like behavior?

Markus: Yes!

Joonas: Yes, there is. They are just crazy! Plain crazy. There are no words to describe their enthusiasm during the show. There’re no people who are there just to check out your mistakes. There are guys who just come straight from work in their suits and ties and briefcases with them and they’re just rocking out there.

Markus: And huuuge amount of beautiful ladies. Which is even embarrassing when you’re on stage checking out and wondering „Is this a beauty competition or something?“ People are also giving lots of presents. They’re not that kind that will take you for the rest of the night and just blabla-ing. They just come and say greetings and good words, give you some presents like Sake, beer, pictures of yourself, which is quite embarrassing, stuff like that.

MH18: I guess that’s just the different culture than ours. But that’s interesting.

Markus: That’s quite cute I think. Because here, and I’m not speaking about European fans, but I can speak about Finnish fans. After the show it’s always like that – if someone comes to talk to you is like „Let me buy you a beer“, but then he’s there for the rest of your evening and you just want get rid of him or her but you just can’t.

Joonas: Yeah, you can’t, because he or she follows you home.

Markus: That’s the Finnish way.

Joonas: And then you have to say „Sorry, this is my home, you can’t come in here“.

Markus: And they are like „F*ck you, you f*cking rock star“.

Joonas: „You’re a f*cking stuck up rock star, arghh. Why can’t I sleep in your bed?“

Markus: „Do you have any booze here?“

Joonas: Yeah, „Do you have any booze here“ or „Can I borrow your car or sleep with your dog?“ or something like that.

MH18: Whoa, that would be interesting turn out… Alright, do you have any last words for your Bulgarian fans?

Joonas: Bulgarian jogurtti! In Finland we have this thing called „Bulgarian jogurtti“, it’s yogurt from Bulgaria, it’s common in Finland.

MH18: And when you were in Bulgaria did you try the actual Bulgarian yogurt?

Joonas: No, just the Finnish version. But next time, which hopefully will be soon.

Joonas, Markus

Markus: I really hope that on the next tour we will be in Bulgaria.

MH18: We also hope so.

Joonas: Last time it was a blast. It’s a bit shame that we won’t come on this tour, but…

Markus: Yeah, cause we’re really near.

Joonas: Close to the edge.

Markus: But as we said it’s not up to us.

Joonas: It’s up to the evil managers and evil agencies that rule the world and we are just puppets.

MH18: Poor you. But we have that problem in Bulgaria, most of the tours just don’t come to Eastern Europe. Which is a pity, we have to travel to other countries to see our favorite bands.

Markus: In some way it’s the same here in Finland. We do have the festivals where a lot of bands are playing, but in European tours bands don’t usually come to Finland. Because it’s over the sea and it always means that you have to go one day with a ferry, play the show and one day to go back. And on tours one day means like minus 2000 euros.

Joonas: Two days off is too much.

Markus: Because all the costs are running.

MH18: Yeah, but you have all the Finnish bands here, so you’re quite ok.

Joonas: It’s slim pickings. The Finnish bands are actually not that cool.

MH18: I respectfully disagree with you.

Markus: Except us!

Joonas: You just have this illusion of Finnish bands being great. But there are only a few bands that are great. Like Omnium Gatherum and…

MH18: … and that’s it?

Joonas: And that’s it!