Petri Lindroos: “Искам да Ви видя всички отново. Доведете си приятелите, за да Ви сритаме задниците!“

 Ah, Finland. How can someone not love this beautiful country… Especially because of the good music that comes from there. One of those bands are the mighty ENSIFERUM. Two weeks prior to their first headline show in Bulgaria, we contacted Petri Lindroos and talked about a thing or two.

Your new album came out a little more than an year ago. Why ‘’One Man Army’’? What made you choose this title?
First of all, we tried to figure out a very good and catchy name for an album and we had a lot of bad options, so ‘’One Man Army’’ was pretty much the best we could get out from ourselves. Plus, from that one you can get pretty good idea of the visual context for the album cover and a little bit for the lyrics also and stuff like that. So, it was a good choice.

After so many years spent in making music, was it hard for you to record it and put it out? Was there any pressure from your label?
No pressure from the label since we changed from Spinefarm Records to Metalblade Records, so it was very exciting time at that point. The Metal Blade guys were very supporting for us doing the new album and the recording went without any bigger problems actually and writing the music was also, I don’t know, relatively easy for us.

With time comes experience and things become easier.
Yeah, yes.

Even though it’s been only a year since you started the ‘’One Man Army’’ album cycle, today I saw a video on your Facebook page on which Sami tells the fans that you’re working on a new album. Whan can we expect from it and when it will come out?
I can’t say yet what people can expect from it, because I don’t know yet what to expect [laughs]. We are very much in the beginning of writing the new material, so we have nothing ready yet and it’s very hard to say how it’s gonna turn out. If we are lucky, we can go again in the studio about an year from now, so 2017 early. But we have to check it out more closer. Hopefully, we can bring something out in the end of next year.

Basically, end of 2017 or in the beginning of 2018.
Yes, around that one.

By the way, what are your memories from your first concert in Bulgaria? [They played here for the first time in 2011 with CHILDREN OF BODOM and MACHINAE SUPREMACY]
I remember that people over there were really crazy, really great audience. The venue was nice, it was big. And it was a lot of, well, that show and the whole tour also, it was really great.

Your first headline gig in Bulgaria will be in just two weeks from now. What can we expect from the show in terms of performance and setlist?
For the headlining shows we always try to get songs from every album – as much as possible from all the albums. I think the set is gonna be around 90 minutes, maybe 100. Something like that. So, a lot longer than what time we had to play the support show for CHILDREN OF BODOM. Well, song from every album and a very energetic and good show.

So, a typical headliner set?
Yeah, pretty much.

Let’s say you weren’t a musician. What were you going to do instead?
I don’t know, man [laughs]. Well, I was doing sports when I was a young little boy. I was playing football and basketball at that point. Maybe, would’ve stayed on that track if mom did not buy me my first guitar.

What is ENSIFERUM’s main source of inspiration when it comes down to writing and performing music?
For the writing part it’s pretty hard to say. For me, having an inspiration can happen at any time.  You know, while having your morning coffee and you suddenly have an idea in your head. So, that one can come from anywhere. For performing it’s pretty much the thing we live for – to play shows. That is the sugar on top of all the other shit we have to go through to play the show. There is so much traveling and this so-called “empty time“ when you just have time, not enough time to do something. You’re stuck in somewhere in the middle of nowhere in the venue and the closest city is way too far away for you to go over there. There’s a lot of killing time, especially on tours. So, the show is the one and only thing where we put all the energy in it.

What do you do in your free time before and after the gigs? Like you said, there’s empty time and you must do something.
Well, during the day, if the weather is nice, we try to get out. Otherwise you’re going to spend the whole day at the backstage or just hanging inside the venue. So, a little bit of fresh air is always a good option. Maybe go see the city if the venue is located in a nice place and just kill time by doing some sightseeing, having a coffee. Just tourist stuff, you know. Since we’re tourists in every single city [laughs].

Talking about sightseeing, which are you favourite landmarks you’ve visited throughout your touring life.
Well, there is not so much very special moments on a European tour, but in Australia we went to The Blue Mountains which are right next to, about 60km from Sidney. That place was really great since on the so-called ground level where we were it’s really like this desert-type. It’s a very dry and hot place. Then you take these very, very steep stairs which go down about, I don’t know how many meters, maybe a one or two hundred and you’re in a rain forest. That’s one of the things I’m never going to forget.

Who enkindled your passion for music? Who are the musicians that inspired you to pick up the guitar and to sing?
My ultimate idols are from the bands MEGADETH and SLAYER. The music that this guys were doing at that point when I picked up the guitar in 1994 was some very excellent material. So, it was like “Dude, I wanna sound like Jeff Hanneman!“ That was pretty much the start for me.

Talking about idols and favourite artists, tell us your “Top 5 metal albums“.
I could start with MEGADETH‘s “Rust In Peace“. That album is, especially for guitar players, a must. Also, SLAYER‘s “Seasons In The Abyss“. That one is my favourite album from them. Well, Top 5 is always difficult to pick-up. Pretty much, the latest MACHINE HEAD albums. The “Bloodstone & Diamonds“. I can’t remember the last time I heard a more perfect album than that one. And that one is a complete killer album. Like, totally fucking awesome. I really love that one. I think we can go with Top 3.

Share with us a funny memory from your life as a musician.
There are quite a few of this kind of memories existing. But one was actually a very cool one. This one happened on the 2011 tour with Bodom. We were in, I think, Holland or Belgium. There was a backstage and there was this really old, electric organ over there. And Bodom‘s keyboard player Janne was playing it and we were singing with the ENSIFERUM and CHILDREN OF BODOM guys, having some drinks after the show. And just you know, doing some Britney Spears and all kinds of cool pop songs. That was really cool.

I’ve heard how Finnish people drink and I think it’s not for everyone, haha.
Aah, yes. That’s true.

What is the strangest thing a fan has given to you?
There was this fan who made a similar, like this link-chained necklace for all the band members. That was really cool. And also we got ENSIFERUM beer pints. This was so many years ago and I can’t remember anymore, like, what part of the world they were coming from. But these were really cool and we always keep them at home.

Is there something you haven’t achieved yet, but you want to?
I would actually like to have a gold album for album sales, but I think that’s going to be only just a dream. [laughs]

You know, people say “Better late than never.“ It will happen sometime.
Yeah, it might happen but the way the music industry is going, I don’t know if you’re going to get a gold and digital screensaver for your laptop for digital downloaded albums when they reach 100 million or whatever. I don’t think it’s gonna go to that.

Talking about digital stuff, what are your thoughts on the so-called “Digital Age“ we’re living in and how Internet affects the music industry.
Well, the digital thing is like a two-way street. It has good and bad sides. Well, the bad one is that it’s really taking a huge part out of physical album sales and on the other hand it’s a really good way to bring out your band and the new material. You can do all these. For example, everybody can have their own YouTube channel where people can subscribe and hear news directly from the band. Same for Facebook, Instagram and etc. In that kind of way, it’s an easier availability for everybody around the world. 24/7 pretty much. So, that’s kinda the good side of it. But then, you know, musicians get their living, their livelihood out of the music people buy and nowadays that one is really little. Especially on the heavy metal scene. The physical sales are really low, so the only way we can live is to tour. That is pretty much the only way.

I’ve read on the Internet how many bands say that they need to tour a lot in order to make a living.
Yes, that is very rough. I don’t know if people actually understand that this is a real job. After the show you can’t go home. You’re going to the bus and you’re going to travel to the next place. Our tour starts tomorrow and we have 20 or 21 shows in 22 days. So, there’s not that much time to relax in-between.

And probably it is very exhausting, I guess.
Playing long shows in the evening, then you have these, I would call them very boring days in-between. There is not that much to do on tour. Well, if the weather is nice you can hang outside, that is the plus part. Go see the city, if you’re in a city. But when you’re in the middle of nowhere and you have no place to go, you just sit and wait. And sometimes the day feels like it’s never gonna fucking end, hahaha.

You joined ENSIFERUM 12 years ago. What has changed for you since then?
Well, nothing much. Now we’re just 12 years older. Pretty much, everything has stayed kind of the same. Except, there were the line-up changes in 2004-05 but after that the line-up has stayed pretty steady and good. So, kind of hard to say. I would need somebody else’s opinion on what has changed. To me it’s very much still the same as it was.

Basically, it’s the same old song, but in a better way.
Aaah, yes.

If you could travel in time, when or where would you go?
Oh, that’s a fucking good one. I’m not sure if I really want to see the future. So, I would probably go back in time when Jesus lived to see if he can actually change water to wine. I would want to see that one and then I would ask him to walk on water.

So, you wanna see it with your own eyes in order to believe in it.
Yeah, I’d say it that way. I’m not so convinced if he could actually do this. If he could, it would be awesome.

Talking about wine, what’s your favourite type of alcohol? Beer, wine, vodka, whiskey and etc?
I am a Finnish one, I would have to say all.

Haha, I was expecting that by the way.
Yeah, there are very few Finnish people who actually would consider a favourite drink. I would have to say, since we have the four seasons, in summer it’s definitely nice to have a cold beer or a cider, sitting on a terrace. I’m not picky.

Your favourite movie is?
I would have to say all Star Wars movies so far. That’s the thing I grew up with and I’m still a very huge Star Wars fan. And I just can’t get enough of Star Wars.

Which trilogy do you prefer? The old one or the new one?
That’s also a little bit tricky one, because the first one is what I saw when I was a child. So, I truly love those first three ones that were made a really long time ago. But, I do like the latest ones also. And I also saw “The Force Awakens“ two times.

Did you like it?
Yes, I actually did. It was very entertaining and it was pretty much non-stop action. It was really good and I can’t wait to see the next one.

Which one of these is your favourite – performing at clubs, concert halls/venues or at open air festivals?
I would personally prefer an indoor venue. Not too big and not too small. I don’t know, can we say medium size, hahaha. Whatever that means. You have a little bit more connection with the audience at those concerts. People are closer to you than on a festival. Since you need to have these security barricades on festivals and the front row can be, like 15m away from the stage, so it’s hard to even see the front row. So, indoors it is.

What do you prefer – writing, rehearsing and recording new songs or playing live?
I would need to actually pick all three. Since, it’s like a journey you take from the rehearsal place to the studio and from the studio you take it to the live shows. And it’s always really cool when you start writing new material, like what kind of stuff you can play with the guitar on this particular song, writing the new song, going to the studio and making the final adjustments to it and playing it until you get it right. And then comes the moment when you start playing it live. So, I would pick all three.

Pick one song from ENSIFERUM’s discography with which you could describe the band and it’s music.
Well, I would probably choose “Victory Song“. It has a few layers of material within it, so it has a couple of different sides.

Any last words for ENSIFERUM’s fans in Bulgaria?
Hopefully, we’ll see a shitload of people on the show. The previous show was really fucking great. So, I want to see all of you guys again. Bring your friends and we’ll kick your asses!

Kiitos for the opportunity, Petri. See you on April 13 in Sofia!
Thank you, too. See you!