Interview With Taatsi done by Patrick

Here is  a   new  interview    with   Taatsi  from  Finland  they  have one demo available  through Forever Plagued Rec  and  getting  ready  to  release  their  debut  cd   "Amidist The  Trees"  through Forever  Plagued Rec.  this  is  a  band  to  watch  out  for  if  you  enjoy  mid-paced black metal with  some  atmospheric  elements
take  care  and  read  on
Patrick

fiendformetal@live.com

Interview　with A (Guitars, Bass, Vocals　and Programming) for　Taatsi. Done　by　Patrick.

1. Metal　hails　 A.　 When did　you　first　discover　Metal　music? Who　were　some　of　the　early, first　bands　you　listened　to?

Hails Patrick! Glad to be a part of your zine.

I remember being in preschool, and some boys next door had Iron Maiden posters on their walls, and I got at least the KISS "Destroyer" vinyl for birthday from my mother when I turned five or six or something, which I still have. So those are my earliest memories of listening to metal

2. When　did　you　first　meet　M (Guitars), was　it　long　before　you　all created　Taatsi? What　does　the　band　name　mean to　you?

I knew some local BM-guys I’ve met in a record store, whom also knew M, and when I went to some death metal gig in ’94 or ’95, I met this guy who had the Ulver-logo drawn on the sleeve of his leather jacket (I was a huge fan of early Ulver), and then we got talking, and during the next few years noticed we have a lot in common. We tried out some band-stuff in maybe ’97 which never really went anywhere.

What we do now with Taatsi is basically the same thing we would be doing in ’95, only with slightly better equipment and skills. But the same feelings and enthusiasm are there.

The name Taatsi comes from a sacrificial stone located in Northern Finland, and the name fits our music perfectly, since the lyrics usually deal with the ancient relations of man and nature, without any specific mythology in them.

3. How　did　you all come　in　contact　with Forever　Plagued　Rec.? For　the　readers　who　have　never　heard　the　band　how　would　you　describe　the　music?

We promoted our demo "Season Of Sacrifice" to some labels, and one of the labels which got interested in us was Forever Plagued. During the past six months or so, I’ve learned that he is a very dedicated and honest guy, who has a lot of respect in the underground, so it looks like we will stick with him in the future as well, if he likes our future material.

For someone who has never heard the music I would describe it as Atmospheric Black Metal in the mid-nineties Scandinavian vein. I think when we describe our music as "Nature Mystical Black Metal", it describes the sound quite nicely

4. How　long　did it　take　to　write　the　songs　on "Amidst The Trees"? Do　you　both　take　part in the writing　process　or　does one member　usually　handle　everything?

We work pretty fast with all our material. Speaking for myself, I usually get an inspiration, and compose some melodies accordingly in one or two evenings, adding guitars and additional melodies later, but I would say a typical Taatsi-song comes into being in just a matter of hours. The lyrics and vocals might come later, but the music writing and recording processes are very fast when the right feeling comes forth.

With the songs composed by M, he usually has some riffs ready composed by acoustic guitar, and he records the electronic and acoustic guitars at my place. Then I add some additional synths and so on, but the base-melodies are always his. In the future we try to keep things as much as possible 50/50.

5. Who　usually　handles　the　lyrics? What　are　some topics　you　all　write　about?
 So far, I have made most of the lyrics for the recorded material, but M also contributes with some lyrics, which I usually edit for my own purposes, since I am the one performing the vocals.

As I started describing above, the lyrics deal with the majesty of nature, with some folklore / fairy tale influences here and there. Usually the lyrics have a more deeper psychological twist into them, dealing with personal symbolism arising from nature, and the eternal relations of man and the woods he lives in.

We both grew up in areas around Helsinki where we still could play in the woods as kids. Although I’m not really from the "countryside", I spent a lot of my weekends between the ages 12 to 18 trekking and hunting in the woods with my grandfather (who was a gamekeeper), and M still spends his summers in the woods of the North, so we are not unfamiliar with the forest. I’ve lived pretty much in the downtown Helsinki for the past 10 years but visit nature quite often for contemplation and inspiration.

6. How　has　the　response been　so far　from the　fans　who　have　heard your　music? How　has　the　response　been　from　the　press?

So far we have got only positive reactions straight from people who have heard the music, and decent or positive reviews from the online press.

7. Taatsi is a　two　man band,　did you　ever　search　for more　members　to　join the band　or do　you　prefer to　keep it a two　piece　band?

We have been sometimes talking about adding a drummer or another vocalist, but have always come to the conclusion it’s better to continue as a two piece. So far it has worked perfectly since we think very much alike when it comes to music like this, and also have a very democratic and understanding

8. Are　there　any　musicians　(past　or　present)　you　would　like　to　work　with?
Maybe some old local friends with similar musical tastes, but people have a lot more going on in their lives these days than when we were teenagers, haha.

9. Taatsi　comes　out　of　the　great　metal　scene　in Finland, what　is　your　opinion　of　Finlands　metal　scene?

We both had contacts in the Finnish BM-scene in the mid-nineties, making zines and so on, but we have no real contact with the scene that is more known abroad today, only some old friends we still meet face to face, who do play in some "bigger" BM-bands.

There were some really interesting guys in the Finnish BM-scene still in the nineties whom are no longer with us, due to suicide or something.

About Finnish metal in general, I really have no interest in all the really big bands, but have some nice memories of the early material of Beherit or Impaled Nazarene, even this is something I rarely listen to today, but do respect a lot.

10. Who　are　some　of　your　all-time　favourite　bands from Finland? Are　there　any　new　bands　you　feel　the　readers　should　watch　out　for?

My favourite bands / records are made by my friends, like early Wintermoon and Wanderer. Beyond that I would say early Beherit, Archgoat, and Nidhoggr (with whom I had good contact with).

I am interested in the newer material of bands like Black Crucifixion, maybe the readers should check ‘em out?

11. Are　you　or　M.　currently　working　with　other bands or　solo　projects?
We have both been involved in a lot of projects over the years, but the most notable ones on our part would probably be in M’s case the bands Wintermoon and Jatunheim, in which he was a founding member during ’94-’95.

In my case one band I would mention is TKNKNTJ, a name I came up with in the mid-nineties, and also recorded some demo-songs during those times which never made it anywhere. In 2008-2009 we formed a good line-up with some old friends and recorded two demos under the TKNKNTJ name, which will hopefully be released this fall of 2014.

I continue to write new material for both Taatsi and TKNKNTJ all the time.

12. A.　you　handle　the　vocals　for　the　band,　when did you　first　singing/growling? Do　you　do　anything　special　to　keep　your　throat/voice　healthy? Who　are　some　of　your　favorite　singers?

I don’t remember when I first tried the BM-vocals, probably in the early nineties when I discovered I can’t growl, haha. I really don’t do anything special for my voice, I just let the vocals flow out in the way I think suits the music.

My favourite singers when it comes to BM that come to mind are Quorthon of course, Vorph in the first few Samael albums, Garm in his mid-nineties-days, Proscriptor of Absu, Aldrahn has always been totally awesome.. From the newer records I totally admire the vocals in Teitanblood and Vastum (which is DM but a great band anyways).

13. A. you　also　handle　the　guitars　for　the　band　when did　you　become　interested　in　playing　the　guitars? Are　you　self taught　or　did you　take　lessons　when first　starting　out?

I never learned to play the guitar or the drums properly in my teens, although I played around and recorded with both, but my guitar skills upgraded a bit when I started composing music with keyboards in the late nineties, and played guitars on the backgrounds of this more synth-oriented material, and this is how I still compose the music of Taatsi usually. With TKNKNTJ I compose the material with a guitar, but I never jam just for the sake of it, so my skills develop very slowly it seems.

I guess M has more professional background in guitar playing from his days of learning the instrument, at least he plays better than me, hah.

14. Who　are　some　of　your　influences/favourite　guitarist?　Do　you　play　any　other　instruments?

Well, again, what comes to my mind right now, in the BM-world I really enjoy the guitar work of Equitant and Shaftiel on the early Absu-records, this stuff uplifts me from year to year. Also the newer stuff of Katharsis sounds great. Also Vicotnik and Carl-Michael Eide have always been great musicians in my opinion, as well as newer stuff by the guys Teloch and Blargh.

I do a lot of programming with music software, so I do play the keys in that sense, but other than that I don’t really play any other instrument than guitar. It would be great to play in a "folk" band of some sorts, where every member has his/hers own little role..
15. Thank　you A.　for　taking　the　time　to　fill　this　out,　do　you　have　any　final words　for the　readers?

Thank you very much for the interview, this was actually the first Taatsi-interview I received. I urge the readers to check out our music, and support our label Forever Plagued Records!

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