I N T E R V I E W
Interview Leeni-Maria Hovila
Can you introduce your band?
Yep! We are Kivimetsän Druidi, we come from Finland and we play fantasy metal. We play since 2002, and I'm in for only two years, I joined in 2008. We are going to release our second album in April.
The band knew a lot of line-up changes since its creation. Do you think you find the perfect one since 2008?
It seems so, yeah. We really wanted, since the beginning, that it would be the final line-up. And seems that it works. Some people who have been in the business before me, say that it takes about two years to introduce a new member in the band. So these two years have been about this thing and the album Shadowheart. And that's cool. And now, I think this is gonna be the final line-up!
The name of your second album is "Betrayal, Justice, Revenge". Why this title?
Both are elements, which are in the songs. The original idea for this title was from Joni. There is one of the songs, "Of Betrayal" which could be a title, but it wasn't really equal, we didn't want it as a title, that's why we change. And then, we took some others elements than betrayal from other songs. We took them in the "Seawitch and the Sorcerer" and "Aesis Lilim" which is the first track. And justice and revenge are also in "Of Betrayal" and "Desolation". We wanted to put all the things together in a way. That's the explanation.
On the cover, the warrior is a woman. Are you for the "Girl Power"?
Well, maybe I am. But the warrior on the cover is Aesis Lilim from the first song. Aesis Lilim is an idea that I have of warrior woman in my own fantasy world, and also she is, in a way, my alter ego. That's the explanation. But yeah, I'm for the equal cause. I really like this idea of female warrior since I'm twelve and I saw the animation movie, "Heavy Metal". It's about a female warrior call Taarna and who saves the world. But mostly, it's about Aesis Lilim, the person in the first track.
On this album, there are nine songs. Do you think it's the right number for an album, not too short, not too long?
Yep. Nine songs it's efficient. All together, it's about fifty minutes. There were no specials reasons for the actual nine songs. We just said, "Ok, now we have enough songs". (Laughs)
According to me, the compositions of "Betrayal, Justice, Revenge" are richer and more worked than on "Shadowheart", and the production is better. Do you agree?
I definitely do. Yeah, definitely! I do! (Laughs)
You wrote the lyrics of most of the songs of this album. Is it important for you to write what you sing and think?
Yes it is, of course. I write what I think. The lyrics also, my lyrics happen in the fantasy world. But the scenes that happen in them are the big issues and the ideas of love, justice, betrayal and revenge. I definitely write what I think and now I'm thinking of the point of "Seawitch and the Sorcerer" for example. In Seawitch, when I wrote the lyrics, I was trying to think to the audience, and I don't know if anyone will hear it, but it's about soldiers who are thinking they are on a justified quest, purchasing the sorcerer. And what I wanted to bring up was the idea that sometimes, the sense of justice makes people naïve: 'That's we thing, that's we understand, what is right and we are right and have the right to do it". So it's definitely important for me to write what a think for a song.
On this album, you sing in English, but also in Finnish. Have you a preference between these two languages?
Actually, no. I'm a little bit worried to sing so much in English and not very in Finnish. And I would love to keep the Finnish language. And I probably, for my own part, I will introduce more Finnish in the future, because, I don't want to loose it. But speaking of technical of singing, English is actually a pretty difficult language and Finnish is a little bit easier, especially because it is my mother tong. But I don't have a special preference.
Would you appreciate to sing again a whole song alone?
We did one on the "Shadowheart" album. I do like the idea, and we have this thinking of may be doing more songs like that. We will see what comes up. Maybe more songs like "Tiarnách – Verinummi". It was in finnish. If there are more songs like that, it will be different than usual, and I would love to.
Are there some critics, which helped you to evolve for "Betrayal, Justice, Revenge"?
Actually, I don't really read and listen to the critics. We listened to and read of course the critics on magazines and stuff like that. But, the point is, we do know most of the stuff that they said. I think that, we don't need to hear it from the outside; we know what sucks. And we hear if something definitely works. I think, may be, I'm a little bit harsh, in this band I really think we have to find the way we want to do things, ourselves.
Your two albums have instrumental intro. Is it important for Kivimetsän Druidi to be not in think of things immediately?
Well, the intro of "Betrayal...", is the intro of "Aesis Lilim". We didn't know that it will be separated in two different tracks until the manager called me and asked me the name for it. (Laughs). And I was like "What?!" It was supposed to be a part of "Aesis Lilim" you know, and then it was separated. But it was a long intro, and "Aesis Lilim" begins quite strongly. But we didn't plan it, it's not very important. That's just happened.
In your opinion, what are the reasons people have to listen to your music?
(Hesitant) Because we are pretty damn cool. (Laughs) Honestly, I don't know. If you like the music with contrast... We love the contrasts and we want to keep them up, we want to be as wild as possible. People should check out our music, I think they will love it. I think we do a pretty good job. And it's gonna be even better. I don't really think I can figure out any other reasons.
You were talking about contrast, aren't you afraid to loose the essence of Kivimetsän Druidi with all the elements you use?
(Hesitant and insistent) No, and no. (Laughs). The music is getting harsher and more aggressive. I sometimes, I had have this little worried in my heart, if we loose this melodies of the fantasy parts, of the essence. It doesn't seem, it's still there. It's just evolving to what we want to do. The contrasts are going to be even bigger, with really harsh and aggressive parts, and with melodic and fantasy parts. I don't think the essence is gonna be lost. I think we are going into the good direction.
It must be gratifying and encouraging to release your first, and then your second album with Century Media, isn’t it?
It is really amazing and definitely encouraging. We were lucky with that, but we also did a lot of work to get into Century Media. It has been a really good thing for us.
Every album is special, but it says the second one is even more special than the others. Do you think the same?
Yeah, definitely. The audience was really happy with "Shadowheart", and Century Media was happy with "Shadowheart" too. But we were not that happy, because it wasn't the way we wanted it. However, "Betrayal, Justice, Revenge" is so much better as an experience. We appreciate it much more, than "Shadowheart", it's sad, but it's the story.
Kivimetsän Druidi means in English "Druids of the stone forest". Is it important for you to be in communion with the nature as the druids were?
That would have to ask to Jonni. But the point of the druid is a character of Jonis'. But the druids, are like you say, in communion with nature and they are wise. That is a point in itself, and why Joni choose to pick up a druid than something else.
You are an opera singer. Why did you wanted to sing this way?
Well, I like metal, and I like metal for a long time. And I also listen to a lot of doom metal stuff like Type O Negative, Swallow the Sun. But I always wanted to be crossover, and I never wanted to be an opera singer. I don't like the idea of being limited.
What do you think about the other bands with female singer?
I don't really even know that much these bands. I don't listen too much to these bands. I got to many things to do! (Laughs)
Maybe you heard some of them when you were at the Metal Female Voices Festival last year?
After we play, it was Amberian Dawn, which is also a Finnish band. I listened to the vocalist and I thank... well I like her! And I have to mention After Forever, which is not a band that I listen to that much. I got the album, "Invisible Circles", and Floor Jansens' sing is definitely awesome. She is awesome. So I would really appreciate actually to be like her!
You already did a lot of shows, in the beginning, did you realise how luck you were to present your music in this way?
Well, of course, we know we are lucky. But we really not have the time to think that. We had to go and do the job. But of course, it's awesome. But it is also normal. It's no more or no less than a job you have to do. But we are down to earth, when something big happen, we say: "hey, that's really coolé. But we don't jump to the world for it. We are like "ok, now, we have to go and this."
What is the question you would have enjoy I asked you and why?
Oh my god! (Laughs) (Hesitant) I don't know! If I believe there is gonna be a world peace and people are going to understand that it's going to be really, really easier if everyone is just nice to an other. And the answer is : Yeah. I think when people will stop to be idiot!
It would be great that things turn out this way.
Yeah, we wouldn't have to escape in the fantasy world. And we wouldn't be in trouble.
Have you something else to say to end this interview?
Yeah ! I will probably say this a lot in the future: thanks of course, it's obvious. If we get the chance to come to France, please check out the show and please do check out the album. And, beware of little green dragon. I think I already say it before, but I'm gonna use it again, beware of little green dragon.
Interview by Robin Stryker
Femme Metal spoke with Leeni-Maria Hovila, frontwoman of Finnish extreme fantasy metal band, Kivimetsän Druidi, six months ago. Since that time, the band has completed a massive North American tour and released its sophomore album, “Betrayal, Justice, Revenge” (Century Media 2010). We are delighted to chat with Leeni-Maria again and get caught up on Kivimetsän Druidi’s whirlwind of activity.Hello, Leeni-Maria! We’re glad you could join us today.
First things first, please tell us about Kivimetsän Druidi’s new album, “Betrayal, Justice, Revenge”.
“Betrayal” is our second album — the first in which I have made most of the lyrics, and the first in which we have tracks composed also by our drummer Atte and lead guitarist Rinksa.
If you had to describe the new album’s sound in three words, what would they be?
Massive, symphonic, complex.
The title, “Betrayal, Justice, Revenge”, has a nice ring to it. Where does the name come from?
It is simply a summary of the things and ideas happening on this album.
From earlier interviews, it sounds as though the band was not completely satisfied with its debut album, “Shadowheart”. How much of the harder, more aggressive sound on the new album comes from a natural evolution in Kivimetsän Druidi’s music, versus lessons learned from the first album?
The compositions are all natural evolution which was not even as fast as it would seem by listening to these two albums. All the elements of the tracks on “Betrayal” were already present in the few new songs of “Shadowheart”, but most “Shadowheart” tracks were both very old and some very new material which sound quite different from one another. On the other hand, the harder, more aggressive sound in general is all about making “Betrayal” sounding how we wished “Shadowheart” would, so that was about a lesson learned.
As I understand it, you are a classically trained soprano. Did you ever consider pursuing a career in opera, instead of metal?
I don’t have a great desire for that. The opera world seems a rigid place to me, also I do not have such a big voice. If I do classic genre and I do study it at the present, I am a lied-oriented performer, that is an other-than-opera- kind of classic vocal style. I see myself in the future as a performing cross-over soprano artist, who is most probably chronically broke.
Would you introduce your bandmates, and tell us what you like best about each person?
Joni Koskinen is something of a leader amongst us, if at all it can be said that we have one. I like and sometimes even envy his confidence. He is one of the two of our main composers, who used to do all of the lyrics in the past. He is a founding member and does the growls as well as rhythm guitar. Antti Koskinen, the former’s little brother, is our keyboardist and the other main composer. Antti is also a founding member, is somewhat multi-talented, and is very much self-educated as a musician. He is very empathic. Rinksa, our lead guitarist, is also a founding member, although the original idea of Druidi was Joni’s and Antti’s. But Rinksa has been aboard from the very beginning. He is quiet and conscientious. Simo-Pekka, our bassist, is big and reliable and older than his young years would say. He is always sensible, speaks the utter unquestionable truth, and others never have to worry for him. But, if he gets hungry and there’s no food around, you’d better come up with some. Quick! Atte, our drummer, is as far as I remember the last line-up change before myself. He is very good in his area, and the only member besides myself who has at least some classic studies. He used to play the faggot – hold on, I have to check if that, in fact, is how it is written … err, no. I meant to say fagotto. Or bassoon, my dictionary seems to claim they mean the same. Atte is funny. The joker of the band. And open-minded.
“Shadowheart” was inspired by a fantasy story that Joni has been working on. What is the inspiration for “Betrayal, Justice, Revenge”?
I think it still is the same story actually, regardless of the fact that most lyrics are mine or even the fact that most stories of those lyrics I had thought about well before I joined the band. I simply decided — when Joni said I should try writing lyrics and I decided I should try using my old ideas — that fine, now all these things are going to happen in the world he made to happen and that’s it. And the truth is that in those stories, both the ones Joni wrote and the ones I’d had in my head before, some very basic things always remain the same. It is the nature of stories regarding where and when they happen. The same things, the same big truths always are the ones that people write stories about or fight wars over. Love. Honour. Justice. Betrayal. Ideals, be they false or true. Religion is the only “big thing” we haven’t touched and have no desire of doing so in the future, but I think that if you take religion down to the little pieces to find what it has eaten, what you will find are all those smaller things I already pointed out and some more of their kind. Like pride. Fear. Especially fear.
You wrote many of the lyrics for “Betrayal, Justice, Revenge”. Does singing your own lyrics feel different than singing lyrics written by someone else?
Yep. I sometimes feel pretty stupid about them, and this time I can only blame myself.
Are you a fan of fantasy? If so, what is your favourite work of fantasy?
Indeed I am. From the works of Tolkien, I prefer “The Silmarillion”. The first books I ever read from the genre were the first “Dragonlance” trilogy. Perhaps my all time favourite is Orson Scott Card’s strange little one-of-a-kind story “Hart’s Hope”.
Is “Betrayal, Justice, Revenge” mainly for fantasy fans, or does it have broader themes with universal appeal?
All the themes in our fantasy, as well as fantasy stories in general, are ultimately universal. They are always about the same things which make people move: love, ambition, ideals — betrayal, justice, revenge. Among others.
If you could select any Kivimetsän Druidi song for a soundtrack, which song would you choose and which movie would you put it in?
“Desolation: White Wolf” would be my pick — actually, we made a video for that one lately. Hasn’t been published yet. Don’t know about the movie, though … maybe it hasn’t been made yet. Maybe we should make it. A full-length Kivimetsän Druidi fantasy adventure.
Most of the songs on “Shadowheart” are in Finnish, while most of the songs on “Betrayal, Justice, Revenge” are in English. Was the language switch intentional or happenstance?
Happenstance, actually. I sort of regret that, and hope to make more Finnish ones on the Number Three, whenever that may happen.
In November 2009, Kivimetsän Druidi performed at the Heathenfest Tour in North America, playing 20 different cities and covering 15.000 kilometres in the nightliner. What stands out in your mind from the tour?
Hollywood Boulevard. Giant turkey legs. Helmuth of Belphegor making me drink whiskey. Hilly views. Ridiculously good-looking night liners. Sushi places in NYC. A university campus cafe in Cleveland. Being slightly afraid at Detroit.
When you have a hectic tour schedule far from home, do you do anything special to make sure you stay sane and healthy?
Stay in my bunk whenever I feel bored. Go for a walk outside the bus when possible. Alone! Always, always have good and reliable ear plugs which damp out as much of surrounding noise — preferably talk — as possible. I can’t always go for a longer run, sometimes I just jump or run on spot in the backstage or the hall before audience is let in. I go out, if only around the corner, to get a cup of coffee and look and listen to the local people.
Just reading about Kivimetsän Druidi’s schedule in 2009 – a Russian mini-tour, writing songs for the new album, recording, going on the North American tour, and back into the studio to finish recording – exhausts me. Were you able to relax some after all that?
We did a little too much relaxing in the summer when we were supposed to be writing songs — or at least I did a little too much “relaxing” when I was supposed to be writing lyrics — so we ended up having to hurry in the studio, again. But it was not too stressing. It’s not that all the band activity was overwhelming. It is this stupid thing called “normal life” like going to school, having to work alongside the school, paying the bills, having at least some hobbies and getting to see friends that makes things difficult.
What are the band’s plans for the remainder of 2010?
Promoting “Betrayal, Justice, Revenge”, doing as many shows as we can, perhaps getting to make a tour later in the autumn, also we have already lightly touched the idea of the Number Three Album if and whether there’s going to be one. So writing new songs.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us, Leeni-Maria. Do you have any parting words for your fans at Femme Metal?
Beware of fragile old bearded guys in strange looking clothes. They are bound to be wizards or something of the kind. Do not piss them off. Come check us out live. Get the new album, it really rocks. Rock ‘n Troll.
Kivimetsän Druidi is a Finnish band that plays folk/gothic metal. The name means The Druid of the Stone Forest. In 2008 Leeni-Maria Hovila (ex-Exsecratus) joined the band and they recorded their first full cd, “Shadowheart”. At this moment (November 2009) the band is on tour in the States and Canada, together with Eluveitie (Swiss), Belphegor (Austria), Alestorm(UK) and Vreid (Norway). Normally the new cd will be released in April by Century media. I had a short interview with the beautiful lead vocalist Leeni-Maria.
Hello Leeni-Maria. How is the American Tour going?
So far so good. We seem to have been a success allthough we had to make several shows without Joni – he’s got the swine flu or something. Since we have been selling an increasing number of CD’s and shirts regardless of his absence, he has said something on the lines that he’s “never coming back, you guys do just fine without me. I’m going to be your manager or something”. D, not likely, heh. OK. He’ll be back on stage in San Antonio.
Can you tell us how you became the singer of Kivimetsän Druidi?
They called me. I was currently the vocalist of Exsecratus and Kivimetsän Druidi‘s manager had made a review of exce’s first album so when Druidi wound up needing a new female lead, they basically called me at work. This was, I recall, spring 2008.
The first cd was mostly in Finnish. Don’t you fear this may be an obstacle for fans outside Finland ?
So, one would think but no one has ever actually bothered to tell us so. It doesn’t seem to be any problem to anyone. Record company has said nothing on the matter, quite the contrary. I remember them being supportive about the matter. Fans mostly come to tell us that they’ve self-studying Finnish to understand the lyrics first hand.
I saw you at the Metal Female Voices Fest this year and I found Kivimetsän Druidi one of the most impressive bands of the festival. How did you experienced it?
MFVF was certainly one of the biggest and best organized festivals we have ever been toand it felt like the perfect audience to us although we felt we were definitely heavier and more extreme than most acts there. And Brussels was a great city – we had a day off there afterwards because of flight arrangements.
A whole lot of bands are from Finland. Is there a reasonable explanation for it?
It has to be that dark nordic mentality.
In your bio you mention Floor Jansen as one of your influences. What is your favorite cd of After Forever, and why?
“Invisible Circles”, which is a great performance of switching between the styles.
Women are more and more placed as the face of a band. Doesn’t that divert from the music?
It depends what they’re there for. It depends on whether they go there to divert from the music or make it. There’s nothing wrong with having a great rack and a pretty face. You still don’t have to sell with them.
Can you tell us someting about the upcoming album, or is it top secret?
Well, it’s going to better than the first.There’s going to be songs composed and lyrics written by more members of the band than before. It’s going to have so much variety it’s actually a little horrifying. It’s hopefully going to be out sometime late next spring, I think in April. It’s going to kick ass!
Do you prefer to sing live on stage, or recording songs in the studio?
Augh!! Sometimes I hate them both, other times I love them. They are so different situations with such different sides that you really can’t even compare.
At last, what are the plans for 2008?
Release the album. Promote the album like our lives depend on it. Tourish-kinda-things would be nice. Another Europe, maybe? Start making new songs for so far hypothetical number three, early enough so we won’t be slightly buggered with it, as usual.
Thanx, and give my regards to Santa Claus!!!
I’ll tell him to be nice to you this year. All the best, Leeni-Maria.
Interview With Leeni-Maria Hovila – Kivimetsän Druidi: Never Make An Elf Angry…
Posted by Nelli Perkkiö on January 3, 2011
Posted in: Interviews. Tagged: interview, Kivimetsän Druidi, Leeni-Maria Hovila. 1 Comment
Kivimetsän Druidi is a folk metal band from Kouvola (Finland). ‘Kivimetsän Druidi’ is Finnish for “druid of the stone forest”. Each band member has their own personal influences. After releasing numerous demos and EPs, Kivimetsän Druidi finally signed a record deal with Century Media in 2008. In April 2010 the band has released their 2nd album ”Betrayal, Justice, revenge”. Kivimetsän Druidi are: Leeni-Maria Hovila (Female vocals), Joni Koskinen (Male vocals, lead guitar), Antti Koskinen (keyboards), Antti Rinkinen (guitar), Simo Lehtonen (bass guitar), Atte Marttinen (drums).
The other day, Metal Shock Finland’s Nelli Perkkiö had a chat with Leeni-Maria Hovila.
1.Hey Leeni-Maria, let’s start off with a fairly simple basic question. How was your Holidays?
I’ve had the most shitty holiday stress.
2. How did you end up singing in Kivimetsän Druidi?
They called me after the band and Jenni (Onishko, the previous singer before me) parted ways. I was at that time singing with Exsecratus and the Druidi manager knew me as he had reviewed our debut album so, as I said, they just plain and called me. At my work.
3. How do you find it, being the only woman in the group of guys?
As one might think. I am a somewhat strange case for a lady, particularly, I keep much to myself and nothing really bothers me. Ever. At least not enough to make a scene of it – usually. There have been exceptions. Hell, I don’t know why it works. Probably because whenever anything or anyone gets on my nerves I just shut down and fall into my very own imaginary world. La-la-land. And mostly, the guys are really fun. And mostly everyone treats me really nice.
4. What is your job, your role in the song creating process?
It didn’t used to be very much – not with the first album, the songs of which were almost all written before I joined. Since then I first initiated with making my own vocal melodies, though there is no way I could call it composing – the guys write the whole of the songs, and the base they make is so dominating there is really no liberty in writing the vocal lines, I just have to follow the guys. But I these days have a much greater part in lyrics writing process than I ever even thought I would. As it turned out, I made almost all of the lyrics for our second album and this will probably continue. Joni used to write all of them, but then he asked for my help if I would be so kind as to make some and… well…
5.Your album, Betrayal, Justice, revenge, came out on 26th of April 2010. Have you started to plan your next album yet? When can we start waiting for it?
New material is coming up but right now we will concentrate on the coming year’s live challenges. This is entirely a not-even-so-educated guess, but I myself wouldn’t start expecting it until early 2012. That’s because the Spring and Summer of 2011 seems to be very busy with tours and festivals.
6. How long have you sang and what pushed you to Metal music rather than to classical side?
But I do classic singing all the time, too. I study it full-time in Lahti. I consider myself a cross-over. My primary job is to be a fantasy metal singer, however. The combination probably is the consequence of being raised by a church organ-playing, strictly classic genre father but having a personal liking of heavy rock, later gothic and power- as well as doom metal. I’m trying to get the best of both worlds.
7. Who do you see as your idol? as your inspiration?
First ever was probably Sarah Brightman in The Phantom of The Opera. I know that musical from beginning to end. It’s no exaggeration that if you asked I could probably speak and sing the whole thing, themes, lines and songs from memory on spot. Then there’s Peter Steele. From classic side, Dawn Upshaw and Kathleen Battle rule. As for metal, Floor Jansen of After Forever made a huge impact although I only listened one album for a brief time just to enjoy her voice. Floor now has of course ReVamp.
8. What are the main differences between making this album and the one before?
Much more relaxed. Much more confident. Much easier and cozier. The studio was practically next door to Antti Koskinen The Keyboardist of ours. My guys knew the studio guys. We had better and more up-to-date material.
9.Do you, as a band have a routine or formed habits while in studio?
I wish there was more – much more – opportunities to make such routines happen. Not really, there are these larger scale similarities. Guys drinking beer and making poor conversation at the next door. every so often someone coming to the control room, well… to control things. Atte getting mad with the orchestrations. Simo having strict opinions about things and being right about them, the SOB.
10. How do you find the album Betrayal, Justice, Revenge being different from earlier material, albums?
Ah, there was only one before this. |:-) and several EP’s and demos. Oh, I think I answered this one practically already, therefore: I refer above, at questions 4. and 8. There’s really not much to add there. Except that we are much happier with this one than before. And that the material is getting harsher, more controversy, more extreme, heavier and contrasted as we go along. Pure fantasy metal is being mated with thrash and extreme elements ever more often, godforbid.
11. You’ve toured abroad a lot. What are the differences between Finnish and foreign audience?
The undeniable truth is that Finnish audience is very critical. Finns very rarely let go and just party with the band: quite often a Finnish audience observes a performer coolly, not cruelly, but with certain expectations, wanting to get a good performance, feeling disappointed if there isn’t one. This is not necessarily a bad thing: Finnish audience simply knows what it wants and silently, shyly appreciates it when received. Often abroad, again, the audiences are sincerely thankful of any and all performances, throw themselves in and shamelessly party with any band playing whether they know it or want it or not and enjoy the ride. There is something wild and primal about that, being able to “fall” into the music of any band with no special expectations.
12. And which one you prefer more?
Well, in addition to all that I said above there is also the undeniable fact that music of this genre has much wider demand elsewhere in Europe, anywhere south of Germany, actually. Russia also appreciates. So I have to say that foreign shows are more rewarding for us. There’s just always more people and they are more excited.
13.How has the feedback been for the album Betrayal, Justice, Revenge?
Shadowheart – our debut – mostly received mediocre reviews- you know, 3/5, 7/10, much room for improvement, much good criticism, but also some very good reviews, too. We feel that BJR turned out much better and the audience seems to concur: we got better reviews, better welcoming altogether, points such as 4/5, 8-9/10, people just generally thinking we’ve made a huge advancement. And we concur as well.
14.What can we wait from Kivimetsän Druidi in the future?
The next album is going to be even better. Maybe 9/10 reviews this time – it has to be! Or we will get mighty depressed. We will be seen live quite often. We are going to Paganfest 2011 tour in March. Our Italy show shall be in Bologna 24.3. (Estragon is the place, hmm… Bologna, isn’t that where spaghetti bolognese is from? Maybe I ought to try it there.) We will also do Metalfest Open Air festivals in May 2011 as well as Metal Female Voices Fest in Wieze, Belgium in October 2011.
15. And last but not least, what do you have to say to your fans across the world?
Never make an elf angry, especially at Christmas time. Rock n’ Troll!
Thanks Leeni-Maria for this interview! Have a great 2011!
Interviewed by Nelli Perkkiö
Kivimetsän Druidi
interview by - Wouter Roemers
Kivimetsän Druidi were perhaps one of the oddest Century Media Records signings of 2008. Their debut album "Shadowheart" followed soon and received relatively positive critics in the international metal press. While my reaction to them was lukewarm to say the least when hearing them on record, when I was able to catch their set on last year's installment of the Metale Female Voices Fest, Belgium's premier gothic/symphonic metal festival, and being thoroughly impressed with their performance, an interview was the least we could grant this incredibly brutal folk/pagan metal band. Frontman Joni Koskinen (vocals, guitars) was eager to talk about the band's history, their signing with Century Media Records, it's debut and the subsequent European – and North American touring jaunts. In closure, he also reveals some details about their upcoming second record, "Betrayal, Justice, Revenge".
Hi! Thanks for doing this interview with us! A few months ago you returned from the Heathenfest tour across North America alongside Belphegor, Alestorm and Eluveitie. How was that, there weren't too much cancelled dates – how were the reactions from the American audience to this mostly European style?
Hey ya! First of all, I'm very sorry for the delay. We went straight back to studio when we got home from America and somehow forgot this interview of yours, our sincere apologies for that. For the question then, the Heathenfest tour was very much what I like to call awesome. At most of the places audience was wild and many people obviously knew the band. All in all it was fantastic to tour with all these bands and I would certainly love to get back there sooner than later.
The band now known as Kivimetsän Druidi came together around 2002. How did you find each other? Were you already friends or did you know each other from rock clubs or something?
We found the band with my brother and started it more or less as a two-man-project. In 2004 we wanted to gather full live line-up and at that point all the members were our friends. Since then the line-up has changed quite a lot, as only half of the members today are the same that played on the first gig in 2004.
I'll admit right off the bat that I wasn't too fond of "Shadowheart" when I heard it in promo. When I caught you guys at the Metal Female Voices Fest in Wieze, Belgium I was simply astonished. Kivimetsän Druidi really slays live... Straightforward power, finesse and brutality that wouldn't be amiss at a death metal gig. I never stopped headbanging throughout your set.
That's nice to hear. To tell the truth, we weren't that satisfied when we first time heard our mastered debut album. There were lots of stuff that we would have wanted to make differently (and what we have done differently during recording the second), but there just wasn't enough time. We recorded the first album in a terrible hurry and it's been only lately that I've started to accept it. But yeah, live is the thing you should go and see, if you want to know what Kivimetsän Druidi is all about.
As mentioned in the previous question you were one of the bands of the first day of the Metal Female Voices Fest (www.metalfemalevoicesfest.be) at the Oktoberhallen in Wieze, Belgium. Since this was your first time playing with Kivimetsän Druidi at the festival, how did you find the festival and its accommodations? Did you and the rest of the band had the time to taste of our famed Belgian beers?
There's always time to taste a few beers, if you ask me! So, yeah, we had a couple of 'em. When it comes to the festival, it was easily one of the best shows we've had audience-wise. I just hope no one noticed the problems we had on stage or how pissed we were because of that after the show. It was like this until we came to the autograph session and talked with the audience. I can tell that made our day. Clearly it had sounded and looked a tad bit better to the audience than we had believed. So, it would be perfect to play there again in MFVF. I'm really looking forward to our next chance to do so.
Your sound is a combination of heroic and barbaric folk metal with bombastic symphonic metal and duelling gruff male – and angelic female vocals. Exactly how did this idea come about to combine two popular distinctively Scandinavian styles into an explosive whole?
We started the band without female vocalist, but it was already after the first gig we realised something's missing. We found a nice girl to sing in our band and since then there has been no doubt, if we should have both male growls and female vocals or not. For the music itself then, I think we've just done what comes in to our minds and created music that we'd like to listen ourselves. Of course we've had a certain guideline what to do, but basically it's been through a natural development of the band which has modified the sound to be as it is today.
Finland has a good history and pedigree in folk metal with bands like Ensiferum, Finntroll, Korpiklaani and Moonsorrow as most popular exports. With the increasing number of good pagan/folk metal bands in the genre right now, do you ever feel like you're in competition with anyone?
I don't feel like we'd be in competition or would have a rivalry of any kind. Sure, the record sales are getting lower all the time and that could make people to buy only this or that album and not both and whatever, but I just like to enjoy playing the music. If it is the same people that like Ensiferum's music that like our stuff, why should it be called competition in any way? It's just a healthy genre with many good bands.
You released a couple of demos and EPs prior to "Shadowheart". Around what time did Century Media Records contact the band that they were interested in offering Kivimetsän Druidi a contract?
It was after our first European tour when we decided to start co-operating with our European manager Matte. He introduced the band to Century Media and quite soon they showed interest towards us. I think it was like one or two months before we started the recording of our debut album we signed the deal.
Kivimetsän Druidi went through a number of female singers before settling with Leeni-Maria Hovila. What made her the ideal match with the rest of the band and what is she able to offer the sound that her predecessors couldn't?
After we started looking for a third female singer, we were in kind of a hurry… plus we didn't knew any that could fit. Then somehow our manager (not the European one) found out about Leeni-Maria and asked if she was interested to come and pay a visit at our rehearsals. It was a perfect match right away and it was only like three weeks 'til we were supposed to play our next gig. The devotion and work she put in to the band right from the start made us really satisfied. What she's able to offer then? She's a professional singer with a very good voice, she composes her own vocal lines for the songs and has written most of the lyrics on our second album (of which I'm personally very grateful). She's very kind person and she actually has a certain level of authority in the band as well. All in all, she has the characteristics that are required if one wants to travel and sleep a month or two in a same tour bus and retain her/his sanity as well.
"Shadowheart", your debut for Century Media Records, is based upon the fantasy novel Joni Koskinen is writing. The novel tells a story from The Land of the Crystal Mountain and Stone Forest. Which parts or chapters of the novel have been adapted for this album?
It's that most of the lyrics, not all, are based on this novel. Naming the exact chapters or parts is pretty hard as well, 'cause the novel has been sort of in a freezed state for quite some time now. It would be better to say those lyrics gain influence from the world I created for this novel, not from the novel itself.
How does the songwriting process go like? Do Joni and Antti Koskinen write most of the material or does the entire band contribute to the process in the rehearsal room?
On "Shadowheart" it was me and Antti who did most of the job and others more or less played what we said. Now on the second album, it's only Simo who doesn't have his name on the composer list, even though he's the mastermind behind the bass-lines. So nowadays everyone takes part into songwriting and there's two of us writing the lyrics as well. Our sound today is a perfect mix of everyone's input. To summarize a basic songwriting process for a new song of ours, it would be something like this: Person X (or persons X and Y) composes a basic guideline for a song, the whole band listens the song, then tells their opinion and things they'd do differently, then the song gets modified as long as it sounds perfect and then me or Leeni-Maria write some lyrics for it.
Six of the eleven tracks of this record are re-recorded cuts from Kivimetsän Druidi's earlier demos and EPs. Were you under a lot of pressure from the label to deliver an album as quickly as possible or were these simply the best songs from the old catalogue?
Yes, we were in terrible hurry, as I might have already told, but that doesn't change the fact that those songs, at least most of them, would have ended up on our debut album anyway. We wanted to have an album to support on our second European tour. So I think what I'm saying here is that it is yes to both of your questions.
This album was recorded and produced at Noisecamp Studio in Turku. Mixed by Esa Orjatsalo at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki. To be perfectly honest, I never hear of this studio before - how was it recording at Noisecamp Studio?
Recording there was easy solution as we had recorded our two previous EPs/demos there. So we were familiar with the things there and so on. We were also pleased with the result of our latest EP, so we wanted the debut album to sound like that with some minor modifications. Even though we were in a hurry it was quite good to record in that studio.
You also shot a video for the track 'Jaassa Varttunut' ('Grow Upon Within Ice') – the video was quite elaborate and epic. With which director and production company did you work record this video and how long did the shoot last?
We were working with Copper Sky Production company and the name of the director was Timo Puustinen. The shoot lasted only two days and took place in Mountain Pyhä in Finland's Lapland.
There are six people in the band, I take it you all have day jobs on the side to make ends meet. Is it easy getting everybody together for rehearsals and getting days off from work to do these lengthy tours here in Europe as well as the United States?
Actually two of us are working full time at the moment, while four are still completing their studies. Getting everybody to rehearsals is always a complicated thing to do, as some of us live these days 200 km from Kouvola where our rehearsing place is. So far no one doesn't have had any problems to get days of for longer tours, but some two-gig-weekends have caused a slight trouble.
In support "Shadowheart" you did two European tours and the earlier mentioned Heathenfest in North America. Is there any more roadwork scheduled before you'll be holing up in the studio to finalize your all-important second album "Betrayal, Justice, Revenge"?
No, we've kept it low profile after Heathenfest. This has been because of personal reasons and also because the band needs a bit of rest after the studio-tour-studio combo. At the moment we're concentrating on rehearsing and will hopefully start playing gigs in April again, to promote the new album.
You have recently completed working on your second full-length album "Betrayal, Justice, Revenge" after the touring jaunts. Of course "Shadowheart" already gives us an idea of what we can expect, but I'm wondering if you have more secrets and tricks up your sleeve…
You can never know what to expect when you're dealing with us… Oh well… except plenty of good tunes, of course. I promise you the next album will kick ass much more than the debut one. Not to forget the great deal of joy you'll experience listening to it.
Well, I guess that's all from my side. Anything else you might want to add?
Stay tuned for some samples of our second album "Betrayal, Justice, Revenge" in our MySpace page www.myspace.com/kivimetsandruidi and visit also our revamped website at www.kivimetsandruidi.com and hope to see you all who read this on tour!
