Blistering.com: Have you totally moved away from the “Swamp Metal” theme? If so, is there any type of theme running through For the Revolution?
AK: I feel that For the Revolution is pure swamp metal for me. Actually, it is a slogan we came up with because people want to categorize every piece of metal. So, it is absolutely sure that there is no other bands that play swamp metal.
Blistering.com: You and your brother write the bulk of the songs. Are there are any major arguments when it comes time to put together a new album? Better yet, does Marco serve as a mediator between the two of you?
AK: We have some minor fights every now and then but nothing serious. I am the actual leader of the band (don’t tell the other guys…haha) and at the end, I make the decisions. Of course, there is mass pressure every now and then and I have to make some compromises. But that is the main way we do Kalmah music. It is all about pretty much dictatorship, but every one has a spoon on the soup.
Blistering.com: Five albums in, it appears The Black Waltz is the odd-ball in the Kalmah discography.
AK: For me, it is kind of a start of a new era. We did the first three in a very hasty pace and after that it was time to settle down. I wrote the songs almost two years before we got a new keyboard player so we kind of cleared the dust and got reborn. I really like the album and it does have the same Kalmah elements as all of our album have. On that album we took back the deep vocals we had in 90`s before the first record deal when Kalmah was entitled Ancestor. I think the deep vocals and lower guitar tuning makes it maybe a bit odd in the Kalmah history. On the other hand, that album really was kind of milestone for the band when it comes to the success.
Blistering.com: One thing that’s prominent is that Kalmah has become more riff-oriented. On your early albums, you were more or less doing some type of melody or lead over the riffs, but now it appears you’ve scaled back. What’s the reasoning behind this?
AK: I have always come up with the riffs first, usually. In the beginning, I just decorated more riffs with melodies. Now, I have decided to let the riffs hear more because there are good riffs to be heard. It gives more air for the songs. I have always liked both – good riffs and good melodies. On the other hand, if I find a good melody for some riffs I’ll use it definitely even though the riff could work as itself.
Blistering.com: They Will Return is one of the more underrated albums of the decade. Do you feel it’s the most underappreciated Kalmah album or do you feel it got its just due?
AK:: For me it is on the bottom of the favorite list. There is just lots of stuff, but no actual “hit” stuff or so. We were in a serious hurry to write the songs before the studio and we lost our drummer and we had to get the new drummer in. I wrote the songs and we rehearsed the songs just six weeks before the studio, so basically the whole album was written in six weeks. There is not much time to let the material get mature so there is inevitably some stuff that sounds a bit crappy for me. But we gained some serious fans with that album and almost every week I run into comments like, “They Will Return is the best album.” Those guys want us to do another TWR but it is not just possible I guess. We have to move on, sorry guys. That album is the fastest we have made, so maybe there is the reason some of fans like the album most.
Blistering.com: “The Blind Leader” is the best song on the aforementioned album. Am I off-base for suggesting that, or is “Principle Hero” better?
AK: For me the best is “The Blind Leader.” That is one of the first songs we wrote as Kalmah. We recorded it for the first Kalmah demo which led us to recording deal so there is some extra feeling in it. I do like “Hollow Heart” pretty much, and we play it live a lot.
Blistering.com: Were you dissatisfied with your partnership with Century Media?
AK: To be honest, yes. It feels that they just bought the rights for the albums and waited if something happens without promoting it decently. But that is the way of record business and I have no hard feelings. It is a very good thing that people can now find our previous albums along with the new ones.
Blistering.com: Summer in Finland. Better than winter in Finland?
AK: Nope. This summer it has rained almost every Goddamn day. The last winter was good. We had a good amount of snow. I hope next winter will be very cold. Actually, I like the autumn most.
Blistering.com: Is drinking a required weekend activity for you during the summertime?
AK: Not just summer. We do it all year!
Blistering.com: Finally, what’s on tap for the rest of 2008?
AK: I made beer called “Tiribeer.” I actually have started to do all-grain beer with my neighbor. For Kalmah, we are now starting to write new material for the next album which is supposed to be recorded next spring. But we will not hurry. If there is no decent inspiration, we will surely postpone the recordings.