1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Tuomas: Well, the whole thing started during the last few years as my main band Pain Confessor was sort of losing itself amidst the failing industry and our inspirations and motivations started to die off. Some wanted to keep going, some didn't want it that much and finally it unraveled when our drummer wanted to take a timeout. That's what broke the camel's back. We didn't really have the spirit left in us to continue searching for a new drummer and keep going. At least that is how it seemed to me. I had been writing material as usual and had a full length's worth of songs demoed and we had even tried out a few but when the shit hit the fan I was disheartened to see my songs threatened to be left unused.
They were pretty good songs and I really felt there was something there so I pondered what to do. After a while I came to conclusion that I will release the songs after finishing them as best I could and have it be my farewell to my band. It seemed appropriate as I had so much stuff to take up my time in my personal life and I even thought I would just put it out and quit. So I wrestled the whole thing together, finished the songs, did vocals, mixed the album and had it mastered by the innovative LANDR online mastering service. Now it's about to be released and I can breathe again.
2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the album?
Tuomas: It's a mixture of stuff I love, which would be the whole field of metal music. I guess it is supposed to be called Melodic Death Metal but I don't know. I am at a loss with genres anyway and just do what sounds good to me. It is heavy, brutal at times, yet melodic. I write songs to my moods mostly so the music reflects how I felt at the time of writing the material and even though some songs are a few years older I apparently feel the same way about things as I found it very easy to dive into it and finish it all with lyrics and vocals.
Vocals range from lower growling to shrieking and anything between the extremes. You will not find the traditional clean vocals here though. I used one absolutely clean vocal thing in there, which is in the background of the chorus of Emptiness. I did all the music in quite a live fashion so the songs would sound much like they would sound played live. Vocals are one take or two takes, mostly. Guitar and bass parts are also few takes and as live as possible. Drums I had to construct using software as I didn't have a drummer ready and also I wanted to do my own arrangements for drums as well, like how I would play the parts if I was good enough drummer. The end result is music I want to hear.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?
Tuomas: My hatred towards the world we live in. I mean, I love life and I want to enjoy life but the suffering all around us and the damage we do to the world and to each other is just so fucking horrible and disgusting that it eats away at everything achievable in one man's personal life. I write about my feelings when I see pictures of dead children bombed to pieces for some rich privileged asshat's greed or families torn apart by some religious fanatic shitheads, when I hear news about kids and teens raped by some disgusting supposed "refugee" fucks who left their women and children to die of hunger and came to MY country to abuse MY money, MY land, MY hospitality and MY people. I want to help those women and children, and the men who really need help but to allow this shit to happen to innocent people who are not ever responsible for the goddamn wars the "refugees" are "fleeing" from is absurd and criminal. And I do not condone the raping and abuse by anyone else either. The current world situation just makes one capture the moment. I feel utter hate and rage toward both sides of every conflict for there is no justified war going on. Everything seems staged to make us all suffer.
The political landscape is total bullshit. I hate the lying, deception, greed and the disdain towards the people who elected them. That's what I write about. The scorn of the elite towards those who essentially make them what they are. Emptiness is about perseverance in a situation where you have everything staked against you and there is nothing you can do but bite the bullet and soldier on. It is actually inspired by some very close people who have to fight a muscle deteriorating disease and after living with that struggle seeing their power and will to withstand something that would have me cry like a pussy and wish for death made me think about it thoroughly and write about it. The chorus is, funnily enough, inspired by the scene from the movie Dredd where a couple of guys get themselves skinned alive and thrown down a building with a puff of Slo-Mo slowing their experiences to feel like eternity. I imagine the pain in the muscles and waiting for the seizures to subside would feel similar.
Also, when my first child was born I dove into an eternal state of worry and preparedness. Every loving parent knows this. I am on DEFCON 5 all the time. When I read about someone's child molested, kidnapped, killed or raped or whatever horrible shit perverted people do to others, I always wonder where their fathers are? If anything should ever happen to my children I know in my heart I could not bear to live with that knowledge without acting on my instincts which tell me to retaliate and make sure the horror ends there. I would kill, butcher, the assailant. I would rather go to jail or die than let my friends or family suffer unpunished.
Immortal, Entwined lyrics are plain fiction based on some real events that I just wanted to write a story about. And the last song is what it is, a farewell.
4.What are some of the things you are able to do with your solo project that you where not able to do with 'Pain Confessor'?
Tuomas: Honestly, nothing really, except do vocals. We had a great band with six guys writing stuff together and I didn't really feel I didn't get to do something I wanted. I have always been writing different stuff by myself anyway so there is an outlet for material not suitable for Pain Confessor and now A Soul Called Perdition.
I guess the main freedom here is I do everything without consulting anyone and I get my vision down 100% instead of running it by 5 other guys. Not that it was a problem but this here is me and only me. I say what I want, play what I want and sound like I want. And release it how I want, when I want and for what price I want. The business part was the crappy part of my band experience so this time it is all me, no one else is invited to affect the processes and decisions. Perhaps this is my trial that I just have to go through. To see if it can be done this way. I ended up sounding like that one girl in Coming to America there for a second, hahahha! “I want to produce my own songs, write my own songs, sing my own songs…” Oh my…
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'A Soul Called Perdition'?
Tuomas: I have suffered from severe depression for most of my life and it is hell to live with, both for me and for everyone around me. Considering all the lyrical content I have laid out for this album and the fact that this is a one-man-project it seemed appropriate. I am a troubled soul full of hell. A lost one. And I am not the only one, nor am I anything special so "a soul" would describe it better than being "The Soul Called Perdition". Anyone feeling the same might be able to identify with it. We are all lost. And no, I am not religious. Far from it. Soul just describes mind more poetically than the word “mind”, I think.
6.With this musical project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians again or do you prefer to work solo?
Tuomas: Yes, I am open to working with others, even though I prefer to keep this project as it is, if I continue that is. Actually I am planning on a live lineup if the need arises and some place would have me/us come and do a set live.
I also do vocals and write lyrics for Kara Darahu and I am also playing guitar for a black metal / grind band Ruumiskellari so I am not as hermit as you might think. Oh yeah, and we have a Sentenced cover band that does only older material of the Taneli Jarva-era until Amok / Love and Death EP.
7.Currently you are unsigned,are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Tuomas: Fuck no! I finally got rid of the shackles of previous labels and am feeling awesome so hell no, I won't step into that trap again. Why the fuck would I voluntarily bring in people whose sole purpose is to make money out of my work? If I were to ever again consider a label the offered deal would have to be not of this world. I'll keep my rights, thank you very much!
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of extreme metal?
Tuomas: Have received none with this project yet but can't wait to hear what people have to say. Overall I have had great experiences with metal fans and I share their passion. I love Japan and Japanese metal fans! Also, I would love to tour Europe. Never really got to do it so I just rely on what other musicians have said and their comments are always encouraging. US would be cool too, to visit there again and bring some music with me this time.
9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
Tuomas: Straight to the gallows. No, I have no idea whether or not I am able to do music as much as I would love to. Other commitments take up so much time now. But I will keep writing music and probably eventually do another album or something. I would love to play live but that is not entirely up to me. If the right occasion comes and I get the right people to join up, it will be great!
10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Tuomas: Sentenced definitely, the North From Here – The Trooper EP – Amok era. I was just thinking about this topic and I think 80s stuff like Iron Maiden and WASP, their dual guitar leads are awesome and I always preferred the more melodic licks by Adrian Smith and Randy Piper over the faster guitar hero stuff of Dave Murray and Chris Holmes. Metallica was a big thing for me, still is but you just cannot be the same fanatic fan of teens at 30s, I think. Dissection and Satyricon were a doorway for me to some darker territories and through a vast selection of the best black metal the early 90s had to offer I found something to soothe my depressed mind. Yes, I did not kill anyone, it actually helped me get through most of the more rough times. I guess the only thing that has not influenced me is music I haven’t heard. I tend to like a song if it’s good, no matter what genre it comes from.
11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Tuomas: I love movies and games, reading huge books by good writers, studying history and law. I am also an avid conspiracy theory reader, I enjoy looking into the most ridiculous shit as well as the more real theories and stories. For some reason I often listen to all kinds of Ancient Aliens stuff at work. Fascinating stuff. I also have a penchant for sharing tidbits of useless facts and knowledge. My wife describes me as someone who doesn’t know what time it is or when Christmas Eve is but I know what size are the testicles of a blue whale. Couldn’t agree more. I know too much useless shit!
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Tuomas: Thanks for this interview! I appreciate it! To anyone reading, be cool to each other and listen to good music. Fuck the oppressing governments, let’s take back our lives and live it to the fullest!
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