by Keith Clement
How do you feel making music all by yourself and as a band.
The biggest difference is in the studio work. I still write music pretty much on my own so no big changes on that side. Mika has been giving some killer riffs for both Shadow World and the new album “Tyhjyys” and I am more than welcome for more input from the guys but so far it has been in my hands. Writing FOR a band is different than writing a solo album since I have super talented guys and that open so many doors when it comes to composing because eventually my skills would limit the creative process. Also it is really nice to focus more on the productional side in the studio and just play my own parts.
Why did you make the decision to have a band wherein you Initially wanted to have this all by yourself?
From the very beginning of Wolfheart I wanted to able to play live shows so session line-up was something I needed to have anyway. Things worked out really well with the guys and they kind of grew into the band and would have felt wrong to enter the studio to record 2nd album on my own. I never had the plan to keep Wolfheart 100% as a solo project. I am able to make an album on my own if that is needed but it does not mean that I would have the need to do it so.
We are expecting an album from Wolfheart in 2017, I bet this should have already been in a completion state in the studio, Would you like to tell something about the forthcoming album?
It has been mixed and mastered now for few months. Super excited about the release already. Definitely the most varied W album so far. Fastest, slowest, heaviest and most melancholic stuff all in the same album. Also did huge amount of pre-production this time and overall we went to the studio really prepared and all guitars, bass and drums were recorded in 7 days.
“Wolfheart” the name sounds like the wild spirit of the forest, Does it have to do anything with the band lyrically or musically?
It has! To me it carries the vibe of a lone warrior wandering the northern forests. To me Wolfheart name describes the music and themes of the album really well but I am also wayyyy too much inside the box to analyze it any deeper. Wolfheart is indeed a wild and lone spirit!
“Winter Metal” is something authentic for Wolf heart, how did you come up with this new genre of music?
It is always a pain in the ass to put a label on your own music. I love winter and do most of my music writing during winter so that season is strongly present in the actual making of the music. Also there is a lot of wintery themes in the lyrics and i try to create a wintery mood also to the music. Cold and brutal but also beautiful and grand.
Metal World has been closely watching bands from Finland, Finland has always given great music to the world, Perfection is something the fans can always expect, what is the reaction of Finnish fans towards the music from Finland?
Finnish metal fans are really supportive and loyal for Finnish bands and that is the key thing why the metal scene is so strong in Finland. Almost weekly there is metal album in the top album charts etc. We do value our own bands very high!
“Tuomas Saukkonen” is a name well know among the metal warriors, Your music has touched fans over the years, how do you feel about this success?
I keep myself pretty far from the music scene in general. Just do my own stuff with music and work as a gardener so it still surprises me when people contact me about for example my music touching them or helping them during hard times. it is great that this kind of connection can be made with just music. I have been pretty busy the past years when it comes to releasing albums and therefore there is has been a constant reminders for people about my music writing but I would rather have the music / bands take the fame than me personally.
What’s your next plan, as the world knows Tuomas will not stick to one thing, he is like a forest Spirit who keeps travelling and experience new things?
2017 I will be pretty busy touring with Wolfheart but I have had few projects in my mind for some time. Just haven´t got the time to actually proceed with those yet. Maybe in the end of this year. not entering the studio with W this year so definitely some new music will be written and recorded for some other band / project. Been working as a producer for interesting bands in past so might get back into that as well.
Do you have plans to tour far off from Europe, what are the plans for 2017?
We are touring in Europe with Insomnium and Barren Earth january 2017 and it actually starts in few days. Then after the release of the album in march we will have mini tours in scandinavia, spain and portugal before the festival season which seems to be busy times as well. Hopefully 2nd euro tour coming in fall 2017 and finally heading to US before end of the year.
Tuomas, It was a pleasure to have you with us for this Interview, Thanks so much for giving us this time, Do you have any message for the fans around the World?
Support your local underground scene!
Keith Clement / Metalheads Forever Magazine
