
1. Hello dear Veikka, pleasure to have you on Rotten Pages ´zine. How are you doing today? Let us set the scene first. Where do we find you right now? Please describe your surroundings.
Thanks for having me! I'm just chilling in my bedroom at the moment, same room I record and do everything for Winter Suicide.
2. Being the sole musician behind the band as well, would it be possible to tell us more about your personal musical background?
I started listening to metal at around 13 or 14 years years old and the guitar also came along with it, then at 15 I fell in love with bass and it has become my main instrument since then.
3. As a multi-instrumentalist, you took on the challenge of playing all the instruments. How did you manage to capture the essence of black metal using your unique approach?
That is a very tough question, I guess it's about writing riffs with the right vibe. Recording technique and the gear you use is also important. I used a Roland Micro Cube with a Boss DS-2 for the worst possible guitar sound, recorded the vocals far away from the microphone, all that good stuff.
4. Did the black metal come with time as a natural choice for expression of your ideas or you were straight forward right from the start and decisive that you want to play black metal definitely?
It's actually very funny how I started doing this, I wanted to play in a band and since I didn't know anyone willing to start a band, so I thought to myself "fuck it, I'm just gonna start a solo project" and then the idea of making black metal just naturally came to me.

5. “Stories from A Shallow Grave” is the title of your debut demo. Are there any kind of particular points of inspiration for these tracks that you would like to discuss?
There probably were some subconscious influences on me, but I did avoid listening to black metal during the writing process so I could be as original as possible.
6. As a one-man project, how do you handle the creative process and bring your vision to life? Are there any specific challenges or advantages to working alone?
My creative process with Winter Suicide is music first, and then I come up with lyrics and themes that fit the songs. There are good and bad things that come with solo projects, you get to fulfill your own vision just how you like it, but then you also have to do everything on your own. So it's really a double edged sword but I wouldn't say it's better or worse than being in a band.
7. Are there any external influences on the music? Anything you were listening to at the time – or reading, or watching – which you feel had an effect on the writing process?
Oh yeah, everything that surrounds me will show up in Winter Suicide in one way or another, be it directly or indirectly.

8. Where is your favorite place to write your songs? And from what symbols, feelings, stories or environments do you get inspiration?
There isn't really a favorite place to write, I just come up with stuff in my head or when I'm just messing around on the guitar no matter where I am. I don't seek inspiration from anything specific.
9. In your opinion, black metal went through evolution or revolution since its origins back in the early 90’s?
I don't think "real" black metal hasn't changed that much through the years, though I wouldn't know since I rarely listen to newer bands, I like the old school stuff.
10. Regarding the black metal scene of today: its latest sub-genres being suicidal/depressive bm, war metal and black/noise, respectively. Do you hold any interest on those? Would you fear that the black metal scene as a whole,has been overtagged,or even overflooded with trends?
DSBM and war metal are both good additions to the black metal style in my opinion, but too many trends and new subgenres can dilute the scene.
11. If you were to choose one album that had a huge impact in you, which album would that be and why?
I would have to say Bathory's first album, that to me is the perfect extreme metal record.
12. Since music is universal and brings so much to the table, what is your philosophy and intake about what music means to you?
I think music's an art form which many people take for granted, anyone can express themselves just how they want to with music, doesn't matter how good or bad you are at playing. Write about what you want to and play how you want to.
13. When not making music, what are some interests you like to do on your spare time? How is living in Finland?
Just hanging out or jamming with friends and cruising around town, going to gigs, basic teenager stuff, nothing special. Living in Finland is overall pretty good, though I really can't think of anything of anything specific to tell about, it's cold, safe and a good quality of life.
14. If people from outside Finland would want to travel to a location that has inspired you to write music in your home country, where would they have to go?
My advice would be to avoid the big cities, smaller cities and the countryside are where you get the authentic Finland experience, also Lapland is a must see for any tourist.
15. And finally, are there any plans underway for a follow up to Winter Suicide?
I am working on some new stuff, it's too early to tell when it's going to be released or will it be an EP or a full length album, but it will be a bit different from Stories From a Shallow Grave but that's all I can say for the time being.
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