For The Imperium - Interview.
1). So thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us guys, first off, introduce yourselves.
Hello Loud-Stuff! It´s Tuomas here. I´m the drummer of the band. Ville is our guitarist. Jyri is our bass player and Hakim is the singer. We come from different parts of Finland but now we all live in Helsinki.
2). When did you all get together?
It was 2008 when we made our first self-financed promo CD. After that we made two self-financed EP´s 2009 and 2010 before signing a record deal with Warner Music.
3). How did you all meet?
We all studied in the Helsinki Pop/Jazz Conservatory at the same time (Yeah...). We played together in different projects before we founded FTI. At that time we noticed we all had same kind of goals and visions about making own music.
4). How would you describe your music?
In a nutshell our music is a mix of pop/rock/metal played with punk attitude. Some people call us avant-garde metallers.
5). Who are your major influences?
As individuals we are very different songwriters so it´s not easy to answer this question. I´m originally a jazz and fusion guy who ended up playing metal, haha. The band that got me into metal as teenager was Pantera. Some other metal bands I like are Death, SikTh, Psycroptic and Meshuggah to name few. When it comes to listening music I´m a schizophrenic, hehe. I might change from Bryan Adams to Gorgoroth.....
6). We featured the record on Loud-Stuff a while back and loved what we heard, how has the general reception been for it so far?
Thanks! The general reception has been very good. Of course there is always some resistance. Well, what can you expect when you make such provocative music, hah. The first UK trip we made last month was very good. The reception there was amazing and it feels good to come back so quickly.
7). What do you think it is about your music that’s catching peoples attention?
The songwriting style. We don´t restrict ourselves when it comes to writing music. So there are lots of surprising elements. When playing live it´s probably the energy and the showmanship with our instruments.
8). Supporting Devin Townsend has to be a pretty cool achievement, how did that come about?
We have done lots....LOTS of work with this band. That is the reason we have gone this far. Devin´s management offered us this slot. It´s the same company that fixed us the first UK tour. We are very proud of this and looking forward to play again in the UK! For the Finnish metal people Devin is like a god so after announcing the tour here, people have been very excited.
10). What can people expect from the tour and live show?
Our live show is always very energetic. We are 100% a live band and we love to be on the stage. Crazy playing and catchy choruses!
11). Are there any plans for new recordings in the pipeline at the moment?
Not yet. We have planned to start composing new stuff in the summer when we have more time.
12). Tour wise, can we expect to see you back after the DTP shows?
For sure! We love to play in the UK.
13). Finally – say something profound that will make everyone think:
Milk is for babies, men drink beer. -A. Schwarzenegger
Check out what we thought of For The Imperium below!
Words: Dave Nicholls
Hello Loud-Stuff! It´s Tuomas here. I´m the drummer of the band. Ville is our guitarist. Jyri is our bass player and Hakim is the singer. We come from different parts of Finland but now we all live in Helsinki.
2). When did you all get together?
It was 2008 when we made our first self-financed promo CD. After that we made two self-financed EP´s 2009 and 2010 before signing a record deal with Warner Music.
3). How did you all meet?
We all studied in the Helsinki Pop/Jazz Conservatory at the same time (Yeah...). We played together in different projects before we founded FTI. At that time we noticed we all had same kind of goals and visions about making own music.
4). How would you describe your music?
In a nutshell our music is a mix of pop/rock/metal played with punk attitude. Some people call us avant-garde metallers.
5). Who are your major influences?
As individuals we are very different songwriters so it´s not easy to answer this question. I´m originally a jazz and fusion guy who ended up playing metal, haha. The band that got me into metal as teenager was Pantera. Some other metal bands I like are Death, SikTh, Psycroptic and Meshuggah to name few. When it comes to listening music I´m a schizophrenic, hehe. I might change from Bryan Adams to Gorgoroth.....
6). We featured the record on Loud-Stuff a while back and loved what we heard, how has the general reception been for it so far?
Thanks! The general reception has been very good. Of course there is always some resistance. Well, what can you expect when you make such provocative music, hah. The first UK trip we made last month was very good. The reception there was amazing and it feels good to come back so quickly.
7). What do you think it is about your music that’s catching peoples attention?
The songwriting style. We don´t restrict ourselves when it comes to writing music. So there are lots of surprising elements. When playing live it´s probably the energy and the showmanship with our instruments.
8). Supporting Devin Townsend has to be a pretty cool achievement, how did that come about?
We have done lots....LOTS of work with this band. That is the reason we have gone this far. Devin´s management offered us this slot. It´s the same company that fixed us the first UK tour. We are very proud of this and looking forward to play again in the UK! For the Finnish metal people Devin is like a god so after announcing the tour here, people have been very excited.
10). What can people expect from the tour and live show?
Our live show is always very energetic. We are 100% a live band and we love to be on the stage. Crazy playing and catchy choruses!
11). Are there any plans for new recordings in the pipeline at the moment?
Not yet. We have planned to start composing new stuff in the summer when we have more time.
12). Tour wise, can we expect to see you back after the DTP shows?
For sure! We love to play in the UK.
13). Finally – say something profound that will make everyone think:
Milk is for babies, men drink beer. -A. Schwarzenegger
Check out what we thought of For The Imperium below!
Words: Dave Nicholls
For The Imperium
We were recently put on to For The Imperium, a band who describe themselves as ‘action, drama, excitement, rocking metal music challenged to the limit, and beyond’, which sounds pretty good to me. Going on to say that the Finish metallers are here to ‘kick your ugly (_*_) in the name of peace, love, understanding and mutual respect’, I figured that it was time to kick back, hit play and see what the record held in store for me.
Opening with Take A Breath the record gets off to a solid start, immediately showing us what we’re in for with the album and kicking straight into a roaring melee of hammering guitar work, roaring vocal lines, intricate lead lines and rolling drums – it’s a fast paced and powerful mix from the word go. Full on from the moment that things get going, there’s no messing about on this record, simply a sense of all out power and distortion designed to hit him, get you moving, and show you what real metal sounds like. Northern Rampage continues this approach further, developing the sound into a more industrial and powerful approach, almost adding in a sense of funkiness to the mix yet still keeping the sound firmly their own. To me, this track is all about the live scene, it’s the sort of thing which is going to get crowds moving, people jumping, chanting and begging for more. Standing out as one of my own personal favourites off of the record, this is one to make sure you check out.
Victim’s Day once again manages to shift the style of the record as it comes into being, moving towards that industrial style once again whilst still managing to keep a sense of rock and metal at the forefront of things. The electronic elements which push forwards the opening moments of this track soon fade and soon enough, we’re launched into a powerful melee of roaring vocals, hammering guitar lines, and enough drums to destroy the walls of the venue where it’s being played – solid for sure. Sexual Advisory changes again (there’s a lot going on here) the style of things, moving into a heavy version of dark wave crossed with new wave, it’s a strange mix which leads into the track beginning properly but one which keeps the sense of differentiation alive and going. It’s striking how the guys have managed to incorporate so many different styles into one record, evidence that they’re either musical geniuses, or utter lunatics!
Progressing through Heaven Shall Fall, Army Of Death, Sudden Death and Satan De Gol r Ont, the album continues to push the boundaries of what should be possible on a record, all the time keeping a sense of who we’re hearing alive, yet managing to throw in approach after approach designed to keep things interesting and different –they manage it which is even more of an accomplishment. It’s when FRNDSHP Is Over comes about though that another serious high point is achieved, throwing us straight into a rolling melee of hammering double bass drumming, roaring vocal lines and hammering guitar riffs – it’s a track which doesn’t mess about with intros and instead, just smashes you in the face with a serious dose of all out devastation.
Closing with Filthy Animal, the chaps seem to have saved yet another ‘out there’ approach for the end, moving more towards the electronic style of things to close things off and leaving on a strange, yet somehow alluring note. It’s a strange close to the record, and I suppose looking back over the record it works, but it’s odd for sure, and something which may well alienate numerous people who hear it – but hey.
I don’t quite know what to think here, as For The Imperium have thrown so many things into one basket, and for the most part made it work. From electronic moments through to full on metal moments, this album has it all, and somehow manages to sound coherent and well put together. Check these guys out if you’re looking for something a little different, you might just like it!
To find out more about For The Imperium, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with Take A Breath the record gets off to a solid start, immediately showing us what we’re in for with the album and kicking straight into a roaring melee of hammering guitar work, roaring vocal lines, intricate lead lines and rolling drums – it’s a fast paced and powerful mix from the word go. Full on from the moment that things get going, there’s no messing about on this record, simply a sense of all out power and distortion designed to hit him, get you moving, and show you what real metal sounds like. Northern Rampage continues this approach further, developing the sound into a more industrial and powerful approach, almost adding in a sense of funkiness to the mix yet still keeping the sound firmly their own. To me, this track is all about the live scene, it’s the sort of thing which is going to get crowds moving, people jumping, chanting and begging for more. Standing out as one of my own personal favourites off of the record, this is one to make sure you check out.
Victim’s Day once again manages to shift the style of the record as it comes into being, moving towards that industrial style once again whilst still managing to keep a sense of rock and metal at the forefront of things. The electronic elements which push forwards the opening moments of this track soon fade and soon enough, we’re launched into a powerful melee of roaring vocals, hammering guitar lines, and enough drums to destroy the walls of the venue where it’s being played – solid for sure. Sexual Advisory changes again (there’s a lot going on here) the style of things, moving into a heavy version of dark wave crossed with new wave, it’s a strange mix which leads into the track beginning properly but one which keeps the sense of differentiation alive and going. It’s striking how the guys have managed to incorporate so many different styles into one record, evidence that they’re either musical geniuses, or utter lunatics!
Progressing through Heaven Shall Fall, Army Of Death, Sudden Death and Satan De Gol r Ont, the album continues to push the boundaries of what should be possible on a record, all the time keeping a sense of who we’re hearing alive, yet managing to throw in approach after approach designed to keep things interesting and different –they manage it which is even more of an accomplishment. It’s when FRNDSHP Is Over comes about though that another serious high point is achieved, throwing us straight into a rolling melee of hammering double bass drumming, roaring vocal lines and hammering guitar riffs – it’s a track which doesn’t mess about with intros and instead, just smashes you in the face with a serious dose of all out devastation.
Closing with Filthy Animal, the chaps seem to have saved yet another ‘out there’ approach for the end, moving more towards the electronic style of things to close things off and leaving on a strange, yet somehow alluring note. It’s a strange close to the record, and I suppose looking back over the record it works, but it’s odd for sure, and something which may well alienate numerous people who hear it – but hey.
I don’t quite know what to think here, as For The Imperium have thrown so many things into one basket, and for the most part made it work. From electronic moments through to full on metal moments, this album has it all, and somehow manages to sound coherent and well put together. Check these guys out if you’re looking for something a little different, you might just like it!
To find out more about For The Imperium, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls