Search for hatred
Maybe not newcomers anymore, although Scent Of Flesh formed in 2000, this death metal squad released their second full length studio album a few weeks ago at the end of June curtesy of Firebox Records. Archaic Metallurgy threw ten questions to the band after digging into the new album and here's what came in, answered by guitarist Matti Viisainen. This interview is translated from Finnish.
A.M.: Midsummer is over, once again. Festivities and boozing is what people usually do at that time. How Scent Of Flesh celebrated the most dangerous Finnish bacchanal? According to the band's official website, you didn't play anywhere so did you witness any gigs yourself?
Matti Viisainen: As far as I know, none of us were at no more special place as summer cottage, so witnessing gigs didn't happen this Midsummer. I was at a summer cottage for three days, as drunk as possible.
A.M.: Your latest album 'Valor in Hatred' has been available for metal people for almost two months now, thanks to Finnish label Firebox Records. How has the album been selling or has the label informed you anyhow? The album has got some nice feedback, right?
Matti Viisainen: We haven't got exact number of sold copies, but at least local record shop Kosken Musiikki (Imatra, Finland) told us that 'Valor...' is in top three of sold albums. This fact makes us wonder and is a topic at rehearsals. The feedback's been mostly good, from both press and fans. It's nice to read those reviews if the album is found enjoyable.
A.M.: 'Valor...' betters really on every aspect when compared with the debut 'Roaring Depths of Insanity' (2002), although the debut has its own moments. How the newbie was completed in such a short period of time and what the band members think about it?
Matti Viisainen: Every now and then I wonder about it by myself. Riffs just kept on coming out and songs almost completed themselves. Because of strong self-criticism, usually quite a lot of material we do not like ourselves gets thrown away, but we had to dump only a minority of music we composed for 'Valor...'. The record actually feels more advanced than the debut and we are bloody satisfied with it. This time we had 20 days of studio time ja it can be heard, especially of the album's sturdy sound. The songs have advanced towards tighter direction.
A.M.: How about playing live? Are you going to the big wide world out there?
Matti Viisainen: Playing live, or rather the lack of it, has always been quite a problem for us. At the moment it is starting to look brighter and there is more shows coming. The new album and the promotion by Firebox Records has bettered the situation considerably. We are getting outside Finland if someone wants to book us.
A.M.: Could you shed some light over the band's history, please?
Matti Viisainen: Scent Of Flesh formed in year 2000. Back then we had Markus Toivanen on third guitar. After hard rehearsing and composing, it was time to enter a studio to record our first demo and the result 'Drowned into the Darkness' was released in the beginning 2001.
Not a single record label offered a deal so we marched back to a studio and the second demo 'Towards Eternal Lost' got released at the end of the same year. After hearing the second demo, Greek label Black Lotus Records offered a three-record deal, which we signed with full of hope. The debut full length album 'Roaring Depths of Insanity' was released by that label with those fucking ugly covers in the end of 2002. Second album's recordings were completed in September 2003. After this Black Lotus delayed and fucked up so badly that the deal was called off. Immediately after that, negotiations with domestic label Firebox Records started and 'Valor in Hatred' was finally released by them in May 2004.
A.M.: Scent Of Flesh doesn't sound typical Finnish death metal. Familiar melodies (Nordic, so to speak) are absent, although there's quite some melodiousness. How you see your music in death metal circles? Which bands have influenced the members of Scent Of Flesh, in musical and spiritual meaning?
Matti Viisainen: I think we fit really well in the genre. We do not make any music bounded to a certain mold or any subgenre of death metal, but riffs and songs are such as we like ourselves. Common influences and sources of inspiration are these mighty ones such as Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel and Nile. Slayer have left their mark on the back of my head and one can hear some thrash elements in our songs. From melodic side, Dissection is worth the mention.
A.M.: As your death metal is essentially very much traditional, here's a few album which you could comment:
- Deicide - Deicide:
Matti Viisainen: I think this is the best death metal album ever released. There's such insane fury coming out of speakers, that you can almost see it. Songs are unbelievably fantastic and Glen Benton's vocals feel like they are not of this world. In the beginning Deicide were damn hot, but later they released these half-hearted records. After record company mess Deicide showed their power with 'Scars of the Crucifix', which is also a fucking fantastic album.
- Morbid Angel - Gateways to Annihilation:
- Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten:
Matti Viisainen: Morbid Angel and Suffocation do not belong to my personal favourites. Magnificent riffs and partscan be found in their songs, but the whole doesn't appeal to me. Regardless of what album I'm listening at.
- Demigod - Slumber of Sullen Eyes:
- Amorphis - The Karelian Isthmus:
Matti Viisainen: I have listened so little to both, Demigod and Amorphis, that I have no balls to comment.
A.M.: Your lyrics handle, not surprisingly, death from different points of view. During the release of 'Valor...' one American ws decapitated by mad arabs in Iraq conflict. The song 'The Art of Beheading' is about beheading. How did this coincidence feel? Against what is your hate targeted at?
Matti Viisainen: Ouch, I've never thought about it from this point of a view. To top it off, 'The Art of Beheading' is about beheading prisoners of war. But the arabs in Iraq are so much out of their minds, that they do not need our lyrics to enthuse themselves to the state where they do these things. When I write lyrics, I don't actually hate anything, but I write these stories. I'm influenced by anything, books, movies and news. Sometimes a horrible matter sticks to my mind and there's a good chance to write lyrics. I doubt I could concentrate in writing and arranging when I'm very pissed off.
A.M.: What future plans do Scent Of Flesh have? Have you already began to compose new material? Are you going to keep up this fast release rate?
Matti Viisainen: The release rate is going to drop without a change. Work and other things disturb us and we don't want to stuff forthcoming releases with any material composed in hurry or while being drunk. We are composing new material all the time, but our self-criticism is also growing, so besides bad material, also average material is dumped without mercy. But what is left, is going to be a good blast.
A.M.: Anything you want to say?
Matti Viisainen: Check out the new album 'Valor in Hatred'. There's samples available on our website if you don't want to buy it blindfolded. And if we're coming to play near you, it's worthwhile to come at a gig. Our live shows are praised and there's a lot of action. Hate is in you, unleash it.
Scent Of Flesh (left ot right): Sofian Gezuri (bass), Herkko Miikki (guitar),
Niko Ahokas (vocals), Antti Suikkanen (drums) and Matti Viisainen (guitar).
08/16/2004 14:07