Finnish metalcore newcomers, LUST FOR LILY, just released their debut EP, “Relinquish.” We chatted with the band about the debut EP and how they started out as a band. Read the complete interview here…
Hi there! Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview.
Hi! And thanks for having us! The reactions have been better than expected. People seem to have enjoyed the EP, and the reviews have been brilliant!
You are a new band formed in 2022. Can you talk a little bit about your history as a band? How did you all meet and end up starting a band together?
We all come from the same group of friends. We’ve been jamming a lot over the years, but we always wanted to create our own music. That’s when we decided to start LUST FOR LILY. Starting an actual band made the beginning of our own songwriting easier, and with the right mindset, original songs started to happen very naturally. That brought a lot of joy for us.
What are your main inspirations musically when it comes to LUST FOR LILY’s sound?
Our music taste within the band varies a lot. Obviously, we listen to metal, but everyone in the band has a broad and open-minded taste in music. Our biggest inspirations are BRING ME THE HORIZON, BON IVER, and the Finnish rapper/alternative artist MELO. We have tried not to directly follow any of our inspirations but to blend our influences into a unique set of musical features.
Since this is your first release as a band, can you tell us about the process behind these songs? How did you first start writing, and is it a collaborative effort, or do you have a main songwriter?
”Relinquish” was mainly a collaborative effort. We all had ideas and visions for the release, and everyone wanted to incorporate their vision into the finished product. Aku and Oskari worked on the instrumental demos and brought them to the band for review. When the band had finished the instrumental demos, Aku and Oskari worked on the lyrics. We’ve tried to include every member of the band in the creative process so our music sounds like the whole band, and everyone can stand behind our songs.
What can you tell us about the album’s production? Was it a do-it-yourself effort, or did you work with someone externally? Was there a specific sound or feel that you wanted the album to have?
We worked with an external producer. It was kind of a no-brainer since we thought it would be good to have a new pair of ears and ideas for the production. We found Aleksi Rautiainen through a mutual contact and asked him if he was interested in the gig. Luckily he was, and the production and mix on the EP are top-notch!
Generally speaking, what are the main themes in the lyrics for this EP?
”Relinquish” is about feeling different emotions in life. We tried to paint a harmonious picture that guides the listener through euphoric feelings of first love to the deepest depths of sorrow and numbness leading to pure rage in the end. So the lyrical themes are based on different emotions felt in different scenarios, giving something to relate to in different moments of life.
One of my personal highlights is that the EP doesn’t end with a ballad or slower song but with a really punch-in-your-face song, “Fallen.” What can you tell me about that song musically?
”Fallen” is a mean-sounding and cinematically heavy song in which we tried to bottle every last bit of our anger and anxiety. From the start, we knew it was going to be a huge-sounding song, and we wanted to end the EP with a song that wouldn’t leave anybody cold. ”Relinquish” is pretty soft for a metal EP, so we wanted to leave something heavy in the end for everybody.
I personally think the EP’s cover art is absolutely stunning. What can you tell me about it?
Thank you! Our dear friend and artist Aleksi Puusaari is the man behind the art. Our vision was to use our friend for support and budget reasons. We sent the songs to Aleksi and told him to create a masterpiece that supports them. He totally delivered!
What was the most challenging thing about creating this EP, and what are some of the biggest lessons you learned?
We didn’t have any clue how much time it would take to make an EP. Thank goodness we realized pretty soon that the key to a good final product was to give it time and not hurry with anything.
What are the next steps for LUST FOR LILY? Are you planning to do some shows around Finland or are you more focused on writing more music?
Our next step is to get our live set as good as possible. We have rehearsed nearly every other day for the past half a year for the upcoming shows. Of course, we have already prepared for new music too, but we’ll get more into that later.
Any last thoughts you want to share with our readers/your fans?
Thank you for listening to ”Relinquish” and for the kind words relating to our art. The support that we have received means the world to us. We hope to see you at our upcoming shows!
Interview by Laureline Tilkin
