Between all the pumpkins, ghosts and general spookiness of Halloween, we had the opportunity to sit down with Matias Molli, vocalist of the Finnish metal act RiESA to ask some questions about the band’s new EP “Paholaisen Musiikkia”, out 1 November 2019. Read the complete interview below.
Hi there, thanks a lot for doing this interview. You recently released “Paholaisen Musiikkia”, how are you feeling about the release?
Thanks for having us! We are really stoked about it. The EP represents really well what this band is all about at the moment. We managed to capture our live sound better than before. The songs are versatile but still cohesive. The feedback has also been good.
For those who haven’t heard your music before, can you tell us a little bit about your history as a band?
We are childhood friends so we have a long history together, but RiESA was formed in early 2018. Our debut album “Ämpäreitä ja sirkushuveja” was released last October. It was a good start but more things started happening when we released this year’s singles “Pahasta and Hullut Hurtat”. For us, the first album is kind of a prelude to those singles and the new EP.
Can you describe your sound to those who haven’t heard your music before?
Loud, energetic and ugly beautiful. Punk and metal without the limitations of either genre.
What was the writing process like for “Paholaisen Musiikkia”? Is it collaborative or is there one main songwriter?
Everyone from the band composes, but the guitarist Olli is the most productive. From 6 songs he has composed 4. I write the lyrics. The writing process was lots of fun, and especially the arranging. We tried a lot of different things, and the songs changed a lot at that point. The outcome would be very different without everyone’s input.
Could you briefly describe the recording process?
It was mostly very easy. We recorded one song at a time between gigs. We had a seemingly unlimited amount of time and that is why we finally got quite busy.
Is there an overarching theme or concept present in your songs? If so, what it is. If not, can you talk a little bit more about the different themes present in the songs?
With this new “Paholaisen musiikkia” EP, we have a horror theme. The lyrics have many different meanings and layers. In every song, there is kind of a horror story level and real-life level. The next album will be a fairy tale.
What inspires you to write music/lyrics?
This is very difficult to define because in a way both just happen. You can get a boost from anywhere, you just have to be awake. Musically we listen to a great variety of music. If you listen to only one genre it is impossible to do anything original.
Who are your role models/biggest influences, in general, at present?
Musically difficult to name one. But for example, Stam1na is one whose career has gone just the way it should and the quality has remained high. Maximum respect.
Your songs are written in Finnish, have you ever thought about writing songs in English and why the choice of using your native language?
It’s most comfortable and as a lyricist, my biggest influences are singing in Finnish. I love playing with this language. For example, when writing in English, I wouldn’t get so much content in the text and it would make it less meaningful to myself. For us, lyrics and music are both important and they serve each other.
What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you overcome it? If so, how?
This is an adventure. This is not always easy, but it should not be.
Now that you have released “Paholaisen Musiikkia”, do you have any other plans for the upcoming year? Can we expect some shows?
This year we have toured a lot all over Finland. A few more to come. At the same time, we are working on new material. Next year will bring more gigs and more music.
What can people expect from a RiESA show?
A blast. High tempos and high energy. Lots of sweat and, of course, kick songs.
Any last thoughts that you want to share with our readers before we wrap up this interview?
Thank you for reading the interview! Check out the band and hopefully see you at gigs!
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