Nodding Sky Interview

J.M: As it stands at the moment, Nodding Sky is unsigned and as such probably isn’t that well known to most people (yet). With that said maybe we could kick this interview off with you telling my readers a little bit about the band’s formation, your sound and what you’ve accomplished thus far.

O-P: Nodding Sky started back in 2008 in a traditional fashion. We were a bunch of guys with passion for music and no active bands. Nodding Sky is the result of spending too much idle time together. The original idea to test our ensemble was to play some covers. However, we tried out our own song ideas first and happened to like them so much that we decided to concentrate on them instead. We started as a trio, but got lucky pretty soon after the hazy start and found two more members to fulfill the sound we craved for. We achieved that pretty quickly. I’d describe it as a blend of melodic death and doom metal, more in vein of the 90′s than 2000′s, with a hint of atmospheric black metal also from that era. I think we also have a progressive flow in our song structures as none of our current songs clock less than 5 minutes, though we have quite straightforward and rock influenced material too, in addition to the moody side of us. Atmosphere is the most important ingredient of a Nodding Sky song, followed closely by natural flow and rocking groove.

J.M: ‘For Those Left Behind’ is your debut recording and I’ve found myself left almost speechless due to the high quality of the four songs present on this EP. I can’t help but wonder what others have been saying too; likewise I’m curious to know if you’ve had any record label interest yet?
O-P: We haven't got an offer that would suit us yet. We’ve been sending our promo packages around, but there's still plenty of labels potentially interested in us, that haven't received it yet.

J.M: Lyrics were not printed in the digipak and one of the songs has words wrote in your native Suomi language. As a result of that I’m left curious about your lyrics and what these songs are about. From what I can make out it seems like a story might be told during the EP or at least the individual songs.
Ville: Every member in this band, except Pasi has wrote lyrics to our songs. Because of that, we don't have any certain line that we follow. Some lines just weren't meant to be crossed. Humour, sex, drugs and politics just to mention a few that don't fit that well with our music. For example "For Those Left Behind" is a story and pretty desperate one. Its about a group that travels in a world that is coming to an end. No hope left, they fall until there is only our hero left. "Murheen Saarnamies (Preacher of Sorrow)" is totally different. It contains lyrics that sheds light on how I struggle with my mind.

J.M: I like vocalist Ville Teräs voice a lot. His deep guttural roars and shrieking screams go well with the music as well the cleanly sung parts are great since they seem to reveal his accent a little bit. Does he have any special vocal training or is it just a damn fine natural ability on display here?
Ville: I have taken some private vocal lessons when I joined this band, but nowadays I just train with the guys a few days a week. When it comes to the growling and screaming I don't know how I do it. I just yell like it's the last day I'm living and if it doesn't hurt (too much) its okay!

J.M: Likewise the guitar work, drumming and the overall song structures, flow and sense of dynamics is exceptional for a debut EP. How long have the members been playing their individual instruments and writing
songs?
O-P: Thank you. I think that the major source of that flow you described is our manner of arranging and finishing songs as a whole band during our rehearsals. Usual pattern is that one of us brings the song idea to rehearsals and we’ll try different ways to approach and play it until we reach the strongest flow in the song. Sometimes it’s rather quick, smooth and easy process, sometimes quite the opposite. Fact that almost every guy in this band has a history of playing in a band for several years has surely made things easier in general. Regarding my personal experience: I’ve played guitar for good number of years, some of them actively and some so passively that I almost never touched the instrument. New active era of playing begun by the birth of this band. However, writing music is a thing I’ve never ceased doing since I was a youngster.
Pasi: I have been playing around 15 years, having some breaks during that time. Longest break I had was around a year, and I sold my drums at that time. Regretted that decision because I used to have late 70's
John Bonham style Ludwig kit.
Matti: I got my first guitar age of ten but I switched it really soon to bass guitar. I’ve been playing with bands since the age of 13, which means I've been into the wonderful world of rock and metal more than 20 years...dude, that’s strange...

J.M: Your bio states that you have many new songs written and ready to go already. Does this newer material follow in a similar path as the EP or can listeners expect something a bit different?
Sami: Main thing in our writing is to make good songs and keep up with the atmosphere. These elements are still in new songs so you could say we are following the same path as before. One of my favorite songs is
one of these new ones so I could say that new songs are even better than the older ones. I'm still standing behind every song that we have and I love them all.
O-P: Yeah, that’s true. The EP is like a checkpoint where we had developed the style that felt best for us and chosen the songs that would be most valid to represent us in the future. In other words, the path we have followed after the EP is still the same, but the difference is that we have come further along and it has grown a bit wider. In our every song the guideline to maintain the atmosphere is natural progression, and that is what has happened to our music in general. You can expect to hear something in vein of the EP, but more versatile and higher quality in every aspect.
Matti: We’re following the Nodding Sky direction, just taking it forward one song at the time, let’s see what it evolves into.

J.M: What is a Nodding Sky live set like? Is there any special mood you wish to achieve when playing or do you have any stage props with you? For some reason lots of incense and fog seems appropriate for your
music on the stage.
Ville: When we step on the stage, we just go with the flow. Let the emotions take control and see what happens. After the gig I don't remember half of the things that just happened on stage and day after the show I usually have a hangover, even if I were sober, it's weird.
Matti: We have at least 2 and a half ADHD cases on the band, so its surprisingly restless sometimes. We had a gig the day before writing this, and I cant move my neck from headbanging.

J.M: I really enjoy the acoustic reprise of, ‘Murheen saarnamies,’ especially the way it gives an already great song a whole new vibe and structure. Do you for see other acoustic songs in your future or perhaps the acoustics just playing a bigger part in your overall output?
Sami: Our music needs acoustic parts in it. That way we can go deeper
with the atmosphere. To have that as bigger part in our music is more
improbable. We are planning to do at least one song that has been
already written as acoustic song but will there be more... will see
about that.
Ville: Not sure if we are ever going to go fully acoustic again. It's not impossible, but not the first thing we are planning to do next. We made this one simply because we had some extra time due the lineup changes.
O-P: There’s been an idea of one song that could be done entirely acoustic, but it’s still just an idea. Perhaps they will play a bigger part, but only if song’s character demands it. If we come up with a song that needs more acoustic, cleaner or mellower parts, then we will use them more.

J.M: All of your songs are fairly long in length. Was it a conscious decision from the start to write long songs or did it just happen naturally during the writing process?
O-P: It’s never been a conscious decision like, “now I will make a song that clocks over 30 or under five minutes”. As I said earlier, I like to think that all our music is a result of natural flow, and by that I mean that a new song always begins from one primal idea, be it a short melody line you whistled or hummed during a walk or a riff you developed during aimless jamming. If it stirs up emotions strong enough, then from that seed grows a song that follows the mood until it feels like it has a beginning, an end and, most importantly, a good story between them. That means also that all of our songs tend to be rather long. I think that if you want to make a song with substance in our “genre”, it’s necessary to grant the song enough duration to grow and to allow it to burst in full bloom.
Sami: Songs are long but they still keep themselves together. Some
other bands could do many songs of our one song riffs. Every part of
our songs are serving the song it self and if you leave something out
the song is missing something.

J.M: I have to also admit that I was greatly impressed with the professionalism of this recording; from the great production values to the superb looking digipak, bio sheet, band photography and even the
band logo envelope you sent the EP in. To me that suggests that you guys are really pumped and have some serious hopes for the band. So, with that said, what does Nodding Sky have planned for 2012?
Ville: It makes my cold heart a bit warmer that someone gives attention to things like; how does the promo envelope look like.
O-P has done great amount of work creating the image how Nodding Sky should look like graphically. 2012 brings with it new Nodding Sky songs and gigs. We already have lots of songs waiting to be recorded.
O-P: Most probably we’re going to record a full-length album - via some label, or do a self-financed that we're going to offer to the labels. I suppose it’ll see the daylight during this year If all goes as planned. All in all, we have plenty of new material that we think deserves to be published in a form or another.
Matti: Finns are serious about the work at hand, a bit of perfectionists if you like, if you're doing something, even if its a mistake, better do it as well at possible. If you're gonna fuck up, better fuck it up good and proper. Plan for 2012 is more, better, deeper, and again some more.

J.M: I visited Finland for Tuska festival as well as other sightseeing in July of 2011 and had the time of my life and after all was said and done I really considered Finland to be the most awesome place on earth. I met some Finns though that thought Finland was really just alright or even boring, but then again a friend of mine simply said, “Familiarity breed’s contempt,” which I can understand. With that said, what are your thoughts on your homeland, Finland?
Pasi: I hate the winter that we have in southern Finland. Otherwise I
don't have complaints living here.
Matti: It was pretty backward place until the European Union, and metal music surely wasn’t the mainstream music the way it is here today. Nature is beautiful, but the strict rules and regulations are backfiring with huge assumption of alcohol, which is the only way to release from the pressure.
O-P: Although some things could be better, so many more could be terribly worse. l think our country today is a fine place to live in. The nature here has always been soothingly beautiful - if not exceptional.

J.M: Sort of going back to the last question, personally speaking being in Finland made me quite happy, but it seems to be a constant theme within Finnish bands even Nodding Sky to have some sort of melancholy
vibes. I wonder is this just a theme or is it actually the way a lot of people feel inside? If so, why do you think it is this way? Sorry, odd question.
Ville: I don't think that we Finns are that melancholy. I guess that we just channel the melancholy in to our art and music. At this time of the year it's easy to drain the melancholy from around you. All you have to do is to look out of the window and see how the darkness has taken over.
Matti: You'll understand if you ever see the polar autumn and winter. Its melancholic, coz of the surrounding nature. Music is a good outlet for it.

J.M: Do you the other members of the band enjoy a good alcoholic beverage now and again? If so, what beer or drink do you find yourself pouring down your throats often?
Pasi: I don't drink much, just occasionally have 1 or 2 beers. Usually enjoy Velkopopovický Kozel Dark.
Matti: You really have to fight the urge for it, this is a band that originally drank A LOT but to be honest, you cant pull a good show when you're drunk, and more than often, when the show is over its too late and you're too tired to get properly blasted.
O-P: As for my part, the usual Finnish way of getting properly drunk is pretty rare these days, but I do enjoy a pint of good beer or a glass of wine every now and then. My latest favorites have been the products of San Francisco based Anchor Brewing Co. Every sort of beer or ale they have brewed are great. Other favorite brewery for last few years has been Norwegian Nøgne Ø.

J.M: I understand the members of Nodding Sky have past band experience with Silentium, Watch Me Fall and Strikin’ Case. Personally I’ve never heard any of them, but Silentium seems to have a fairly decent following with many releases behind them already. If curiosity should overcome me what might one find when listening to these bands?
Matti: Silentium has been said to be a combination of Nightwish and My Dying Bride. Dunno, I'm making music, YOUR job is to review it :D
Pasi: Strikin' Case is pretty much straight forward hard rock.
O-P: Watch Me Fall played blend of melodic death and doom metal. It was pretty close to what we play with Nodding Sky today.

J.M: I noticed you didn’t have a metal archives page set up yet, which seems odd considering bands that formed yesterday have metal archive pages. Is there any special reason for this or are you just not a fan of the site?
Ville: Wow, that has to change! We will create profile there also.
Matti: It might be its not so popular way to promote your band in here, I think people prefer facebook or myspace, but we’ll get this shit soon unfucked.
O-P: As you read this I have discovered that a guy called Thomas from United States has already reported us there. Thanks! (Good job, Thomas - J.M.)

J.M: History has always fascinated me and I’ve always thought about what life would have been like if I’d been born 20, 40, 60, or 80 (and so on) years earlier. Is there any special place in time you’d like to travel back to and explore or are you content with living in Turku, Finland in 2012?
Pasi: I don't really feel I'd like to live some earlier period, it was fascinating enough to be teenager during the 90's discovering bands that later became big names.
Ville: 70's. So many great bands to see live... But Turku in 2012 is OK too!
Matti: Well, in 1820’s Turku had the population of 10,000 and around 120 legal bars and booze shops, which must have been a bit chaotic... But I cant imagine life without Rock’n’roll or Metal.
O-P: Yeah, that has crossed my mind too, but I think the decade I was born in was fine enough. Later would have possibly been even better. To me it’s always interesting to take a look back in history from distance where you have a good and wide view to it, and also nice to think that certain things are past and gone for good.

J.M: Can you think of any other notable up and coming unsigned bands from Turku that you feel deserve the extra attention?
Ville: I don't know that many unsigned bands from Turku, but we have shared the stage with few awesome unsigned bands from Finland. Ruinside to mention one.
Matti: Dismay from Turku.

J.M: It's rather obvious you spend a lot of time on your music, but I'm sure you have other interests and probably have a full time job. So what do you do when you're not creating music?
Sami: I'm doing full time job as a glass worker. I know it's not the best
job for guitarist as being afraid to lose my fingers but I'm always
careful. I like photography and I do tattoos as a hobby for my
friends... maybe someday I will do it as a full job. Other/first
interests are of course in music.
Pasi: I work full day at polymer technology firm. I also play percussion in a acoustic folk trio called, Mitra. Also recently started to go to the gym, so doesn't seem like I have problems thinking how to spend my
spare time.
Ville: I'm a sportsfreak and I study computers.
Matti: Social worker and a educational science and sociology student.
O-P: I work as a designer in b2b marketing business. I’m also father of one year old boy.

J.M: I don't know if you've had a chance to take a look at Lunar Hypnosis in detail, but if you have what are your thoughts on the zine/blog?
Matti: Looks great man, I mean the list of bands reviewed is looking like its soon about to cover most of metal music.
O-P: I think it’s great that you don’t review only contemporary records, but also some classics and stuff from many years back. I’ve read some of your reviews and agree to most of them. Also the beer reviews are interesting.

J.M: Well, my brain is failing to produce any more questions, but perhaps we can do another interview a few years from now once you’ve got a few albums out and kicking everyone’s asses with them. Other than that I hope to someday see you live either there, here or somewhere and I wish the best of luck to you for the future. Feel free to conclude this interview with any words of wisdom or final thoughts.
Matti: “Fuckingchicken!” Esa Tikkanen, Edmonton Oilers
O-P: Thank you Matti.

Website: http://noddingsky.net/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nodding-Sky/116803116246