It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to talk to a seasoned veteran of the Finnish metal scene, and it’s not every day that you find that the bands you like are connected to one another in subtle ways. Well, to me at least.

If I had known that the person answering my questions about Barren Earth would be Olli-Pekka Laine, I guess I would’ve just focused everything on him; especially because of his past involvement with one of my favourite bands.

But, as we all know; the past is past. It’s better to focus on the present, and so everything remained focused on the history of how the group got together, what their plans are for the future and the current state of Finnish metal.

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I’d like to take the chance to thank you for agreeing to this interview. I must say that I was really impressed by your debut album, ‘The Curse of the Red River’! If you don’t mind me saying so, it’s more interesting to listen to than the EP before it, ‘Our Twilight’.

First of all, I’d like to ask you how the idea for Barren Earth came about. Did you all know one another as friends, or through touring together in your other bands like Kreator, Swallow the Sun and Moonsorrow?

Olli-Pekka Laine:

Yes, we all knew each others through different connections. There had been common tours and various band projects together, so we’re all related some way or another. Sami and Mikko are the only guys I haven’t played with before, but I’ve known Sami since the early 90′s. I actually saw him playing at several gigs, with a speed/thrash-metal band called Brainwash in youth houses in Helsinki in the 80′s. He was already an awesome player, back then! One drunken conversation few years ago led us to play in Barren Earth together. Our drummer Marko knew Mikko, and as we all thought that his vocals would ice this barren cake perfectly; we decided to ask him to join us, and fortunately he did!

Looking over the entire line-up, it seems fair to say that Barren Earth is a supergroup because of your respective credentials. Would you agree with this view, yourself?

Olli-Pekka Laine:

I’m not too much into that label, even if it might sound flattering for someone. I don’t care if journalists need to use it, though. Personally I see Barren Earth as a bunch of guys who aim to create some good music together, and maybe even have success at some level. That might sound boring, but after all that’s what makes Barren Earth just a basic band among others.

Additionally, your music has been described as being in the progressive vein of melodic death metal. Was this something you all decided upon yourselves, or did it really “just happen” on its own when you got together and tested your musical strengths as a band?

Olli-Pekka Laine:

There was a decision to form a melodic death metal band, and in the earliest home demos there were already some progressive elements. But naturally, the final chemistry was found when the line-up was completed.  I’d say that Barren Earth’s musical direction is 50% intentional and 50% up to the natural progression.

Is there anything you would have done differently, for your first full-length album?

Olli-Pekka Laine:

I’m very pleased with the album, generally. The songs fit our musical tastes perfectly, and the production is pretty close to what we were looking for. Something which always happens, is that the old songs seem to have a much better feeling on the first demos. This happened again, but over time I’ve gotten used to it. Therefore, it’s just a personal thing happening in my own mind.

On the next album, there will be some minor changes composing and sound wise; but I cannot reveal yet what they’ll be!

If I may, I’m now going to ask a more general question: looking at the way in which metal and heavy rock seem to be currently received in your country Finland, would you also say that this has made coming together as Barren Earth somewhat easier? In the sense that you found yourselves with more space to experiment with sounds and take advantage of the apparently good reception that metal’s said to be getting over there?

Olli-Pekka Laine:

I have to say, that forming this sort of group would have been less likely in 1997; because metal was completely out of fashion at that period of time. It was a very frustrating time for many metal artists. Today it’s different, because bands like Porcupine Tree use metal elements and make an otherwise untrendy genre like progressive rock, actually become mainstream.

Of course, this metal-friendly atmosphere makes it easier to start playing metal. But after all, the current metal scene in Finland has not too much to do with Barren Earth’s existence.  I’d say that Finnish prog-rock bands from 70′s are more responsible for our sound; and from the metal scene Opeth, Autopsy and old Paradise Lost would be more obvious influences to us.

Does the supposedly mainstream acceptance of metal music in Finland have its bad points, to you? I remember hearing for example, that you can’t even go into a McDonald’s without hearing Korpiklaani on their radio! Do you worry about whether this might lead to a potentially bleak future for the Finnish metal scene as a whole?

Olli-Pekka Laine:

In my opinion it’s awesome that metal is going strong today. But in a way, I’m worried because it might lead to a similar effect as in the 90′s; when the grunge/whatever phenomenon wiped most of the metal-bands off the map.

This happened partly because metal itself had become so awfully uninspiring. Just listen to Metallica’s albums from the 90′s, for example! So on the other hand, it’ll be really refreshing to get rid of the “metal” groups that affect the actual scene in a less creative way. Whatever happens in a short term, metal will be there I guess. It’s one of the most open-minded music genres these days, after all.

Taking into account the touring schedules of your other bands, would it be fair to say that it might be some time before we can have the second Barren Earth album out and about?

Olli-Pekka Laine:

It’s hard to say how long it’ll take.

Actually, we’re working on new material quite intensely; therefore I dare to hope that we could enter the studio somewhere, in 2011. Barren Earth is functioning even if everyone is not present in Helsinki; so we might rehearse as a trio or four-piece if the rest of us are on the road. We’re composing songs and working with arrangements all the time, and there is always something interesting to work on!

If you all had the time, would you even dream of doing of a tour as Barren Earth across Finland and the rest of Europe, including the UK?

Olli-Pekka Laine:

At least I dare to dream about it, ha ha!

We are definitely working on it all the time, and there are some options already. It won’t be the easiest booking, but I believe it’ll happen sooner or later.

Well, I’m afraid that I’m going to have to close this interview now. I’d like to thank you once again for giving the time to talk to me. Is there anything else you’d like to say to the readers out there?

Olli-Pekka Laine:

Sure, thanks for the interview. Hope to see you all on tour someday. Go buy our album now and support the scene.

Stay metal, stay open-minded and get cursed!!!

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Ann Sulaiman would like to thank Peaceville Records, Olli-Pekka Laine and Barren Earth for allowing this interview to happen.

Art (c) K. Ann Sulaiman