1- How is Pagan Metal nowdays ? Any new fresh interesting blood in Finland
* Pagan Country is cold at the moment. It is frreezing outside. Which is great, I hate warm winters. Summers shoud lbe hot and winters should be very cold, over minus 20 C. About bands, there are some great new comers. I think most happening bands are Turisas, Moonsorrow and Ensiferum. And one great band, who just got signed is Sear. Watch out for them!! Also Korpiklaani is great, if you are looking for really shamanic unique experience.

2- What happen to SOULGRIND since the latest album ?
Obviously we have done new songs...haha. Personally I changed life totally. Got new job, new woman, new car, new bike...everything. Except I have stayed with metal...well..forever!! Actually before we started doing new songs with Azhemin, we checked some things out from the past. And learned, I think. I had the vision about this new album already when we had finished with Into The Dark... CD. And we actually are starting to make new songs already, before the Origins... album is out.heh. We are always looking forward.
Soulgrind has made it one step further again, I think. This new album is tight and powerful package.

3-How could you compare your 4 holy albums ?
* All four albums are different, yet they do have some similarities, of course. I hate doing the same over and over again, so we try to develop and do things with a fresh view for the next album. And I think we have succeeded. Especially with this new album. Now we have founf a great way to make songs with Azhemin.
About the albums. I hink Kalma is a very raw and agrressive album while Elixir Mystica has more Doom metal in it. With Into The Dark... The style went from Thrash to Doom rapidly, and there are some elements of extreme symphonic stuff. And The Origins Of Paganblood is one step further into the symphonic style. Now we concentrated more into melody and power. And dropped the songs that didn´t fit the concept. ( well, those can be found from the DVD, though. ). I think the new album is very tight, melodic and powerful. In a new and fresh way.

4-The most interesting things in your music is the mix between sympho black
and atmo goth with female vox parts, please explain ?.
How could I explain. This is our vision. When we are creating we don´t think how it is in the beginning. We just create and then see if the result is great. If it is, we keep the song. If not, it shall be dropped. Sympho parts were mostly done by Azhemin.He has extremely great taste for melodies and harmonies. he does that too much in times though. then rest of us come along. We make things simpler. And the Lilith does the vocal melodies, which I have shown. She does her own thing, though. I don´t thin Lilith sings goth, she is more"bitch style". Power female. I don´t like weak female voice.

5- What the fuck means "The Origins Of The Paganblood" ?
Where it all has began. You understand it, or you don´t.

6- Let's talking about your music style, what can you say ?
The new album is the most comnplete we have done. I like to play around with styles. I like combining Black/Death/Doom/Sympho/Industrial what so ever. So call it whatever you want. I think the closest might be Symphonic Dark Metal, I guess. Dunno. To me this is metal!

7- why shall we buy your cd ?
* Ultimate Symphonic Dark Metal album
* Beautiful harmonies and melodies combined with extreme anger and power
* Soulgrind takes a huge leap into the new, strange and exciting
territory of darkened melancholy
* 10 songs telling tales of the darkest, the most beautiful, the sadest
yet the strongest heritage of the paganhood
* Orchestral arrengements are huge and exciting. On each listen, you
discover something new.
* Music could be a described as the bastard son of Emperor, Opeth,
Hammerfall,Slayer, Laibach, The Gathering & Einherjer
* The production is amazing. 64 + tracks & latest technology in full use.
* The wall of Sound has a new definition
* Intelligent, strong, powerful. This is Dark Pagan METAL!!!

8- Tell us what we will find in the Bonus DVD ?

There are lot of great stuff from past and present. Well here you hav the list:
Video:
Live at Sirkkelirock 7.1. 2005 ( 5 songs )
* A fresh and raw live performance. No cutting, as it was. With all of the power and with all of the mistakes.
Promo videos
Song Of Mantsi ( from our Withsongs album 1997 ). People requested this a lot. Actually it is a pretty damn good video
Tearflower: a video of the same song. Nice work done by professional, low budget though.
The Valley & Northlander: Promo Live videos of the new songs
Audio,
Live songs and Helkavirsiä promo 1996
2 Unreleased songs!!!
260 pictures!!! Live, partying, friends, promo etc. etc...
about 2 hours of stuff, I think
Unfortunaletly our old stuff ( from 1992 - 1995 ) coulnd´t be found. VHStapes were lost and I dunno were I can find the originals.

9- Tell us in deep own you compose and record the new album.
We started to compose some tunes already back in 2002. Fiurst song was Red River, which was made before Into The Dark... CD was released. And second was Nemesis ( included on the bonus DVD ). We usulally did things seperately with Azhemin and on the weekends we completed the ideas. We had a goal to complete opne song each time we saw eachother and so we did :) After demoing one song, we usually went to get wasted.
This was the method. During weeks we sent Mp3:s and wavs to each other and to other members to check out and give their opinions. Actually we never practised together before the studio. Heh, that was easy. I trusted that everybody does their job. And they did indeed. And by the time Tanja ( Lilith ) was living up north, so it was impossible to practise anyway. When we had demos for 15 songs, we went to the studio.
Here is the diary ( take parts what you want on the interview )
Day 1 ( 28.9.2004 )
The keyboards have already been made during the creation of the songs, so this day was basically
spent by setting up the project files for the songs and building up the equipment.
Recorder itself is pc based Nuendo audio recorder system.
Alltogether, 15 songs are to be done. The feeling in the studio is very laid back and everybody
are exited about the forthcomign work
Day 2 ( 30.9.2004 )
The drums have been set up. The engineers Jarno & his band mate,
had an extremely bad hangover because of the party they had the night before.
Divercia had an succesful gig at On The Rock, Helsinki.
A middle aged dude insisted to buy them a whole night.
So free booze, who wouldn´t have a hangover, uh?
Agathon laid drums for four tracks
1. Northlander
2. The Valley ( clamor of unending dying )
3. Circle Of Pain & Glory
4. The Marionette ( flesh part dropped from the name )
The session took only three hours, so Agathon is really on a killing spree!!
My job was to just look through the huge pile of metal & porn mags, hehe.
...to be continued
Days 3 & 4 (1.10 & 2.10 )
All drums are now done . Jarno started the editing and we should start making guitars on nest tuesday or on wednesday.
It all depends on the editing. It seems, that there are not so much to do, as Agathon did such great job on
the drums in the first place. Well done, bro!! Now the guitar mayhem begins.
Days 4 - 6
Editing
Day 7
Now we started to create guitar sound for the first two guitars. We are planning to do four rhythm guitars
and 3 to 4 lead guitars depending on the track. I shall do most of the guitars, sdo there shall
be some helluva weeks a head. Fuin but hard work.We did rhythm guitars for
two songs in three hours after three hour session mixing the sounds.
I think it is pretty well done, isn´t it?? To day the result shall be checked and removed or saved.
Equipment
Jackson Custom Shop Model - 1
Jackson Kelly
SansAmp
different amps
Days 8 - 10
I did all rhyhthm guitars except Azhemin did guitars for Northlander.
He used the same guitar so the sound wouldn´t change.
Now two rhythm guitars have been made for all of the songs.
Also most of the additional guitars have been made.
Toni shall come to do some leads and the Roope shall do his.
And the "second round" for the guitars already began on sunday ( 10th day )
10 more tracks, 20 more guitars to go ;)...
Days 11 - 18 ( written 19.11.2004 )
Rest of the guitars have been made.Except for the leads. Azhemin started to sing songs
and did marvellous job for six songs in ONE day!!!
And we had a huge drinking session day before, heh. Some cool crispy sounding vox .
Lilith did on next day vocals for three songs. BUT she did also lots of
cool , strange and powerful harmonies and melody lines.
Some songs shall have three or four harmonies. Mostly she did
used six tracks for one vocal. AND NO AUTO TUNING!!!
The mayhem continues with bass on wednesday..
Days 19 - 20 ( Written 22.10.2004 )
Jani came and slammed the bass down. Now there are bass on seven tracks.
The bass has been recorded with two input system; one is straight in-line bass with
distortion on it and one is with microphone played LOUD!!
The combination is very hard and warm yet powerful, all at the same time.
Great job, D - Crew!! The bass was recorded by Jarno2 & Sami,
sound created by Jarno The Great #1.
Days 21 - 24 ( written 27.10. 2004 )
Ms ( tp be MRS!!!) Lilith did most vocals she shalll do.
Only few lines and harmonies were left to do on next session.
Songs are pretty much in shape and the mixing shall began.
Also our "guest - angel" Netta did her share. She did some orgasmic job, indeed..
Making our studio engineer smile and happy ;)
This was probablky the closest he got to a woman in a while, haha.
( no offense )
Days 25 --->
We mixed the whole thing. One song a day or so. Then when it was done, we took the whole package to Sonic Pump Studios for a listen. Fresh ears gave some aspect and we put the drums a bit louder and some other minor but crucial changes. and the product was ready and it was a time for a drink or two. The whole recording session took over 30 days. It was hard but fun.

10- An other great thing are those atmosphere that you can create into your
music.
Yeah, thänx. I like playing with athmospheres. And Azhemin is a wizard with keyboards.And he understands what I am looking for completely.
11- You guys have the most sexy female singer from finland tell us more
I think she is the most talented singer. I don´t care about the sexy thing. And she got tired being a blond, as you can see from the pics. She is a hot tempered bitch now...haha. More like one of the guys. Our own psykobitch.

12- What is the most signifiant lyrics you wrote for that album ?
Actually the story continues with this album. On "Into The Dark Vales Of Death" CD you were going to the Valley. Now you are in it!!! But this is not a concept album anyway. I deal with the northern herecy, mind pollution of christianity and life as I see it with these lyrics. I really like the lyrics on Th Tree Of Life. They got together jus as I wanted them to be. I usually do lyrics under isnpiration, with an hour. I don´t force them to come out. I am usually reading something and then an idea pops into my head. Then I rush to my computer and make the lyrics.

13-Does Llith is a friend of Tarja from Nightwish, and why does she left
Lullacry ?
I don´t know and I don´t care. Ask her.It is her personal business. But I know thei have been drinking and partying together a lot. In festivals and like that. So I suppose they are at least "metal friends" or "metal sisters" or whatever...
Tanja is freinds with Lullacry. Heavy even lend an apartment for Tanja. End of that shit. They had a different view for music. Tanja likes it more heavy, I think

14- A last words for the Holy Maniacs
This is a journey into the dark, beautiful and unkonwn. Come and join.