Interview:	BEFORE THE DAWN
Title:	Back in full employment

When Tuomas Saukkonen started this band in 1999, he initially had the status of a MeloDeath solo project in mind. However, the success he rightly enjoyed, which really manifested itself with the debut album „My Darkness“ at the latest, turned Before The Dawn into a permanent affair - even despite longer hiatuses such as after 2012.

The previous album „Stormbringer“ from 2023 has now been followed by the EP „Archaic Flame“ by the instrumentally and compositionally exceptional Finn and his musicians. Tuomas knows how to cheer up his fans with a confident grin:

„It works more as a continuum for the return album “Stormbringers”. There is definitely new full length following at some point and for sure there will be no 10 year gap!“

How did the idea for the EP „Archaic Flame“ come about and mature?

„The whole 2023 was like slow motion car crash in a good way happening in front of our eyes. First we got the album done in early 2023 and were curious to see where it would take us, Then we were in a middle of a festival season first time after a decade. Then followed first full club tour in Finland and sold out the most legendary venue in the capital which was a huge milestone. After Finnish shows we headed to European tour and once we got back home we had 70.000 tons cruise booked, more festivals for summer 2024 including SummerBreeze. We were not expecting the year to be this level of a roller coaster and of course that momentum got a grip on us too and new ideas for songs were flying out and we wanted to keep on pushing and booked a studio to make this EP.“

Will Wolfheart remain the main thing for you in future or will there even be a 50/50 weighting?

„Next full length will be from Wolfheart and then Wolfheart will be a clear priority and next Before The Dawn album schedule will depend how busy I will be with Wolfheart and Juho with Swallow The Sun but I have no doubt that after the tour cycle for both Wolfheart and Swallow The Sun will slow down we will focus fully on Before The Dawn and it will get all ours 100 %.“

The talented Voice Of Finland 2022 finalist Paavo Laapotti was recruited as a singer in the same year, how well has he settled into the band and how does the collaboration work?

„Unbelievably well. It was his first big festivals, first album recording, first music video productions, first European shows and a tour ever … and all handled like an absolute professional. Also the chemistry has worked out really well and that is essential to be able to do long tours together. We got really lucky.“

You're now on drums with Before The Dawn, which makes you a really fit multi-instrumentalist - what suits you better after all these years, guitar or drums? Or does it depend on your mood?

„In Before The Dawn definitely drums. I get all the spotlight I need and even more being in the front with Wolfheart so I am really glad sitting behind the drums. And of course I love to play drums in general and have played drums for 3 Before The Dawn albums (The Ghost, Deadlight, Soundscape Of Silence) so there is a lot of songs where the album tracks are my hand work and waited ages to be able to play those songs plus others live.“

„Archaic Flame“ … great title, I know what you mean with it, also in creative manner. Are there any things, books, movies, etc. that can or have influenced you as musicians?

„I have been asked this question hundreds of times and still it is an on going process to analyse the whole influence issue since it is very much impulsive thing. I do watch a lot of movies and I do have a very vivid imagination but if I would need to pinpoint it I would say that when ever I am in silence and have an instrument in the same room I will start filling the silence with new music.“

Four individually thinking personalities in one band - often times pretty difficult to handle, or?

„A lot has happened, numerous albums and hundreds of gigs has been played between the “old guys” me, Juho and Pyry since we buried the band 2013 and also all of us have grown older and wiser and know better what we want, what it requires to get it done and most important we know better how to appreciate the good stuff and tolerate the rough days and events so things work better in the band now than ever before. The fact that we are able to enjoy once again playing together and all the adventures is more important than egos. And again we are super lucky that the chemistry with Paavo just ads to this.“

How was the selection of songs for the EP done - was it difficult or rather easy for you?

„New songs were pretty clear things and I don´t know how to write extra songs so for each release I compose the amount of songs that will be released. I know that many bands write for example 20 songs and pick the best 11 out of them but that does not work for me.“

The Bryan Adams cover „Run To You“ - how did it come about and how much do you like the resulting version? I've been a self-confessed Adams fan since the mid-80s. Which is your favorite Bryan song?

„“Run To You” is my favorite song and I was super happy to see that song on Paavos list. We gave Paavo the task to make a list of songs he would like to cover and I am really pleased for the outcome and mix of Type O Negative mood mixed with Paavos delivery. The structure and tempo of the original fits really easy as a Metal song too.“

What would you like to tell the readers about the fourth track „Dying Sun (Live At Logomo 2023)“?

„We wanted to have one live song from Finnish tour on the EP. We recorded all the shows just in case there will be any future releases that needed bonus songs so we had that in the bag already. “Dying Sun” is one of our favorite songs to play live and also shows both strength of Paavo. Both clean and growling vocals.“

© Markus Eck, 15.02.2024

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