Interview:	VALKEAT
Title:	Clear self-view

The Pagan Metal camp is slowly gaining in popularity again - after the unspeakably commercialized and slanderous Pagan and Folk Metal boom towards the end of the noughties almost killed off an entire genre.

The Finns Valkeat are among those who are preparing to breathe new, meaningful life into this guild. And with their second album „Fireborn“, the band led by singer Miikka Virtapuro has nevertheless rammed a remarkably independent brand into the ground of this wide-ranging style. Master Miikka is happy to answer my questions.

Founded in 2014 - please tell the readers a bit about the influences, the background, your - musical and thematic - ideals etc.

„We formed in 2014 with the idea to create modern kantele music and pioneer the instrument. With our first album our goal was to do something different that everyone else was doing and combine the Finnish national instrument kantele with modern Metal music, while we were influenced by Folk Metal bands such as Korpiklaani. On our second album we wanted to add in symphonic elements to the modern Metal and were really influenced mainly by film composers like Hans Zimmer and Ennio Morricone, in addition to Symphonic Metal bands like Nightwish.“

I was a diligent listening participant and media assistant in the first wave of Pagan Metal, which unfortunately already went down the drain towards the end of the 2000s, because everything was degradingly sacrificed to shabby commercialism. Were you also fans back then?

„Yes we were! Our foundational influences and roots definitely lie there back on the mid 2000's when Ensiferum, Moonsorrow, Finntroll etc did their early works.“

Congrats to the self-titled debut album and the soulful songs - how do you rate the new album itself compared to 'common' nowadays pagan/heathen/Scandinavian Metal ?

„Well, everyone does their own thing. We are looking to do a bit more serious and less gimmicky approach to the genre and to the subject than most bands in the scene. Since the beginning our goal has been to do something different than what everyone else does and create our own sound for each album, and we think we have succeeded in that.“

Was it easy to get the record label deal?

„I think we were lucky with our first album and on the second one you will have to ask our manager! Overall breaking into the music business is quite difficult if you are a new and relatively unknown name.“

The wonderfully harmonious sound of the songs - do you have to make any effort at all for such a performance, or is it a rather easy task for you because it comes from the deep and longing Finnish - nature - soul?

„I would say both. The environment is definitely there, but also creating our music - especially the orchestral Metal pieces on the second album - takes lots of hard work, grind and dedication. It has never been easy, but the end result has been worth it.“

Your combination of Metal and traditional stuff is a fine experience of several appreciated skills - how many times a week you guys have to train and rehearse for such an result?

„We rehearse twice a week with the full band and in addition to that everyone does their own personal rehearsing. But of course creating music is a lifestyle most of all so we are always listening to everything and trying to find ideas.“

The touching Shamanic/Ethno nuances as in „Valkeat Moras“ are excellent to hear for me - wish, there would be more on the album. You, too?

„Nice to hear you liked it! We really tried to create a balanced album with everything, there was some joiku singing in ‚My Crown‘, ‚Land Of Falling Leaves - Song Up The Skies‘, ‚Iku‘ and ‚Thunderbird‘ also and that for us was quite enough. The album was about balance between many different aspects and influences.“

Who of you guys out of the band did the lion's share of the new song material?

„I write all the songs and do most of the work. Everyone brings in some ideas on their own instruments and kantele players work on the kantele arrangements as well.“

How did your collaboration for the new work go?

„Smooth sailing. Everyone knows their roles and fulfils them to the best of their abilities so we haven't ran into any problems this far.“

How was the selection of songs for it done - was it difficult for you?

„Not really. The album sort of builds itself with the songs, we wrote only a few songs that didn't fit on the album and were left out.“

What is the o-n-e song with the most meaning for you on the new album and why?

„I would have to say ‚Thunderbird‘. There has been some strange magic in that song with all the shamanic influences combined to the grand epic orchestral sound and magical synths, I think we really nailed everything great with that song.“

Nearly everything has changed since Covid - the world, the music business, the societies - how much have you changed, how much have your views on true art changed now?

„Not much has really changed for ur really. Maybe we don't take live concert as given anymore and try to enjoy playing live more.“

© Markus Eck, 14.07.2023

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