LANTERN - ENTREVISTA

1. Lantern is born from the ashes of Cacodaemon. Why did you decide to leave Cacodaemon and create Lantern in 2007? How were the early Lantern?

After 10 years of musical apprenticing with Cacodaemon, the ranks started to loosen up just a bit too much, so to say. The consensus, the focus and the interest of the group started to wane, and I – as the solemn dictator, hah – then decided to put the band to rest and start from a clean slate. So Cacodaemon died a natural death, one could state. And not too long after that, I and our vocalist Necrophilos breathed life into a new entity called Lantern, and the first songs and the first demo were scraped together in 2007 in a rather improvisational manner. The way the early creations of Lantern were put together was very chaotic, but eventually things shaped up into what they are now.

2. You have just published "Below" How was the writing process for this album? How will the arregláis to work in the studio when recording the different parts?

The songs that ended up on "Below" were written between 2007 and 2011… basically from our birth to the beginning of the album drum recordings. Some songs took four years to be completed, while some were finished in one day (although a riff or two might have been lingering around for some time). Eventually all the material that would create this extremely uniform piece of deathly metal fell into place like the pieces of a puzzle, and we started to record the drums. However, as to our always at least partially improvisational style of working, the songs were not fully complete when we entered the studio, but came perfected while they were being recorded. This pretty much sums up how the rest of the recordings went, as well: each song was chiseled to better precision one instrument / vocal track at a time.

3. How has the band's sound evolved over the years? Do you think your music although there are still some residue of old school death, whenever it is true that increases the weight of black metal?

As said, the first demo was very loosely built, and we didn’t know what to expect when we entered the studio. Still, “Virgin Taste…” ended up showing many of the qualities that persist in Lantern’s music today: a mix of death and black metal with a touch of doom and even heavy metal… something pretty hard to describe! While crafting "Subterranean Effulgence", our sound began to evolve toward something more stable and uniform… and when we got to work on "Below", I think the last style-wise piece ultimately clicked in place.

So although the keyword with Lantern is death metal, the black metal element (alongside the slightly less obvious doom, heavy etc. ones) has always been there, very strongly even. “Manifesting Shambolic Aura”, for example, is the first song ever written for Lantern, thus representing our essence more than well. However, I feel like the borders of death, black and whatever metal are becoming even harder to recognize in Lantern’s music, at least when judging the new songs I have at hand right now.

4. Convulse, Abhorrence, Entombed, in my point of view are bands with certain similarities to Lantern. What are your main influences? What do you think about the trajectory of the aforementioned bands?

Stuff like Possessed, old Morbid Angel and Therion, Necrosanct, Samael, Mercyful Fate, Dark Throne and so forth could be listed here. From Finnish bands, Demigod, Beherit, Belial and Impaled Nazarene affected my works especially back in the day. Some of the old progressive rock wave has also inspired me regarding how music can be written and especially how certain boundaries can be broken. Nowadays it’s harder for me to pinpoint where my influences come from, as the things that inspire me currently come from inside of me and not that much from the outside.

As for the trajectory of Convulse, Abhorrence and Entombed, I think all of them have aged relatively well. They’re not as deadly as they were in the early 90’s, but I think no one should expect one to keep their most primal edge after, what, 20 years.

5. Regarding the death scene of Finland, what can you tell us about the scene?

The death metal scene is very functional with lots of good bands and especially lots of good people in it. A grand hail to all the great personnel – you know who you are! Of course the scene isn’t restricted to just death metal; black, doom, heavy and thrash metal maniacs blend in the same way.

6. The theme of the lyrics revolve around The lyrical theme journeys unto death and undeath, mysticism of existence and afterlife - and all that is hidden in between. Could you elaborate a bit on these concepts, which mean to you?

The near-death experience I had in 2000 changed my values and my perspectives towards death, dying and life itself. So since then my lyrics have drawn inspiration from what I saw and felt, what I was left contemplating and so forth. It’s sketching an abstract inner landscape on canvas, trying to describe my visions about death and the planes of existence.

Some of my other texts affiliate with plain horror topics and unspeakable visions, but sometimes contain a “side rail” of sorts; an alternative meaning concealed within the obvious context.

7. What reasons led you to be a musician in the first place? Are they still valid today? What is your opinion today at Finnish extreme scene?

I’ve been playing an instrument since, hmm, 1993 or so, guitar from 1995, so I could say it just started from a kid’s hobby of learning how to play something. And when my personal musical preferences began to develop together with playing skills, I started to create music somewhat similar to my liking, which was metal at the time. And here we are… still composing metal music.

 8. Who designed the cover of Below? How does the cover to the music or the band?

Alexander “Bad News” Brown from New Zealand designed the cover, the same guy who nailed the “Subterranean Effulgence” EP art. The front cover art compiles much of the album’s lyrical (especially from “Rites of Descent” and “Entrenching Presences”) and thematic content, while the booklet has some references to the way the whole piece progresses. It’s a complex piece, and like with everything else, I endorse the listener / viewer to plunge into the details and find further meanings from it.

9. How do these first concerts being presented "Below"? Is it very difficult to get musicians for concerts?

If you mean our album release shows in May 2013, they were a blast. Our current set-list contains quite a bit of “Below” material beside a few older songs, and I think they work well when played live.

In Finland, the whole live show scene is relatively advanced with great organizers like KRK around. There’s no problem getting gigs, if you just play good music and work with a humble attitude. Still, outside the biggest Finnish cities, venues that are both decent and supporting metal events seem to be growing less, which is a problem. But still: where there’s a will, there’s a way.

10. "Below" is published through Dark Descent Records, Death orientation States. How did this collaboration? Do you feel comfortable in Dark Descent Records? To be continued in the future publishing your material through it?

Collaborating with Dark Descent Records has been a satisfactory experience. Imagine working with a good pal, who just does his part with utter professionalism and passion… not only for music, or metal music, but YOUR music. I could not wish for nor demand any better conditions than what Dark Descent Records have offered. And what comes to the future, we have not discussed anything yet. But hypothetically, I can’t see why we wouldn’t collaborate with Dark Descent in the future, if we only manage to keep composing worthy material.

11. What next steps will Lantern, in terms of new releases, concerts, etc ...?

We’re currently composing new songs and trying to figure out fitting concepts for them. So release-wise we’re merely planning new schemes. Gigs are more than welcome at the moment, and we actually have a couple of more Finnish shows agreed on but not officially announced for autumn 2013. Playing abroad is the next big step we’d like to take some time in the (near) future.

12. Thank you very much for your time, if you want to add something for people who like Lantern, this is the place, thanks. I hope the questions are to your liking.

Thanks for the interview and your interest in Lantern!