Nitte, Eero and Juuso

Battle Beast

It was BATTLE BEAST's first time outside of Finland when the stepped on the stage of Wacken back in 2010. Right after winning the Wacken Metal Battle came along a new album under the name of "Steel" and a contract with Nuclear Blast Records. Tommy Fox talked with three of the band's members: Nitte, Eero and Juuso regarding their new lives as a prospect and the new album.

By Tommy Fox

• February 11, 2012

Hello Juuso, Eero&Nitte, first of all it is a great honor to interview you guys.

Pleasure is all ours.

I have to start with a confession. Back in my last work place I used to start each of my mornings by listening to your early tracksfrom start to the end.I truly was addicted. With that said let's go back years ago, through the earlier days of BATTLE BEAST, how did you become a band?

Juuso: Glad to hear that. We originally started playing with Anton, Pyry and me back in high school. In 2008 we started getting more serious and hired the rest of the guys after auditions.

It was a great pleasure to on seeing you performing meet you in after your tremendous show in Wacken 2010. How was the feeling on stage back then? How did it effect on you guys, being aware that this is a contest?

Eero: It was absolutely great. Given that Wacken 2010 was our first ever show outside of Finland, it sure was a great place to start. We didn't really think about it as a contest. We just concentrated on giving a good show and enjoying ourselves. Fortunately it paid out really well.

Where did your career stand prior toWacken2010?

Nitte: We played small gigs here and there and worked shitty jobs to pay for the needed gear.

Have you felt anyspecial changes within the band since then, aside from the album?

Eero: Lot has happened since 2010. Late 2011 found us signing a deal with Nuclear Blast and thus opening the routes to Europe and the rest of the world. This has also brought us much attention in the media.

I must say that as soon as I heard you inWacken I fell in love with you. I think that you bring something different than most bands. That leads to my next question: How was the working process on your debut album,"Steel"?

Juuso: Making the album was a lot about trial and error. We learned a lot and had a great time. The album was recorded in approximately three weeks at Sonic Pump studios Helsinki and produced by Nino Laurenne.

On the album I noticed that there are several great songs which you didn't include on your debut such as:"River Of Blood", Death &Glory","Stay Black" and other inspiring ones that were a part of your earlier material. What led you to decide on skipping the old news and replace them with fresh material?

Eero: We aimed to make the best combination possible. We had a lot of great songs to choose from, so it was impossible to put all of them in the album. Still, those older songs haven't gone anywhere, and might just be released on some later album. Actually, Stay Black is featured on the new Nuclear Blast re-issue of Steel as a bonus track.

Juuso: And by the way, many of the songs aren't actually that new. There are songs from long period of time. Some of the songs are more than five years old whereas on the other hand, some were written just before entering the studio.

I noticed the differences between the production on your earlier material and the album, which were mostly expressed in the vocal work, keyboards and guitars. For example: The opening of "Savage & Saint" that sounded different. Weren't you satisfied with the older production back then that it led you to reproduce the entire material?

Eero: Recording Savage and Saint was a complicated process and we ended up changing the arrangement several times. I wouldn't say we weren't satisfied with the older version, but new ideas just came up while in the studio. The differences between demos and the album have a lot to do with the fact that we worked with an outside producer and different gear.

On the album I could listen to several musical patterns. Songs like "Iron Hand" & "The Band Of The Hawk" wherethe opening with the keys is very bombastic and majestic, that characterized merelyPower and Viking Metal bands. However, on the others songs like "Cyberspace" & "Victory", there is the energy of traditional Heavy Metal that reminded me JUDAS PRIEST &ACCEPT . Is there any direction that you aim for when writing a song?

Nitte: This is a question best suited for Anton as he is our songwriter. Generally we just aim to make good songs. If it fits to Viking- or power metal category or whatever, we don't mind.

I had the opportunity to watch the behind the scenes of your first video clip, "Enter The Metal World". How was the feeling of being filmed? Can you tell us more about that day.

Eero: For me personally it was both fantastic and terrible at the same time. I was suffering from a terrible flu and fever so I felt completely shit. I actually passed out at one point and Nitte had to kick me awake to go to stage.

Nitte: For me it was very much fun, yet also pretty hard. Stand the whole day on high heel shoes. And of course it was really exiting, 'cause I had never done such thing before.

Nitte, you were blessed with a great voice along withvirtuous singing abilities. I wonderhow did you get into singing?

Nitte: I've been singing pretty much for my whole. In fact I think I started singing before I learned to talk. I took a few singing lessons some 10 -15 years ago and that's about it.

Each member is a true professional and virtuous in his playing, a fact that contributed to the songs and made them to what they have become, shredding solos, enormous keyboards lines, great bass work, thundering drum bits and the outstanding singing. It's sound like the best formula for a band, how did you reach to that playing level and what were your influences in the process?

Juuso: All the members have different musical backgrounds, so it's hard to point out any specific influences. As for the playing skills, it's all really about practice, practice and practice.

What the future hold for BATTLE BEAST, maybe a tour or writing new material? What other plans do you have for the future to come?

Nitte: We are heading to support Nightwish on their Imaginaerum tour this spring, which we think is gonna be a blast. As soon as we get home we'll probably start practicing and recording new material for next album. There are also a few gigs already booked for the summer.
Generally our goal for the future is to make progress as a band, and to be able to give more for the people who come to see our shows!

It was a big pleasure to interview you, I enjoyed both your early material and the album. You are a true fresh spirit within a sea of bands. I hope to see you again in a gig one day .Do you have some last words to all Metalheadsworldwide?

Thank you, it was a pleasure. For all the metal heads out there: Remember who you are and take care! Hope to see you all on tour, and be sure to check out the album if you haven't already done so!

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