Olli Mikkonen with our journalist Doris
AMON AMARTH interview by Doris
Talking about Amon Amarth, the
first thing to mention is, I guess, their honesty. Honesty in music, but not
only. Croatia never forgot their noble gesture when they played live on infamous
MMS festival in Zadar although all the other bands left without a single note
played, due to major organizational failures. In this interview, done on 8th
November 2006 (before Amon Amarth’s gig in Boogaloo club, Zagreb, Croatia), Olli
Mikkonen tells it all about the new album, possibly their best to date, “With
Oden On Our Side”, the fore mentioned MMS fest, and all things Amon Amarth in
general... Plus, a small intervention by Johan Hegg, who explained us the nature
and inspiration behind all those Viking tales they tell us through the lyrics
and atmospheres of the music itself.
Personally, I liked “Fate Of Norns” a lot, but have also heard people saying
that it was recorded in a hurry and thus isn’t as strong as it could’ve been.
Could you compare the recording process for “Fate Of Norns” and for “With Oden
On Our Side”?
Ok, recording of “Fate Of Norns” was stressful, hectic, we didn’t have a
straight line to follow, we felt that it wasn’t planned enough, kind of messy.
While recording the new album we followed one line, together as a unit, and we
had producer that took care about the entire production thing, so we only played
our instruments and that was it. We didn’t talk about how things should sound
and that production stuff.
What really impressed me on your new album is the strength of guitars, both in
melodies and in solos. Was there any premeditated emphasis on that element while
you were writing “With Oden On Our Side”?
Of course, everything was planned, we... after we recorded “Fate Of Norns”, we
realized that it’s a good album, but it isn’t a top album. We realized that we
need to grab ourselves and... you know, for us it isn’t good enough to make that
kind of album, we have to work harder, and that’s what we did for the new album,
we worked much, much harder, we planned the whole album much more. We topped our
skills on the new album, we were really doing our best. That’s why I think the
new album is as good as it is. We really pressured ourselves to make the best
that we can, you know.
Ok, I will not ask you if this is the best Amon Amarth album so far, because you
will most certainly say yes, but I will ask you what song do you like the best?
Oh... (a really long pause) I don’t know... Before we entered the studio I liked
“Valhall Awaits Me” most, after we had recorded I liked “Hermod’s Ride To Hel”
most, but today I probably like “Cry Of The Black Birds” the best, so I don’t
know... It’s... Or “Runes To My Memory”... I don’t know. To me all the songs are
great, there is no... In my opinion all songs are for ten!
On the setlist from your show in Frankfurt I saw that the last song you
performed was “Gods Of War Arise”, which is from the new album. So, did you
recognize it as a new Viking hymn, given that it’s not usual to finish the
encore with a new track?
Yeah, I think we got tired of... the last two years of touring we did “Death In
Fire” last, and before that “Victorious March” for five years as a last song, so
we were like “We have to find something else to close it up with”. So we tried
with this one as the last, we’ll see if it’s working. It feels, I’ll never say
boring... but it’s fun for yourself to do a little changes, cause we have to
play “Death In Fire” and “Victorious March” forever...! So, now we have “Death
In Fire” almost in the beginning of the set.
The album has a very epic, massive sound… but never pathetic. Do you ever have
to restraint yourselves from becoming “too epic”, to the point of reaching a
somewhat pathetic sound?
No, I think not... At least our band, it can’t never get too epic, epic is a
cool thing to add to the music. We have never thought that something is too
epic, we’d rather say sometimes we have too cheesy ideas.
Are you satisfied with how the new songs came across live in concerts so far?
Yeah, yeah... and we based our setlist on the fan voting, we had voting on our
homepage, fans could choose from all the songs, so we’ll be playing what the
fans voted for, and they voted for those new songs, they were in the top
positions...
Yeah, I saw that and I’m glad you’ll be playing songs like “Cry Of The Black
Birds” and “Runes To My Memory”. However, given that you mostly sing about
Vikings, do you ever feel like you would like to write songs about other topics,
but you simply can’t because they wouldn’t fit your image? Do you ever feel the
need to talk about something else?
Well, that you should ask Mr. Lyricswriter, Johan.
Oh, ok, but I would hate to abuse his voice before the show, ha ha…
Naah, sure you can.
So, Johan, do you sometimes wish to write about non-Viking topics? And, by the
way, where do you find the inspiration for so many Viking tales?
Johan: A lot of ideas I get from reading books about Vikings, old Viking sagas
and mythologies, but I also take ideas and inspiration from things in my life or
stuff going on in the world, etc etc. I sort of transform them into the Viking
songs, that’s all. The key element is to write an interesting story that goes
along with the music, that’s the most important thing. It has to go with the
music and be interesting.
Ok, thanks… Back to you Olli... You already played America and now you’re going
there again. How do you feel about that, what are your expectations?
It’s good, on the same level as in Europe, or perhaps some places even better,
so... Of course, America is very big for a country, so it’s a big market. I like
it, nice venues... but, in past, when we were smaller in America, those venues
were really shitty, you don’t get decent food, or it’s really crappy, no
showers, blah blah blah... but when you come up to the next level, so to say,
for instance when we were touring with Children Of Bodom, it’s very big and then
you see it, very nice places, it’s like same as in Europe, so it’s ok... And
America has lot of new movies and stuff to buy, ha ha ha, so it’s also fun!
Ha ha ha, so you go shopping in America?
And it’s good that we’re going to America now because we can do some Christmas
shopping, ha ha!
And what do you think about so-called American metal, bands like Trivium and
stuff like that? You toured with them, if I’m not mistaken...
Yeah, Trivium is a great band, great musicians. However, I don’t know what do I
think about American metal, I don’t listen so much to any of those bands, but
it’s not because I don’t want to, it’s just... lack of interest on my side, but
I believe all those bands are great, they have to be because they are selling a
lot albums. And of course they have the new metalcore thing which brought so
much new fans to this kind of music. Before there were only death metal fans, or
black metal fans, today the metalcore kids listen also to death metal bands, and
death metal kids listen to metalcore, so it’s more people now and it’s great for
everybody. But, to be totally honest with you, I think At The Gates should’ve
had more credit for what they did with “Slaughter Of The Soul” album.
Are you satisfied with the reception here in Zagreb, so far?
Yeah, we... I can answer to that only after the show. I have no idea how’s it
gonna be today. I hope it’s gonna be as good as the last show that we had, in
Switzerland, that was totally amazing. So, I hope it’s gonna be ok.
But you already played here in Croatia, in Zadar, on infamous MMS festival...
Any thoughts on that?
Yeah, that was... If you’re not gonna talk about the festival... Audience-wise,
the response from the audience was very great. It was worth all the shit that
was happening around the festival just to play for the fans. We felt very good
on that show.
And at the end, you were headliners...
Yeah, because everybody else left, ha ha... But it was totally worth all the
bullshit around it.
Did you ever think like, we’re not gonna play, given that nobody else is
playing, or something?
Well, nobody took us from our hotel to the venue. The promoter didn’t come and
get us, so it was a Slovenian fan who took us and he had a small car so he could
take only two at the time... he drove us back and forth, and he also drove all
of our gear, and then that same guy made sure that we could come to the stage
and play because there was no people working there anymore.
Whoa!
So it was that Slovenian guy who made it happen for us there.
Regarding tonight’s show did you ever think – oh, no, we’re back to Croatia,
what if this shit happens again?
Naaah, no, no, not on this tour, no.
You have a pretty strong reputation as a live band… Have you considered a
release of a live album?
No, because somehow I think live albums or best of albums, to me that’s just a
rip-off to the fans because you don’t have to pay anything to do it, but you can
make money, and for me that’s not a good way to treat your fans, so... No. But
we have already done it because we have a DVD and that’s a different thing,
because then it’s something new...
Yes, that’s something you can *see*, ha ha...
Yes, and I call that a live album.
Some time ago I read somewhere that you’re still having your day-jobs... So, how
do you balance touring with the necessity to work for a living?
No, for the new album no. Since the “Fate Of Norns” tour we quit our day-time
jobs. Amon Amarth is our job today!
Oh, cool.
That’s why we all could put so much more energy on the new album, we could write
it as the day-job, we rehearsed every day from 9 to 17.
Yes, it really shows on the album.
And you can go home on evenings and do private stuff with your family. It’s much
easier to have one job instead of having two jobs.
And, to end with, a couple of tricky questions, so be careful:
Which is your favourite pop song?
Pop song?! Uffff... (really long pause)
He he!
I don’t know, it could be maybe “Enjoy The Silence” of Depeche Mode or
something... If that’s pop.
Well... I can allow that, ha ha!
Rammstein is not pop... Is Rammstein pop?
Nooooo.
But I don’t listen to pop, it’s just what I hear on the radio, I think it’s a
beautiful song, “Enjoy The Silence”.
Do you ever use your famous drinking horns in your private life?
Yeah, if I go to Viking feast then of course everybody drinks from horns, but
not at home, I have a glass when I drink beer with my food, because horn is
stupid to have on the table...
Yeah, it’s not so convenient, ha ha!
But if I go to those Viking markets or Viking feasts or something like that...
You have that, I mean, that actually exists?
Yeah, because in summertime there are a lot of Viking markets in Scandinavia, so
yeah, me and my lady go around, we know a lot of people that are living as
Vikings for a full time, so yeah.
Ok, so any message for your fans tonight?
Hope to have a good gig, if it turns out ok, we’re definitely coming back!