Interview with death metal band from Finland - TRAMALIZER.
Answered bassist T. Oranen, thank you!
Translated Duzl, thank you!
Questions prepared Jakub Asphyx.
Ave TRAMALIZER! I have never found any interview with you in Czech language. I will ask you first to introduce the band to the readers who do not know you yet. You can start from the beginning and take us through the whole history of TRAMALIZER.
Ave Jakub! I am T. Oranen, bassist and proud member of Tramalizer. No wonder that you havent read interviews of us because you happen to be second one who do so. Even if we have been together couple years already, we have only released couple song for the public. We have worked our first album in shadows and now when release date is coming, the word about Tramalizer is getting wider. About our history, me and M. Jokelainen been playing in other bands and projects sveral years. Sometime in 2021 we started to talk about doing music that we grew up with, death metal in the purest way. Since the first demo tracks we found our way and knew we had something important in our hands. Still we needed a drummer and a vocalist. Jokelainen knew guy from our town who he have been playing with years ago, R. Tarvonen. Didnt knew him well even if we lived in same town, were almost same age and had same musical backgrounds. Luckily Tarvonen was interested and liked our demo tracks, so we gave him a chance. My fucking god how amazed I was when he first time shouted to the microphone. Gives me chills even remembering that moment. Then knew that we have a bomb in our hands and we have to handle it carefully. But we still needed a drummer. All the drummers in our town were too overbooked so we had to think outside the box. Knew this guy, K. Laanto, from town next to us. He was really active with extreme music and he had been doing some sound engineering. Only problem was that he is a guitarist and not a drummer. But after introducing him idea of Tramalizer he got interested and promised to try the drumming. Love his way of drumming, its good but not too clean or overly technical. Its pure, authentic and has this natural flow. And with this perfect lineup we did three song promo, only to be sent to few selected labels. We got several offers and after some thinking decided that Soulseller Records is most suitable label for us. After signing a deal we finished our debut album „Fumes of Funeral Pyres“ and now in february 2023 it’s finally coming. So if you havent heard us before, its because we have been working in silence and not been in hurry.
This year, you have just released the new album „Fumes Of Funeral Pyres“. Again, it's a dark, harsh and honest death metal. Did you access the recording process differently than last time or did you choose verified practices?
We had this same lineup and recording methods as in our promo. K. Laanto is semiprofessional soundengineer and he knew exactly what he is doing. Have to say that he finalized this band to its right form. Was looking for a drummer but got also a perfect soundengineer. That wasnt intentional but after thinking it afterwards, it was like it was always meant to be. There aint any coincidents happening, everything happens for a reason. Just like founding R. Tarvonen. How ofter you hear someone who has thatkind voice? And what are the odds that you found him next to you? But back to the album. It sounds honest and perfect just because we got to produce it ourself, we knew exactly what we wanted and knew how to fullfill that vision.
The new album seems to me more complicated, perhaps initially less accessible, at the same time incredibly dark and evil. Was it intentional? How did the album originate and how did you compose the music?
We didnt want to take easiest way of doing „old school death metal“. Wanted it to sound bit like proto death metal. You know, like a death metal band which has its roots deep into the thrash metal. Like death metal pioneers who started their guitar playing careers learning Slayer riffs. I personally am so old that remember the times when thrash metal was new and it was hardest fucking music ever done. So of course I loved. But it didnt take many years until death metal started to rise from thrash metal scene. At that time I was something like 16-17years old and that specific time was best time of my life. So thatswhy some of my most loved albums and bands are from that time. Most likely the songs and melodies come from there; nostalgy. Usually Jokelainen does most of the thrashy riffs and I do the gloomier parts. So we bounce ideas and melodies with eachothers till we have a raw song ready. After that we introduce it to others and then song gets molded to its final shape. We all have our own skills and knowledge how to use them to build a perfect Tramalizer song.
I have a „Fumes Of Funeral Pyres“ in my MP3 player and I have to say that this album literally engulfed me. These are not just great ideas but also sound is simply devastating. I'm sitting in the tram, and suddenly I find myself shaking my legs. I have a feeling to start moshing. If I weren’t so old, I would probably start to. Where did you record and who is signed under mastering?
Like said, K. Laanto is our man. He runs Sonic Violence studio and he is great mixing and procuder. Not just because he has skills, but because he lives so deep in thrash and death metal. So he knows all the nuances. He had mixed music for Unhoped, Cryptborn, Phlegein and many other underground gems. I’ve worked with him since 2012 when he mastered album for my band, Förgjord. After that he have been one of my most trusted soundengineer.
Who is the author of the lyrics on „Fumes Of Funeral Pyres“? What are they talking about? Where do you get inspiration for themes?
I wrote all the lyrics for this album. At first we though that we all should do it, but when I got my inspiration going, soon every song had their lyrics written before others had even started. It wasnt intentional, it just happened that way quite logically. Lyrics are about darker side of human mind. There is songs about suicidal thoughts, songs about hurting your own flesh, then about serial killer, then about hunting humans and feasting with their bodies and stuff like that. I know, maybe I should get my head examined before something happens..
Who is signed under the cover of „Fumes Of Funeral Pyres“? I like his work very much. How did you choose the motif for the cover?
Its painted by talented finnish artist Niko Partanen. Stumbeld to his works online accidentally and asked if he wants to do cover for us. Knew that Niko listened extreme metal and let him hear our songs. He liked them and promised to do something. It was easy because he knew whatkind style we were after. We explained our idea roughly and he after that he had free hands. Gotta say that he didnt let us down. Cover painting reeks like death and burning corpses.
When we look back at the beginning ... What was the first impulse to found the band? And why the death metal? It's not the typical style which can would give you great "glory".
Me and Jokelainen have backgrounds in black metal bands, but like said earlier, thrash and death metal was music we grew with. So its like as circle is closing when you can live that golden times of early nineties again. Dont know about „glory“, I have done and lived with extreme metal so long that dont know where my personality ends and where metal music starts. This way of living wont make you rich, it wont even pay back what it got from you. But still it gives back something much more important than money, it keeps you sane.
You come from Finland and you play extreme death metal. Our readers would certainly wonder how the death metal scene works in Finland. To tell you the truth, so lately I hear only the great bands from there. Does this mean that the scene there is so strong at the moment? What about concerts, how many people coming to them?
In yearly nineties finnish death metal scene was one of the best ones. Bands like Sentenced, Amorphis, Demigod, Xysma, Mordicus, Convulse, Depravity and dozens of others ruled the world. Maybe they werent so „big business“ as swedish bands, but very honest and had their unique way. But when black metal came more popular after mid nineties, the death metal bands either vanished or „grew out“ of their death metal roots. Of course there were some pioneers who played true finnish death metal even when it wasnt trendy, like Slugathor. But it was like within last few years we have seen second coming of finnish death metal. And what is most interesting to notice, these guys are young, full of energy and hungry. Here is lots of death metal concerts in bigger cities and bands are travelling every weekend. Unfortunetaly we live in small town, so next bigger city is 100km’s away. So if you want to see something, you have to travel. But I’m old, too lazy to travel and my sleeping time is already gone before opening act starts playing, haha
I have to ask. You live in Finland, which is considered a strongly Lutheran country. You play death metal. Do you have any problems with it? Do you get space in TV or in newspapers? How is life in your country affected by religion?
Church has no power in here. So no matter what satanist stuff you do with black metal bands, no one lifts a eyebrown. Only NSBM and things that are related to it are disapproved by public. And because church nor religion has room in here, many black metal bands seems to be without their enemy. Its like they have already won their war. Being a satanist or openly against the church aint have shock value in here, not anymore.
From your music it is possible to feel that you are influenced by American death metal school and as well by the old Swedish bands. How do you feel about it as a fan? Do you prefer the original death metal of the 1990s or do you get inspiration as well from the new albums? If yes so I am wondering which bands had the greatest impact on TRAMALIZER.
From American bands we are most influenced of thrash bands, Slayer especially. But not so much of US death metal bands have influenced us. Maybe some Sadistic Intent, Possessed, first Cannibal Corpse and early Morbid Angel. But mostly our death metal has European roots. Of course Swedish bands like Carnage, Grave, Entombed and Dismember. That is quite obvious. But it also has lots of inspiration from British bands like Cancer and Benediction. But bands like Gorefest, Vader and Krabathor has been on my non-stop-playlist for awhile now..
What about you and concerts in general? Are you a band that goes for concerts anytime you can or you are picky about where you will play? Do you have a dream, maybe a group you would like to go with for a tour or festival, a city where you would like to perform?
We might start playing live in near future. But we need a second guitarist to fill the lineup. Maybe our drummer Laanto will take the other guitar and we just find ourself a session drummer. We shall see, we aint in hurry.
I'm going to listen again your new album „Fumes Of Funeral Pyres“. I have to say that for me personally, this is basically a perfect death metal work. Totally inferno. I wish big success to your record and to get this album to as many people as possible. This album deserves it. I wish you all the best in your personal life. Whatever you do and the last words are yours. If you want to tell something to fans, labels, promoters, you have space here..... Thank you for the interview and I am looking forward to seeing you live!
Thanks for the interview Jakub! Love your country. Its been couple years since visited there, but will surely come back to see ossuary of Kutna Hora, feel the old Prague and taste the dark Közel Velkopopovicky
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