1. The band was formed by Niko Karppinen(guitar) and Petteri Lammassaari(drums) in year 2000. Which was your aims (ideologically and musically) in shaping the direction of Bloodride? Are you involved in any other way in the music scene?
From the beginning my goal was clear to me that I want to play thrash metal someday. No ideological bullshit, just a straight shout about what needs to be said. I’m not involved any other way in the music scene except by supporting gigs and festivals organisers as a customer. And of course buy a music and merchandise from the bands.
2. How do you feel when you look back into the past and the begginnings of the band +20 years ago? Do you feel that you have grown up as a band?
Yeah, we are like brothers and the band grows as we do. it's easier to make music when you've known others for many years.
Of course we also have our own quarrels. ”This is life and get over it” mentality has always worked well for us. So, I see that Bloodride will continue to grow for the next +20 years with us.
3. As far as recruiting members for the band, what criteria were there apart from being competent musicians? Is it a collaborative approach with everyone in the band?
The one and only criterion was that you have to be a good guy and know how to play. Everyone knew someone so it was easy to put the band together. I played with Teemu in the same death metal band before Bloodride and he asked to me join a thrash metal band. We are all equal and we all decide together as a band .
4. “Idiocracy” goes back to the early Thrash Metal beginnings of the Bay Area. What era of the thrash metal age do you feel has been the greatest?
The late 1980 is greatest. In 1988 I was 12 years old little boy when I found literally thrash metal music. In 1989 Sodom´s Agent orange and Sepultura´s Beneath the remains blow my head off. And here we are on the same road.
5. Your thrash metal is intense and fast, what cause such a strong explosion of energy?
Yep. At some point we tried to make slower songs. But when we trained them, we realized that the song need speed. Only the speed keeps us awake and we want to smell music when we play.
6. Tell us about the recording sessions, how did it go? How was your first time in the studio? How long did it take you to finish everything?
Last time we first recorded the drums in the studio and then moved to the rehearsal room and recorded the rest there. This way we don't have to rush and we can finish everything with time except the mixing. I can't say how long it will take to make the whole album. It depends on many things. As far as I can remember our first album Crowned in hell recorded at the studio in two weeks and the mixing was done in a week. And Idiocracy recorded about 3 months. Maybe we’ll record our new album entirely in the studio. We’ll see. My first time in the studio was in year 1992 and we recorded on four-track recorder with the band of that time. It was great fun and super exciting.
7. Did the pandemic have any affect on the recordings of the new album? Did you suffer any set backs because of it?
This pandemic sucks! Fortunately, pandemic has not significantly affected our making of the new album. Except that we are not in the rehearsal room very often. When the pandemic started we were supposed to start a European tour with Six Feet Under and it had to be cancelled.
8. How do you work as a band? What’s the process you follow when composing an album? Do you work individually or as a team?
We have three ways of making music. Someone has the whole song ready and we practice it and make some changes if necessary. The next way is that the guitar and bass wizards makes the riffs and record at home and then Petteri record the drums at home and try if they all to work together. Then I match the words to the song. The best way is when we are at the rehearsal room and jamming, so the song comes out as by itself.
9. Have you read any reviews regarding the album? Do you care about what critics have to say about your work?
Yes, I read. I'm interested in what the other people think and what vibes the album gives, but I don't take it personally if someone doesn't like it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
10. Right now you are signed with Great Dane Records. How is it? Do you have any plans to stay or move on to find something else?
We are satisfied to Great Dane Records, everything has gone well.
Let´s see what the future brings.
11. I’ve noticed you are a very active band and had played several gigs and tours. Did your level of popularity increased quite a lot?
I think that we are semi-known band in Finland, but still underground. A lot of work needs to be done to achieve the same status in Europe. This is our goal, so we contracted with Split Screen Management if they could help us with this.
12. What are the basic criteria by which you choose the places where you would like to play live? Is it about line-up in the case of festivals, the nature of the action, or even approach of the organizers?
We have no criteria where we play. Can't afford to be a picky when there are many bands who also want to play live at the same place. If someone asks us to play at a festival or club, it's an honour to be chosen because they specifically want us to play live.
13. Have you ever had any weird incidents while traveling for concerts that you would like to share?
Actually, we are lucky because traveling to concerts has always gone well so there is nothing to report about that.
14.Finland is known for having a quite developed commercial metal scene. Would you say it's rather something positive or negative concerning the influences it could have on the deep underground?
I would say that it is only a positive thing. When a people listen to music from a certain country, it may occur to them to research for other bands from the same country and the snowball effect is ready.
Here is also quality music in the underground, so every band from Finland who is commercially successful gives hope to small bands that success is possible.
15. Do you have any explanation as to why there are so many bands in Finland?
I think that when you are a child in school, there are music classes where you can learn to play any instrument you want. This is how the seed was planted as a child, so it's easier to start playing music at a young age when you have some sense of music. This is one theory.
16. What kind of bands you are listening to nowadays? Can you give some names? On the other hand, there can be also new bands that you can recommend for our readers?
Nowadays I listen to a lot of music from different genres. From doom to noise, from thrash to grindcore, from jazz to drone. Almost anything goes. It all depends on the mood what genre I want to listen.
My favourites at the moment is: Amenra,
Tankard, Hexis. And here is some cool bands from Finland: Bonehunter, Ranger, Malicious Death, Throat, Dö, Grave Siesta.
17. Thank you! I want to give you the final word. Is there anything you want to share with our readers?
Thank you!
Support your favourite bands! Go to the gigs and buy some merchandise. Stay metal and thrash till death!
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