Elenium

Finnish melodic death metal band Elenium was born in 1995 in the lovely Helsinki suburbia called (city of) Vantaa. The band has gone through various struggles, including the usual line up changes, disappearing record labels and rehearsal place demolitions. The band has been able to release one EP and two full length albums through these years. As the band’s second album was released couple of months ago and the line up was halved, it is good time to have reality check with the band.
Interview by J-P Muikku, answers kindly provided by bass player Tuomo Räisänen and keyboard player Johannes Salo .

You are playing melodic death metal, but you don’t have any guitar players. Has this direction been intentional?
Johannes: Yes, It was our plan from the beginning. OK, seriously, both guitarists left Elenium, but that’s not all. The drummers place was also open, so Elenium included only three dudes (Tuomo/bass, J/vocals and I/keys) for several months. That sounded total Death Metal, rightl! Now things look much brighter though.
Tuomo: It seems to take some character to be a talented guitarist and play songs that are mostly made by keyboardists and bassists.

Will we ever see Elenium live in the continental Europe?
Johannes: Hopefully! It would surely be a blast! Tuomo: Sure you will.

I know you have gone through couple labels before Kampas Records came to your aid. Do you want to shed any light to what went wrong with your previous labels?
Tuomo: Well for starters, they went bankrupt.

How did you found Kampas Records or did they approach you first?
Johannes: Kampas found us from Myspace.

You share band members with other bands; does this cause any issues with gig/studio etc schedules?
Johannes: No issues this far. Tuomo: We have been pretty quiet on the touring front because of the lack of guitarists, but that will change soon as we already have some gigs booked for this year. Hopefully there won`t be any major problems with schedules. You just have to plan things a bit more carefully than before.

Are there other projects/bands you would like to talk about, being either your side projects or other local bands out there you to be exposed?
Tuomo: There are plenty, but Elenium is the oldest and dearest child. Although it isn`t very appropriate to rate your children, is it.

How do you cope with the different setbacks that playing in a metal band brings with it?
Tuomo: With exceptionally dark humour and alcohol.

How would you describe your local metal scene when compared what it was a decade ago, when you were young and couple bottles of beer and Death’s Spiritual Healing album was all what you needed for a party?
Johannes: Don’t know about the scene. I’m still drinking those beers and getting good vibes from the stunning Spiritual Healing. Tuomo: Hopefully we`ll make a new c-cassette soon.

1995 take I: Would Finland be happier if you would had stayed outside of European Union?
Tuomo: Finland is not supposed to be happy.

1995 take II: What ice hockey means to members of Elenium? Is it true that the band was set up after you got overexposure to Det glider in “anthem”?
Johannes: Bassist Tuomo composed that song, HEH! Tuomo: yeah, that`s why I got selected into Elenium from among the hundreds of bassist candidates.

What’s in store for the rest of the year and into 2008?
Tuomo: Lots of surprises. Hopefully we`ve run out of the bad ones. There will be a new line up to be announced and new everything.

Anything to add?
Johannes: Be a good boy/girl and get the “Caught in a Wheel”! Tuomo: Thanks for the intie!

http://www.eleniumband.com
http://www.myspace.com/elenium
http://www.last.fm/music/Elenium
http://www.kampas.fi/
http://www.myspace.com/kampasrecords

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