Fall Of The Leafe pour l'album "Aerolithe"

1. Hi! I discovered Fall Of The Leafe with "August Wernicke" and as an old and reliable listener of your music, it's been sad to hear that you've decided to split-up after more than 10 years of existence. I suppose it was not easy to take this decision. What were the reasons of this split and how do you feel today with it?

The reasons were that there was no possibility for us to continue together. We are still friends and we have no problems. The problem was that this band wasn't able to continue anymore. There were many things that caused it. Today I feel good because Fall of the Leafe used to take a lot of my time. All the live show organizing and so on. At the moment I don't have to take care of those things and I can pay full attention to my other bands.


2. Before talking about "Aerolithe", I had some questions concerning the early years of the band. At first, I always wondered why you choose this band name and what it meant to you? Why did you add an 'e' at the end of "Leafe"?

I wasn't a member of the band when they founded it. But the name means "autumn" and "fall" in ancient English language. It's very unusual term and maybe that's why it happens all the time that somebody writes "Fall of the Leaf" or "Fall of the Leave" :)


3. With your 2 first albums ("Evanescent, Everfading" and "August Wernicke"), you started as a melodic death metal band. Can you tell us more about this period of your carrier and what do you think about these 2 albums today?

I like those albums. Unfortunately I can't tell you more about those times but I think that other guys like these albums too. I'm sure that Jussi likes them. We have many times talked about playing more of these old songs live but somehow we have always ended up playing just "Platinum".


4. What were your influences and the bands you listen to at the end of the 90's? Do you still listen to these bands today?

Jussi has always been the main composer and he has many kind of records in his CD collection. There are Mission, Paradise Lost, New Model Army, Arcturus, and also some brutal death metal and black metal stuff. There are the elements of Fall of the Leafe music.


5. With your third album "Fermina", you changed your style for something "softer". Why did you decide to take this way after "August Wernicke"?

The guys have told me that it was more like and accident that this happened. Tuomas just decided that he won't sing growling anymore. He turned into a melodic singer and that's one of the main thing that make Fermina sound softer that August Wernicke. Fermina was originally planned for growling vocals and if you imagine August Wernicke –like vocals in Fermina you can find many similarities.


6. So let's talk about "Aerolithe", your sixth album. To begin, can you give us some explanations about this enigmatic title?

Tuomas is the mastermind behind this mysterious title. It's even mystery for the rest of the band. It has something to do with the 1930's and industrialisation. And you can find these elements in the layout too.


7. What can we expect from it? Do you have a favourite song?

I guess my favourite is "All the Good Faith" or the progressive "Look into Me". Compared to Vantage Aerolithe is more progressive, more heavy, more metal and more everything.


8. Your previous album "Vantage" has just been released in 2006 and I was surprised to hear that the new album was already done. How long last the writing process? Does "Aerolithe" contain some songs that were not included in "Vantage"?

Jussi had some of these songs ready when we recorded Vantage and "Drawing Worry" was a possible track to Vantage. Kaj and Matias wanted it on Vantage but Jussi was wise enough to tell them "no!". So after Vantage we had some songs ready and the whole arrangement process happened so fast that we surprised our selves.


9. Did you know that it would be your last album when you started to work on it? Did something change during the creation process?

We didn't know it back then. But all of us had realised that everything is not ok in this band. Quite soon after the recording session we had an email conversation about serious thing and few phone calls later we decided to end it all. Finnish men just can't talk face to face about serious things. That's why we had these conversations via email and telephone and that's one of the reasons that led us to this situation.


10. I found this new album quite different from "Vantage", darker and sometimes heavier. In which way can it be compared to "Vantage" to your mind? (Perhaps it's too early to ask this question…)

Vantage is more like a rock album and Aerolithe bring up the metal side of this band. I even used a pick while recording some parts of some songs. And that's a major step from me. I normally play only with my fingers but there were few parts that needed more metallic bass sound so I ended up using a pick. It isn't too easy to play bass with a pick if you have always played with fingers. I guess I should practice how to use that piece of plastic.


11. Finally, was it hard to lead this album to an end?

For me it was quite hard. There were many parts where I didn't know what the hell I should play. Even in the studio we made some critical changes to bass lines. And I know that Tuomas had some difficulties too. This was very hard album for him to sing but he did a great work. Kaj got also into a major trouble in the studio but that didn't have anything to do with playing. That poor bastard ate and hamburger which had gone bad. :)


12. Now a difficult question: except "Aerolithe", what is your favourite album of your all discography?

Vantage. I think it's one of the greatest moments in this bands career. Almost a perfect Fall of the Leafe album.


13. What do you do for a living apart from the band? Do you have other musical projects?

I work in a large company in IT department. Besides that I have several bands and projects: Deathre, Ablaze In Hatred, Behind the Drama, Searing Meadow and a Tool cover band together with Tuomo from Torture Killer and Jussi & Juri from Queenstone. Matias plays drums in Sounds a bit Bitter and Tuomas has joined a local group. We will hear about him later.


14. What are you listening to these days? Any good metal (or not metal) albums to recommend?

I just stumbled upon a Swedish band called Tiamat. Somehow I haven't heard their music before. Awesome! The new HIM album Venus Doom is also a masterpiece. And then of course all time favourites like Emperor, Dream Theater, Throes of Dawn, Mayhem, Slayer, Testament, The Gathering…


15. Do you know any French metal (or even rock) bands? You can be honest, it's just to confirm that French metal is not really known ;)

You're right. I don't think I know any. I know bands from many different countries but what's wrong with France? I think that every country has at least one band that somebody knows. You must do something about that thing. It would be interesting to hear French metal music.


16. Thank you for the interview and I wish you the best for the future. The last words are yours!

These years in Fall of the Leafe had been just great. I have enjoyed it. Now it's time to move on and I hope that all you readers check out our other bands and projects. You can find the links from Fall of the Leafe website in the band page.

Après cette interview, j'ai conseillé à Miska de jeter une oreille sur Anorexia Nervosa, Gojira, Benighted et Arkhon Infaustus pour découvrir quelques groupes français ;)