Hailing from Finland, Atrum Tempestas is a stormy, yet tranquil trip into atmospheric black metal, drawing influences from styles like funeral doom and post-rock. Since its foundation in 2007, Atrum Tempestas' music has been shifting from deliberate minimalism to alluring soundscapes and from thoughtful examination to bursts of emotionally charged passages. The duo act consisting of Perttunen and Kylmäaho both doing vocalist and other instrumental work took some time to discuss their latest efforts and other plans they have in the works.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Perttunen : I think it was 2007 when Kylmäaho first showed me some early demos he had put together. I found the music interesting and ended up recording vocals and guitars on the songs. Our first EP "Ne Deus crede" was to be released by some label in 2008 but the label vanished and things got on hold for a while. In 2012 we finally released the EP ourselves and started working on new material.
2. Why did you pick the name that you did for your band?
Kylmäaho : The name of the band, like the themes on Néant, are the product of their times. I personally don't perceive names themselves to be as important as the themes and feelings they convey. The name derives from a purpoted ancient inscription dealing with themes of humanity and its problems.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Perttunen : We both live in Oulu, Finland. There's a somewhat active music scene here with quite a lot of bands playing varied stuff but I can't really recommend anything. Check it out yourself if you're interested, there's a lot going on.
4. How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
Kylmäaho : It's probably the same for all artists, but anything you listen to, see or read affects your output, and I doubt we're any different. There's never a specific thing I think of when writing, it's more about expressing the current emotions, rather than aiming for anything specific. I think it has worked well for us; Néant sounds how its lyrics read.
5. What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
Kylmäaho : Néant is our first major release, so in a sense we're also a bit in the dark from the public opinion, but the feedback from people close to us has been favorable, so I'm being cautiously positive that more people can find something to like about our music.
6. Do you play live as well? What do you have planned in terms of shows and touring, if any?
Perttunen : At the moment Atrum Tempestas is strictly a studio band. I think a lot of our music is written in such a way that it would need some deeper thought to be brought alive for a live show, but we're not excluding the possibility of one day playing live.
7. What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
Perttunen : Currently we're taking a small breather and waiting for the reception of Néant before returning back to work. We already have new songs in the works, and we're confident that fans of Néant will have something to look out for in the future as well.
8. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?Kylmäaho : All of our music will be available for listening on our Bandcamp page (http://atrumtempestas.bandcamp.com/), which also includes purchase links.
9. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
Kylmäaho : I don't think there should be anything specific a band should expect from their listeners. Obviously I want people to enjoy the music, but the most interesting thing for me, personally, is to hear all the different perspectives people have on our lyrics and music. Getting to hear their take on it is always the most rewarding part. I hope people can find something of their own in our music and be able to take that with them.
Post a Comment