Melodic death metal act SCYTHE OF SORROW out of Finland, have released several single's, with a debut full-length titled "Raven's Cry Of Despair", released just last year in 2023. The band has been making their rounds upon social media, I myself coming across them via TikTok! The band does have plans to play shows this fall, with them focusing on themselves, playing live as soon as possible. Founder, lead guitarist, vocalist, composer Petteri Scythe goes into discussion about how the band formed, the music they have released, and how they sound a lot like another popular band out of Finland!
1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or it came out just like that?
It was simple and spontaneous. "Scythe" refers to Children of Bodom. They had the reaper, whose attribute is the scythe. It's a sign for their fans that they can find here what they miss after CoB disbanded. "Sorrow" can be said to relate to the themes of our songs, but it also just sounds dark and fits well with metal music. The whole name, "Scythe of Sorrow" sounds awesome to me and is perfect for chanting at concerts!
2. What is the genre that you play and why did you want to play it?
Generally speaking, we play Melodic Death Metal, but in our music, you can really hear influences ranging from black metal to 80s hair metal. All of this has shaped me as a musician, and I express it in my compositions. It's not that we specifically aim to play this way – it came about naturally.
3. Did you all know one another even before the band had been formed?
No, before the band was formed, I only knew Kacper (bassist) from when I lived in Poland, but he joined the band over a year after it was established. Previously, he played in another band in Poland. Since then, the band has undergone some lineup changes, and Julius (drummer) and Hades (rhythm guitarist) are new faces whom I didn't know before, but who came along at the right place and time.
4. To those who may take notice, your inspiration or influence is likely Finnish act Children Of Bodom am I right?
Absolutely, without Children of Bodom and Alexi Laiho, this band wouldn't exist. Their music and Alexi’s influence were the reasons I decided to move from Poland to Finland to form this band. His playing style has greatly impacted my own and shaped my growth as a musician. Their influence is clearly visible, and we don't hide it at all – Children of Bodom is definitely our inspiration!
5. Why go the route of being in similarity to Children Of Bodom, your musical style, font text, appearance, were you a tribute to COB before Scythe Of Sorrow was created or how did these likeness come into formation?
It just came naturally – ever since I discovered Children of Bodom, I fell in love with their style of play. When I started creating my own compositions, they just naturally sounded similar. As for the appearance – that's just how I've looked since birth, and I dressed and behaved this way even before I knew what Children of Bodom was. The font choice has always appealed to me and is unequivocally associated with our musical style, serving as a kind of signpost for CoB fans. We're not a tribute band; we play our own compositions and offer our own style and personality. You just need to look at us with a clear mind, rather than blindly labeling us as a copy.
6. How long have you been a band and how did you get started?
The band was formed in 2021 when I moved from Poland to Finland specifically for this purpose. I founded it myself, and initially, I was the only member. I have been writing compositions since 2015, refining them over time. In the meantime, several musicians joined the lineup, and several also left. In 2022, we released our first demos, and after a positive reception, we focused on releasing our debut album.
Our latest release is our debut album, "Raven's Cry Of Despair" which came out in August 2023. It's the result of several years of work and the fulfillment of my dream of releasing my own album. The album was very well received and, most importantly, it gave us quite a bit of exposure. Currently, we're focusing on polishing our material to start playing live shows in the fall. As for new music – since we're planning to start playing live this year, we won't release a new album (although the compositions are more or less ready). However, we're preparing a cover that should be out soon.
8. Is there any significance behind your band name?
I think I accidentally answered that in the first question, so we can skip it :)
9. What are the goals in mind for the future of the band?
Our goal is to gain as many fans and as much recognition as possible. It would be a dream come true to find a record label that would support our work and help us grow. We want to play at the biggest festivals in the world!
10. Have you considered releasing covers of Children of Bodom tracks, if so which would you pick and why?
We don't consider releasing them as recordings, but it's likely that we'll play classics like "Bed Of Razors" "Angels Don't Kill" or "In Your Face" etc. at concerts.
11. Does the band have any shows or touring plans?
Yes, we plan to start playing live in the fall. We don't have a specific date yet, but we're aiming for around October and November, although whether we'll succeed remains to be seen. We will definitely play in Helsinki later this year, even by the end of December.
12. What about the plans for the rest of 2024?
Currently, we're focusing on refining our material to start playing live as soon as possible, and that's our main goal for this year. In the meantime, as I mentioned, we'll release a cover, and we'll continue to develop our social media presence.
13. Where can people find out more about you and your music, merch etc.
You can listen to us on all major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, etc., as well as on YouTube. Our albums and merchandise are available on our Bandcamp. We recently added our first merch there, and we plan to add even more this year! Additionally, you can find us on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. You can find us everywhere by searching for 'Scythe Of Sorrow'. Thank you for the interview, it was great to have this conversation. Greetings from Finland and Beware The Scythe!
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