Is Thy Serpent still an active band and do you have any other music activity besides that?

S - No, Thy Serpent are not that active nowadays, hah hah.... Nah, seriously, many would already state that Thy Serpent is dead, but I wouldn't say that, never say no, right? If I have any day more time to write more songs, I'll do that for sure. But the main problem is my limited time. I'm working at Spinefarm as a head of Spikefarm, the harder part of Spine. And after my daily work, I've three kids and a wife waiting at home....so, no time for "hobbies" after all these.

I was very interested in the lyrical approach of your band, it wasn’t the well-known dogmatic and satanic chapter but something deeper, more personal, What was the concept behind the "Forest of Witchery" album and more in general behind the band?

S - Our lyrics are mainly anti-christian, not satanic.  The concept behind the debut album was about persecution of Finnish witches.

Do you consider Thy Serpent a form of music expression that goes over reality in a imagination scenario, that open the gate through dark visions?

S - Well, i think it depends from the listener. For me, Thy Serpent is just different kind of feelings and emotions.

Do you feel a certain interest in ancient times of mysteries, is your music inspired by those things?

S - Of course, history is always interesting. I don't see that my music is inspired from some ancient things. My inspirations comes from all music I think is good.

Speaking about witchcraft what do you think of the actual new-age trend that is popping up in places with a very ordinary culture?  

S - I don't care about trends. If I like something, it does not matter if it is a trend or not.

I’m so bored by all those hardcore-punk political bands that use to speak about how the things are going bad, I feel more satisfied by other things that aren’t only materials...is black metal a form of spiritual music or only another form of opposition?

S - Yeah, but aren't black metal doing that same thing, just in a different format, without politic views. Most of the black metal bands are very superficial, and does not actually know what they're doing.

Thy Serpent isn’t surely only a black metal band in the common sense of that word, in your music there are different dark "colours" not only the blacker side...do you agree?

S - Yes, I agree. I've never stated that we're a black metal band, because we're not. If you have to category somehow Thy Serpent, it would be as antichristian dark metal. 

Musically I can hear a doomish influence in the mid-tempo parts...is it a choice to improve your gloomy emotive side of your creation?

S - If you play ultra fast, you can't do that much in the emotional side. That's why we're mid-tempo band.

In the second album there is a title-track very different from the other songs, but the others are more similar to the heritage of your demo and debut...what will be the path of your future?

S- We just felt that it would fit in the album. No any specific reasons for that track. Future will show what kind of material we'll record, as we don't follow our style, we follow our selves.

You re-recorded the demo in the majestic "Lord of Twilight", what are your feelings about that release now and what’s behind so many ambient songs between the metal songs, were they inspired by the dark background of your past bass player?

S - It was kind of mid release to fulfil the space between 1st and 2nd album. It should be very mid-price release, but lately I've seen that many shops are selling that in full price. So, don't buy and support this poor release, you won't get any value for your money.

There are some very interesting and sometimes melancholic arpeggios on your "Lord of Twilight" and in the debut, do you still feel that acoustic spirit part of you?

S - Yes. We'll always use some acoustic parts in our music.

Some black metal bands talk about "triumphant music" made by winners, sometimes if they became commercial this is an explanation to cover their success but for me it’s more a personal thing and a bit away from the standards of the targets and goals of our society...What’s your opinion about that?  

S - The one who say like that is actually a looser and probably former bullyed.

What’s the actual line-up and are your planning a new album?  

S - Line up is same as in our last release in 2000 "Death". And as I told, if I've some time, the album will be recorded and released through Spinefarm Records.

You aren’t more signed with NuclearBlast/Radiation, is it true and if yes what’s the reason and how went the thing?

S - We never have been. They only licensed one album from Spinefarm. We were not big enough for them that we would get the service that band normally need.

What’s your opinion about the actual situation of the metal scene?  

S - It is very good. And it's very interesting see how this whole thing goes around in 15 years. The only thing that goes forward all the time is musical skills.

Do you feel involved in that genre and do you use to listen to different music?

S - I was used to, but not anymore. No, I'm still so narrow-minded that I listen only metal, and mostly death/black/doom....

Your 3 all-time preferred band and the album that you mostly listen to

S - I don't have time to listen any album that many times, mostly one time each album. So, there is so many killer albums coming in time to time that I can't name any specific ones. Mostly some skilled Scandinavian bands.

Thanks and cheers

Sami

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