Interviews: ARCHED FIRE

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Metal band, ARCHED FIRE from Finland. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1.Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

Ari: I think it was Mika who came up with it when we were 15. He thought the two words looked good together, which is true. Back then, nothing was ever planned.

2.Why did you want to play this genre?

Ari: I suppose we just wanted to play cool stuff like the bands we loved. The speed/thrash thing was still new and exciting back when we first started. On this second round of ours, we’re still trying to capture that exact same feel.

Aslak: I’ve listened to fast’n’loud music since the 80s. When I started writing my own music, I didn't know there wasn’t a scene for it. Thank God, because otherwise we wouldn’t be here right now!

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Ari: Some did, some didn’t. I knew Aslak already and met Mika through him. We got to know Janne when we heard him play and asked him to join the band. Some decades after all that the four of us decided to put Arched Fire back together and finish what we started. That was when Mika introduced Kristian to us.

4. Each band member favourite band?

Ari: The E Street Band. Or The Bad Seeds.

Kristian: Anthrax.

Janne: Opeth.

Aslak: Lars & co.

Mika: The Beatles. Their bass player is left-handed as well.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Kristian: Problems of mankind that are displayed in documents, books and other media.

Janne: Interesting people and different moods. I get ideas from different musical styles and good songs in general.

Ari: A few days ago it was Mika. He told me the verse riff I had wasn’t cutting it, so I came up with something else. He’s my muse!

6. Where was your last gig? 

Ari: At this amazing club called Falcon. What a night to remember. Headbangers, an after party before the gig, people hanging from the windows, you name it. You can’t really make that s**t up.

Mika: The next time I’ll go onstage wearing a gask mask and a jock strap, nothing else. The last time I tried it, the technology failed.

7. Where would you like to act?

Aslak: Wacken Open Air, Germany. And Lutakko in Jyväskylä, Finland – great stage and atmosphere.

Ari: TVO, Turku, Finland. Unfortunately the legendary underground club is no more. Every city and town could use a place like that.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Ari: To play gigs with? Oasis. No, not the British band but the long-gone group from our home town in Finnish Lapland. In 1989, they were to prog rock what we were to metal.

Aslak: Slayer, Metallica, Morbid Angel, Anthrax.

9. Whom not?

Aslak: All music goes. You can find good songs in every genre.

Ari: Depends on the occasion, but in general it’s good to play with bands that are somewhat similar in style, because the crowd is there to listen to a certain kind of music. So, it wouldn’t make sense for us to play with a bunch of reggae bands, although I like Peter Tosh.

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Ari: I used to. Just keep doing it. Get up there and do whatever it is you’re supposed to do. It gets easier every time.

Aslak: Never! It’s always a thrill to go onstage. But if someone does suffer from it, alcohol is never the answer.

Kristian: Not really. A tiny bit of fear is what makes performing exciting. Just prepare and practise your act.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Aslak: Carcass, Obituary, Metallica, Stone.

Ari: With Arched Fire, it must have been the Big 4. And the Medium 8. Quite a few of the Small 200 as well.

Janne: Stone and Opeth.

Kristian: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Death and Megadeth.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Mika: I’m too weird to have fans.

Aslak: When I played folk music, a fan asked if she could come to backstage with rain boots on.

Ari: Once on a train this girl asked if she could have the bass guitar I happened to be carrying with me. Doesn’t pay to try, I guess.

Janne: ”Call me a cab.”

13. What do you think of your fans?

Ari: I think they have an excellent taste in music. So much so that they really should multiply and fill the Earth. But all those weird things they ask for... don’t know what to think about it anymore.

14. What do you think of our site?

Kristian: Good stuff!

Aslak: Cool site, quite large and covers a lot of countries and music!

Ari: It’s a great way to support the underground scene.

15. Something to add?

Ari: Our debut album Remote Control is out on Wormholedeath Records on April the 30th. Check it out, you really don’t wanna miss it! For more info, visit http://www.archedfire.com