DREAMTALE (Eng.)
– Hi Erkki, thanks for answering to our interview. What’s DREAMTALE now focused on? As you have already finished touring, are you resting a bit after the promotion of your latest album?
Erkki: Hello again, Tania! Personally I took some time off of everything during Xmas and New Year. I just came back from a holiday in England, where I visisted some old friends and my old university. It was good to relax a bit, as the year has been very busy with new albums from both Dreamtale and Kypck. At the moment we’re writing new material with the guys in Dreamtale. We have about four songs at the moment and also the general vision of the next album, so we’re putting things together now to get ready for the studio in August-September.
– This latest album is «Epsilon», which was released almost a year ago. Now that has been some time since it came out; is there anything you would change on it?
Erkki: Of course there’s always stuff here and there that you could refine and try to record better, but that’s life. In a way I like albums that are done relatively fast and in a compact time schedule, as there’s no point in dragging things out endlessly. There are a few vocal lines, which I would’ve wanted to fix, but on the whole the album is very enjoyable to listen.
– I personally think this is one of your best albums, and most reviewers seemed to think the same. Did you expect such a good response for this effort?
Erkki: Not really, because usually albums like Epsilon, which don’t have a promotion-budget, don’t get noticed much. I mean, we knew that we’d done a strong album with no real weak songs and a couple of great hits. Naturally we’re glad that people noticed it. We were in a good place recording the album, the lineup had been established early on, everybody knew what they were doing, so the results can be heard!
– The really organic and crystal-clear production is something that this time stands out. Who took production duties and where did you record the album? Are you satisfied with the final outcome?
Erkki: We didn’t have an external producer, as the whole album was released through our own label. The vocals were mostly produced by Rami, Seppo and Akseli. Seppo produced the bass tracks and Akseli produced the guitars. Of course the main thanks go to Samu Oittinen who mixed it all. He did a great job and listened to all our wishes of what Dreamtale should REALLY sound like, and he made the album into what it is. Samu’s studio was also a good place to record the vocals. As you might know, the guitars Sonata Arctica’s “Days Of Grays” were also recorded there. In general, we are all very satisfied with the final album, but it doesn’t mean we can’t do it even better next time!
– I could say «Epsilon» mixed the best of the current DREAMTALE adding some elements of your earlies pieces. Is what we find on «Epsilon» the actual DREAMTALE’s sound or just a natural evolution?
Erkki: Well, that’s both a hard and a simple question to answer. First of all, yes, it’s a natural evolution and the most important thing is that we have had no serious lineup changes for three years now. I mean Pasi retired because he was too old for all the hot girls we have in the shows and Heikki has been in the band over three years now, and I couldn’t imagine Dreamtale without him. Also when Petteri returned to the band as a drummer it felt like there was some kind of a link back to the first three album, on which he played. Rami is of course the anchor of everything, because he writes most of the music, so that much will never change. Second of all, I think Epsilon represents well how we sound live nowadays. And I think it’s always good to keep the live sound and the album sound relatively close together, although you always have to compromise a bit live.
– «March to Glory» really manages to stand out on the album; an epic song with many interesting twists and changes. How was like writing a song like this?
Erkki: You would really need to ask Rami about the composing part… I only know about the lyrical side, because when Rami sends me the demos, they are usually almost ready with all the parts and vocal lines. Yes, it’s a bit of a maze with all the different parts, the same with “Each Time I Die” – that’s also a complex track. For me as a vocalist and lyricist the job is to try and keep the song together lyrically, too.
– Is one of the most diffrent tunes on «Epsilon»; did you want to end the album with something different and leave your fans wondering what would they find on your next work?
Erkki: It was always clear that it would be the last song on the album, so I wanted to give it some extra ambition in terms of the lyrics. Rami suggested the title, “March To Glory”, and that gave me ideas. For me the lyrics of the whole album are about being in Dreamtale, being in a strong band that is trying to make progress after many difficulties. As you know this band has had more bad luck than all other powermetal bands put together! Now things have been progressing nicely and we have worked very, very hard to get things going. So, “March To Glory” is a kind of self-conscious title, suggesting that it might be possible, after all…
– «Reasons Revealed» also has a really interesting structure for instance so, how was the recording process for the album?
Erkki: Well, we recorded three songs, “Angel”, “Reasons” and “Strangers’ Ode”, back in 2009 already and we played them live in concerts, too. So, they are the oldest track on Epsilon. “Lady Of A Thousand Lakes” was also an old song, as it was played already during the Phoenix-sessions, when I joined the band. We just sort of re-did the whole thing and I wrote the lyrics again. “Fly Away” was also in existence during the Phoenix-sessions, but it was drastically arranged and re-written for Epsilon. As for the rest, they sort of came together, as soon as Rami had time to write new demos. We had a lot of time to rehearse and practice the songs before we went to the studio, which is always a good thing. One of the last songs to appear was, I think, “Mortal Games”, which was a real surprise for me as it’s actually now my favourite track on the album!
– I noticed «Epsilon» has more symphonic elements. Did you have clear since the beginning what you wanted for the new full-length?
Erkki: No, I think Akseli has just matured and become more established as a player, so you hear it more. It’s a natural development. He also wrote his first track on Epsilon, with “Where Eternal Jesters Reign”, and I hope he keeps on contributing stuff, because it rocks my balls off!
– «Firestorm» was the first single; was this your choice? If so, why that concrete tune? I think is one of the most powerful songs on the album, with great choirs and chorus.
Erkki: Yes, we had a choice between that and “Jesters” and in the end I think we thought “Firestorm” has a slightly better chance at getting airplay. And it did get some. Just not enough. It is a great powermetal track and we started all the shows with it, as well.
– Though you are more or less from the same period, there are certain tracks that can remind us to big bands into the genre, as old NIGHTWISH («Reasons Revealed») or early SONATA ARCTICA («Each Time I Die»); have these bands influenced or ispired you in any way? Or is this just running through your veins? As all of you are hailing from Finland, and those songs sound as the best periods from both bands.
Erkki: I think it’s there in the background, because Rami certainly has listened to both bands in the past. Akseli is a big fan of Nightwish and I like Oceanborn and Wishmaster quite a lot. I’ve never listened to Sonata, though, but I obviously know some songs from them. It’s all there in the unconscious, I guess. Lyrically I think we’re on a much higher level than both Nightwish or Sonata, but nobody really cares about lyrics in this genre.
– This has been your second full-length with DREAMTALE. How do you think has your evolution been from album to album?
Erkki: Yes, and I’m also the first singer of Dreamtale to do that, heh! Obviously Dreamtale has been a huge chance for me to develop as a singer, as the melodies that Rami writes are extremely challenging to sing. They may be frustrating for the singer, too, sometimes, as there are very little pauses and chances for breathing, but you learn to adapt and pick your spots. There’s been a lot of development from Phoenix, as regards my vocal technique. When I joined I had basically only been singing seriously for a year or two, so I had to really start training in order to survive in the band. I remember some of the early shows we did were very difficult for me. I had mostly sung in an Iron Maiden coverband before that and in terms of the vocal lines, Dreamtale was 10 times more difficult. There is much to improve still, but I’m really happy to be the singer in this band and I’ve tried to make the band work together well, onstage and offstage.
– And finally; what are the near-future plans for DREAMTALE?
Erkki: Like I said, we’re writing new stuff and probably making some demos soon. We have a couple of shows coming up in Finland in February, so there’s plenty of time still. At the moment we are also negotiating a small tour in Italy late in May. There’s been an offer to do three shows with an Italian band, but we don’t have a contract yet. Hope it works out!
– That has been everything. If you want to add any final words, the last lines are all yours.
Erkki: All the best to you Dreamtale fans in Spain! I hope that we will soon meet at the first ever Dreamtale show there… Barcelona or Madrid would be fantastic! Thanks for the support!
