The Finnish melodic death metal band Wolfheart recently released Draconian Darkness. Vocalist/guitarist Tuomas Saukkonen gives us the lowdown on the album and other topics.
Chad Bowar: Was there anything unique about the songwriting process for Draconian Darkness compared to your previous albums?
Tuomas Saukkonen: The basic process for song writing followed the same path than all previous albums. I write about 95 percent of the music alone and work the songs into full version and send the first round of demos to the guys to hear when the pre-production begins.
What will be your strongest memory of the recording of the album?
Having our drummer (Joonas Kauppinen) back at work and delivering clearly the best drum tracks of all Wolfheart history. He has had a lot of issues with his lower back and was off from touring for almost a year and was uncertain if he could be able to play on a professional level again but things started to get better and his excitement of being able to play can also be heard on the album
What was the biggest challenge in its creation?
Usually we have a fair share of obstacles when it comes to getting an album done but this time all starts seemed to be aligned perfectly and this was by far the easiest album to make.
What led to Saku Moilanen being the sole credited producer this time around?
Saku has recorded and mixed two of our previous albums (Wolves Of Karelia and King Of The North) and also played keys for those albums. We have also done several other albums together so it was a natural progression to make his role a bit bigger and have him work as a producer on this album. I used to do the production, then we co-produced the previous two albums but I like it more when I can just focus on the song writing and my own parts in the studio.
How has your sound evolved from King Of The North?
Our sound on the new album is a bit heavier and darker. Also the orchestral elements have a bigger role on the new album and we started to work with those already in the pre-production phase to make sure it will fit perfectly. Our low tuning and baritone instruments steal a big amount of space from the mix and I dont want the keys to take the edge of from the guitars either so there is a lot of balancing to do.
What inspired the album title?
The overall state of the world and very bleak future the mankind has if this keep on going this way.
What lyrical topics do you cover this time around?
The same theme that the album title. To me it is a concept album like our two previous albums. This time the concept is a lot wider and each song basically individually approaches the reasons and aftermath of the inevitable end of our civilization.
How did you come to sign with Reigning Phoenix Music?
Our contract with Napalm Records ended with our previous album and while they wanted to continue with us it was a good opportunity to see what other options we would have. In the end we had several offers on the table but RPM was the clear winner and they really showed that they wanted to work with us.
Has what you expect from a label changed over the years?
Not really. I am very hands on when it comes to all artistic stuff from music to album/merch art and music videos and I let the label sort out all the music business side of stuff.
How much attention do you pay to reviews?
Not much. If a certain pattern repeats and lets say 90 percent of the reviews say that guitar sound is weak or vocals are too low then it is pretty clear that mix was not fully what was expected and that information is important and a clear point of improvement for the next album. But when it comes to the music itself then the reviews don’t matter. We would not release anything that we don’t stand 100 percent behind.
How was the video shoot for “Trial By Fire”?
Super easy. Indoors and warm in a proper studio. Videos for “Grave” and “Ancient Cold” were shot outdoors in Iceland and that was rough and cold. Was an amazing adventure to spend almost a week there shooting total amount of three videos but the conditions can get really brutal.
Do you enjoy filming videos, or are they a necessary evil for promotion?
I love making music videos and we have our own production company for those and all our music videos are DIY in that sense. We have one camera guy we always hire and him and me and the band are the video team. I have done editing also for all of our videos. They are definitely very important promo tools!
You have some European dates coming up. Where haven’t you played live that you’d still like to get to?
I have pretty much crossed all boxes in my bucket list for countries to play. Iceland would be cool go and play since we have been there already few times making videos. Would really love to go back to Australia, too.
What’s the coolest attraction/site you’ve been able to visit while on tour?
Catacombs of Paris, Niagara Falls, Alps in Switzerland, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Great Wall of China and Forbidden City.
What are some of your non-musical interests and hobbies?
Gym, fishing and movies.
How was the response to last year’s Before The Dawn album?
It was really good and looks like there might be a new album coming out before the end of 2025!
(interview published September 17, 2024)
