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Recent discussions
Interviews
Impaled Nazarene - Mika Luttinen
22/01/08 || Global Domination
This interview was conducted by ex-staffer/cocksmoker Jotun.
Global Domination: After “All That You Fear”, what direction did you want to take? Where do you think you have improved? What did you want to change the most?
Mika Luttinen: We never plan anything, we just write music and what comes out, comes out. We released a live album and “Pro Patria Finlandia” album after “ATYF”, something that you seem to ignore on your questions. “PPF” was really fast and extreme record compared to “ATYF” or “Manifest”. After “PPF”, one thing that we really wanted to change was production. We wanted to have much more organic and analogue sounding record. This is why we did not use triggers at all, we used real drum sound. I think overall playing is better than ever and so is production.
The production on “Manifest” seemed to improve since “All That You Fear”. Did you do anything different or am I hearing things again?
I reckon I answered this already on previous one.
There seems to be even more songs referencing the apocalypse and the end of the world. While I can’t agree more that the Earth needs at least a 6 billion person cleansing, is there any reason for this?
No, there is not more. Lots of songs deal with all the bullshit crap we have faced during the last two years. It has been really miserable times and it seems things won´t get any better at all. I am talking now about all censorship/banning stuff we have faced/are still facing. Very frustrating and highly irritating.
I can’t get enough of ending the world over and over through your albums. What drives and/or inspires the apocalypse fueled lyrics and music?
This answer is very cliché, but daily life does. Just have to go to supermarket and I pray for Satan to unleash nuclear missiles on stupid people.
Now that you’ve worked your asses off to produce a killer new album, is there work underway for a new blasphemic masterpiece?
As far as I know, our bass player Arc Basstard has started writing new material and so has our new lead guitarist UG.
How do you feel you have grown since “Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz”?
In my opinion we are still pretty much the same cunts, we are just now better players and know more about studio work and shit like this. Whole studio technology has changed totally in 17 years. We did our first two albums with 16 track analogue, nowadays it is fucking +200 channels, Pro-Tools. Much easier but not necessarily better sounding.
I’m a huge fan of The Crown and I’ve always been curious to how you were approached to do vocals for “Total Satan”. You and Johan are fuckin’ killer together!
We did the No Mercy festival tour here in Europe back in 1999, The Crown was one of the bands on the line-up. We shared a bus with them, we had a blast. Fucking great guys plus two of them speak Finnish (as their parents originally came from Finland). Our bus became known as party-bus, it was fucking great. Anyway, after the tour we kept in touch and they asked me to sing on their album. I said yes, of course, as I really love The Crown. Too bad they split up.
I must admit, I came to the Imp Naz Camp late in the game starting at “Nihil”. What made you decide to add more punk elements to your music as opposed to sticking more with the black metal sound that was very prevalent on “Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz”?
Punk is very audible on “TCNNN” as well. Just listen to “The Crucified” for example. Punk and crust elements have always been there, sometimes they are more up-front, sometimes not so much. We have five different song writers in this band and some of us like punk more than others.
“Armageddon Death Squad” and “Hardboiled and Still Hellbound” are classic videos; absolutely hilarious and awesome, and the combination of that chick with that car makes me harder then a Catholic priest at a boy scout meeting. Are there any plans for video(s) for the new album?
Osmose said originally no but now we are trying to get them to change their mind. We wanna do a video of “Goat Justice”.
“Wild Child” was featured in “Nihil”, and I’m curious as to how he came to work with you guys and if that was a one shot deal?
We did a show in St. Petersburg, Russia together with COB back in 1998. We had a after party at hotel and I just happened to mention to Alexi that we had been looking for a lead guitarist since 1996 but had not found suitable dude. He said “I can do it” and as we were blown away by his playing skills, we said “great”. He was in the band for a couple of years but it was a living nightmare to match our schedules. We were not his top priority, he had COB and Sinergy too. After “Nihil” we said it is better we look for a new guy. I am very glad he was playing with us as we really needed to start to rehearse much more to able to play with him. He is a phenomenal guitarist.
After years of intense, hate-fueled metal, what keeps the Imp Naz camp energized to produce new music?
We love this music and the best thing is to play live, it is the salt of life! You get to see new countries and cultures, meet new people, eat and drink local food and alcohol, see things you would never be able to do as a normal tourist.
What’s your opinion of the rise of popularity in metalcore and this “New Wave of American Heavy Metal”? I personally would rather have Hillary Clinton let loose a Cleveland Steamer on my chest than listen to another As I Lay Crying clone.
I would do that too, go Hillary! As for this pathetic “new metal”, I can tell you that I just fucking ignore all this shit. I have heard some bands on radio or seen their videos and I just don´t fucking get it. There is nothing metal there, it is just pop. And they even look like supermarket cashiers or something. This is why I listen to and stick to my old records. Now let me think about Hillary for a second…
Of all the places you’ve toured/done shows, which is your favourite?
Japan, Australia, Mexico. In every country there are good places and then shitholes you wonder why are even here. But Japan remains the best experience ever, amazing country, fantastic culture. Futuristic yet traditional. It was a dream come true to play there and I fucking wanna return a.s.a.p.
Where would you rather see turned to nuclear waste than visit again?
There are lots of them, not countries but certain “villages”, especially in (east) Germany. Shit clubs who treat you like shit. No wonder they are into scheisse movies so much when their whole lives and surroundings are just shit.
If you come tour America, can I come drink with you guys and kick random fans in their cunts? I don’t have to do the last part. It’s the thought that counts.
Only if you buy Jack for us. And no coke on it, just Jack + ice.
Now for my final question, and this is the most important one of the interview. If you could arrange the forced sodomy of one person, who would it be? It would be Dave Mustaine, wouldn’t it? Please let it be Dave Mustaine… or every member of Sanctity…
I have more personal enemies than Dave Mustaine, sorry.
