Hi Pekka, hope everything is going well over there in the KALMAH camp. Can you tell us a bit about what you’ve been doing lately?

I have been chopping some firewood in my yard but I think that was not the meaning of your question though, well I have spent some time trying to find some lyrics to our new songs that we have been composing little by little.

It’s been 4 years since “Seventh Swamphony” and that’s the longest break between any of your albums. You seem to release the new one this year, right? Can you tell us about the writing process?

Well, that’s what we are intending to do, yes. Like I said before, we have been writing the next one little by little. Why, well simply because every one of us has so much going on in our daily lives so there’s kind of a lack of time…but easy does it! We have somethinglike nine songs written already and have to do some little fixing just to get them ready so that we all are totally happy. Like never… :)

How do you compare the new songs with the ones on “Seventh Swamphony”? Are there any surprises awaiting us, or is it the usual kick ass KALMAH style we all love?

It’ll be the same different once again, of course! Kalmah guaranteed songs played with ultimate ass kicking touch and great metal approach. Lots of melodies, solos and mind-fascinating choruses, basically everything you could ever imagine. Well, I may draw the longbow a bit…

You played 70.000 Tons of Metal recently, how was it? What was to weirdest/funniest thing you’ve seen on that boat?

It was super awesome. Cool people, nice weather and great bands. Some folks had some crazy costumes on the boat. It was hilarious.

You have a Latin America tour coming up on April. Latin American crowds welcome many bands with open arms and it seems like they love Scandinavian bands in particular. Many bands with Northern folk influences and melodies tour there and they love it there. It’s gonna be a cool tour, right? What’d you like to say about that?

I’m looking forward to the tour! It’ll be interesting to see what really happens there as well as what happens in Turkey also btw! However, speaking for myself these two week tours with a few days off are just perfect for me. I don’t have to worry about my voice and there’s some time to even take a look to the surroundings instead of staring at the hotel rooms wall or just hanging in the venue.

Turkey is waiting you guys for so long as well. Be sure that you’ll see an enthusiastic crowd on March 5th in İstanbul. Will there be any surprise song selections, since this would be your Turkey debut and there are many people waiting to see you for a long time?

You never know what happens though so beware! You have to take a look yourself, at least I won’t make any reveals. :)

Let’s close the interview with a fun little survey:

3 KALMAH songs that are most fun to play live?

Swamphell, The Black Waltz and Heroes to Us.

3 of your biggest influences when you were forming the band?

MEGADETH, METALLICA, SEPULTURA.

Most fun band to tour with?

Have to mention the Canadian band named Vesperia. Those guys were machines, they could drink the whole night and then just took care of everything that need to be done before the next night event meanwhile we were lying in our beds… huh!

How old is the Swamplord and what are some of his favorite pastime activities?

He is ageless, older than time itself, perhaps. At the moment he’s having his hibernation going on. He is charging his batteries for the next summer and surely will scare the hell out of everyone who dares to step on his marshlands!

Donald Trump?

“Makes America great again”

Your favorite beer?

Pirkka lager, of course.

Your other favorite beer?

Pirkka Red lager, that’s for sure.

Lastly, what would you like to say to your fans who will be joining the swampfest on March 5 in İstanbul?

Welcome to the marshpit!

Thanks for your time guys and expecting to see you soon. Until then, take care and have a blast!

Thanks to you, Stay Kalmah.