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TULITERÄ is an instrumental Progressive Metal band from Helsinki, Finland. The band was formed in 2006 by Vesa PARTTI and Hannu WILLMAN. Starting from improvisational live jams, the band gradually changed the focus to a more songwriting-based approach, offering a mix of groovy instrumental Progressive Metal with 70's Space-Rock. The band released two singles/EPs so far, "Alpha" in 2008 and "Clarity" in 2010.
I got in touch with the band and Vesa Partti answered my questions. ######################################################################################
When and by whom was your band born ?
Did any of you, past and present members, play in any other bands
before joining up in your band ? Why did you choose that name and
which bands were you influenced by ?
I’d say Tuliterä was
formed in summer of 2006. That’s when we wrote and performed our
first songs that you can still hear in our live-sets such as Jagat,
New Clarity or The Cosmic Cavalcade. Before that I [Vesa Partti –
guitars & synths] was busy with my ambient project Sadkarma, in
which Tommi Nissinen [drums] also played, and we only occasionally
had jams with our band trio, which included Tommi Tolonen [bass]. I
guess we had that trio going on since 2003 or 2004, but it was more
of a ‘friends-get-together’ than actual band. Hannu Willman
[guitar], with whom I had an another music project going on, joined
us 2008 and that’s when we also started to call our band
Tuliterä.
The name ‘Tuliterä’ was originally given to my
and Willman’s ambient rock whatever project. Since we didn’t
continue it, but really liked the name, we gave it to the band. It’s
Finnish and a play on words. It means ‘a brand new’ but literally
it translates as ‘fireblade’. When we came up with the name, we
had a good laugh and though it to sound ‘metal clichéy’ enough
to be memorable thus brilliant name for a band.
I don’t see
us being directly influenced by any band or artist. I’d like to
think that everything that is good in music influences. It’s also
very important for me to have music to reflect wanted moods. Let’s
just say that I tend to favor space rock, kraut rock, all sorts of
ambience, movie soundtracks, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, Devin
Townsend, Fredrik Thordendal solo, Pink Floyd etc etc.
Finland
has traditionally had a strong music scene. How is life and the music
scene in Finland now ?
Maybe nowadays here’s too much small
bands like us in a small Helsinki competing of live audience and with
our instrumental music sailing between ambience and metal riffs it’s
really hard to fit in. And mostly it seems that ‘sludge’ is the
biggest thing going on anyways.
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Over to your two albums. Your
debut album was the Alpha album from 2008. Please tell us more about
this album.
I started recording Alpha EP with Willman at april
2008 at my homestudio. At this point Willman had joined Tuliterä but
as a band we were having a long break because we didn’t have a
practice place at that moment. So I saw it a good opportunity to try
to arrange our jams into a more tighter songs and try to compose new
ones. Alpha EP was finally released at december and got great
reviews. Both small prints were sold out in a couple of months. No
new prints are coming ‘cause all songs will be featured on our
first long play.
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The follow up album Clarity was released last
year. Please tell us more about this album.
I was sure which
of our songs will end up to the album [we have lots of songs!] and
which will be left out so I thought why not to release the recorded
“b-sides” already at this point. Clarity features 3 “b-sides”
and 1 album track. It was a small print which sold out really fast
and we haven’t made another. We’ve received lots of queries will
there be a 2nd print, but I can’t overcome the thought that why
would we promote ourselves with a b-side collection? Maybe when the
album is released and I’ve finished the 4th “b-side” there
could be some sort of EP or something. By the way, New Clarity is
officially the first written Tuliterä song.
For those of us
unfamiliar with your music; how would you describe you music
?
Tuliterä is about 7-string guitars, 5-string basses,
vintage synths, modern synths, guitar synths, groovy riffs and drum
patterns, ambient soundtracks, laser guns, speed of light, Cthulhu
and Aliens! or to put it simple: We play Space Rock Metal with a
little touch of ambience.
What have you been up to since the
release of that album and what is your plans for the immediate future
?
Since Clarity EP, we’ve been playing some gigs at Helsinki
and working on our long play. Right now we are re-recording rhythm
guitars, bass and drums at City Lights Studio. We have finished four
tracks and will record the rest five this coming spring. Then begins
the infernal mixing period. Hopefully the album comes out next winter
via some channel.
To wrap up this interview, is there anything
you want to add to this interview ?
Please check out
Tuliterä’s Soundcloud page for a good quality stream of both of
our EP’s. http://soundcloud.com/tulitera" rel="nofollow - http://soundcloud.com/tulitera
and join our facebook group for lates news, videos and new
music.
Thank you to Vesa for this interview
Their PA profile is http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6286" rel="nofollow - and their homepage is http://www.myspace.com/tulitera" rel="nofollow -
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