Children of Bodom are nothing if not prolific and hard-working. As their ninth studio album “I Worship Chaos” comes out this Friday, October 2nd, the Finland-based metal band is gearing up for a world tour to promote their new album starting the following day in China. Adding Antti Wirman, the younger brother of keyboardist Janne Wirman to their line up, the guys recorded the new album in a whopping six months. It has been said by many a music fan that this album is the band’s darkest album yet. While we wait greedily for what will very well be CoB’s next best-selling album, we were able to speak with bass player and backing vocalist Henkka Seppälä regarding the album, the new video for “Morrigan” and Antti’s inclusion to the group, among other topics.
mxdwn: Hello Henkka! How are you today?
Henkka: I’m good thanks, good thanks.
mxdwn: Let me start by saying, with your upcoming tour, we’re very appreciative of getting a moment of your time.
Henkka: Ok, thank you for having me.
mxdwn: The “Morrigan” video dropped 5 days ago. Very cool, cinematic video. How was it working with Patric [Ullaeus] again for the video?
Henkka: Good. Well it was very easy. We just told him what we want. I mean, we told him the story, sent him the song, and sent him the lyrics. And then he made a video. And then we’re like, ‘yeah that’s cool.’ So [he] was like very, very easy to work with as always.
mxdwn: This is your first album working with Antti Wirman. Did Antti have a hard time getting with the band’s groove or did everything just fall into place?
Henkka: Well, he’s been obviously working hard on his own, he managed to pick up the songs quite easily, so it’s been really good. He’s been, from the first show he’s been there it’s been amazing.
mxdwn: What sort of things occur on the tour bus?
Henkka: Usually that happens after the show, during the night so usually most of the people are sleeping. If there is a party, people usually drink beers or wine in the front lounge, and listen to some music or watch some stuff on the TV. [chuckling] It’s nothing that special. Sometimes if the party goes really, really hard and very late then some people then everyone, everybody who is still up, in the front lounge they take all their clothes off and then just sit there naked and do the same stuff.
mxdwn: Oh my god!
Henkka: This is sometimes weird for the driver if he is not used to that.
mxdwn: I would imagine so. I Worship Chaos makes the ninth studio album for Children of Bodom. With so much creative success within your genre, where can we expect the band to go from here?
Henkka: I don’t know! [Chuckles] We, we just do this world tour and then hopefully in a couple years we go back to the studio and do some more exciting tracks. So, I don’t know where we’re going.
mxdwn: Speaking of the studio it’s also said you guys used a warehouse for the recording of this album?
Henkka: You could call it a warehouse, it’s the place where we have our studio and our rehearsal space. Well, yeah I guess it used to be a warehouse. Back in the day before we came in.
mxdwn: How were the acoustics there?
Henkka: Uh they were…We recorded the drums in the big hall and we were thinking of could this work for the acoustics. It’s either really, really bad or really, really good, and then we tried it out and it was really good, so yeah. They are strange here but they can be really good. Depends on your taste.
mxdwn: People have called this album darker than your previous albums. From what place do you find the inspiration for such darkness?
Henkka: Mmmmm, I dunno. I dunno because I didn’t realize it’s dark before, everybody keeps telling me that. So, um, I don’t know, yeah. I don’t know what to say.
mxdwn: I’m sorry.
Henkka: [laughs] No it’s okay! It’s just y’know, for us, it’s hard to describe the album and, like I told you, I never thought it was more dark than any other album. But I’ve heard many people say the same, so I guess it is dark. But then again I have no idea why it’s dark because I didn’t even think it was dark. I don’t know where the darkness came [from].
mxdwn: How important is it to the band to keep a hold of their roots?
Henkka: I think that’s a big part of our identity, very, very big part of our identity to be a Finnish band. And I don’t think we need to hold onto our roots. I think everybody’s a Finn and proud of it, and it’s just something we are and we’re proud of it. So we don’t really have to hold onto it, and I’m sure it’s something people can see from us. We’re Finnish.
mxdwn: Well to finish up, I’m going to ask you a couple bass player questions, you’re the bass player.
Henkka: Yes.
mxdwn: So what gear did you use for the album?
Henkka: I have an ESP bass, I have an SPT amplifier, and an Ampeg cabinet
mxdwn: That’s some excellent equipment!
Henkka: Yes.
mxdwn: If you could choose any bass in the world right now, aside from ESP, which would you choose? I mean, I know you’re partial to ESP and have many a custom.
Henkka: Yeah, well I would use those, but I would love to try the three humbucker that Lemmy [of Motörhead] is playing because he’s always got a pretty good sound too.
mxdwn: Nice choice. Well we wish you luck on your upcoming tour and I cannot wait to review the new album.
Henkka: Thanks again.
Leave a Comment