Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

Finnish doom metal band KYPCK (Kursk), released their second album on 9th of Feb. 2011. The band is known from their melancolic and hopeless sound and admosphare. Their lyrics have elemets from russian culture and history. Band forms from singer – E.Seppänen, Guitarist – S.S. Lopakka who we can remember from the lines of Sentensed, Bass player – J.T. Ylä-Rautio and a drummer – K.H.M. Hiilesmaa, who’s been producing HIM, Apocalyptica and Sentenced, to name a few. I’m honored to do an inteview with the Guitarist S.S. Lopakka.

1. Your new album Nizhe was released on 9th of February. You must be relieved. How long did it take for you guys to create this album?

Yes, relieved indeed. The songwriting itself didn’t take more time than usual, when the inspiration is there it all comes together somewhat quickly. In the studio we spent about 5 weeks this time, including the mix, and I think you can hear the difference in the sound. Hiili did a superb job once again. But the delay, which was almost a year between the mixing and the actual release of the album, was caused by an unclear situation with a multinational, so called major label we were negotiating with. We were waiting for their „final confirmation” for over half a year, still after the album was finished, finally got pissed off & fed up and looked for another solution. But here we are now, our second torpedo out of the tube!

2. So, how’s life now after releasing your second studio album?

We’re all pumped up and excited. The album is out, and the true mobilization of KYPCK is beginning again. A club tour has already been booked for the spring. We just had a 2-day rehearsal with all 5 guys of the performing KYPCK crew present, the first real rehearsal in almost two fucking years!

3. What separates your new album from the first album Cherno?

The first album was gloomy and very melancholy already, but I think we’re cruising in even deeper and colder waters with this one. And to this band all that is a positive thing to say. Nizhe is a crushingly heavy and sorrowful album. I think every member is now more confident in what he is doing with his instrument in this band. That all came tighter together on the shows we did for Cherno. The lyrical themes go further back in history, that is a bit different as well.

4. Where did the idea come from to sing in Russian rather than let’s say, Finnish or English?

It was actually my idea back in 2007, although I wasn’t 100 % serious about it at first. I told Hiili about the idea, and after that he wouldn’t take any other option. And he was right. The Russian language takes us apart from most bands right away, and it simply sounds fantastic in our kind of music. I think it’s a beautiful language. It also brought us to an almost endless source lyrics-wise: Russian history, culture and literature.

5. Your last album Cherno managed to climb all the way up to a place 11 on Finnish official record chart. Did that bring a lot of pressure to you while making and putting the album together?

Not at all. What happened with Cherno was a pleasant surprise, but you can’t think about those kind of things when you’re writing music. You have to keep it pure from compromises, anyone’s expectations and such. I always hate it when musicians go “you should remember we’re in the show business and rock is just entertainment”. No it’s fucking not. You have to aim higher.

6. You lyrics come from Russian culture and history. How have people responded to that?

Very well, actually. Erkki has got a ton of positive feedback for his lyrics. He puts a lot of effort in them, he doesn’t want to sing about the obvious clichés 90 % of bands sing about. I think he has done a great job with it.

7. And how do people in Russia react to you and the fact that you are writing about their history?

Being Finns and all, we too were a bit suspicious about it at first, how people would take it in Russia. But when Cherno came out we noticed that the Russian audience was a lot more pleased than annoyed with it. Erkki has a lot of references to the Russian culture and especially literature in his lyrics, and it was interesting to see how we even managed to bring up some things that even the natives were not too familiar with.

8. Elements that you use in your pictures and artwork are sometimes cliche Russia and Soviet Union. Is it all serious or is there a hint of humor hidden under it all?

It’s not all dead serious, hah. When you have faces like ours you can’t be that serious about a photo session anyway. The uniform-like shirts, guns and the heavy machinery just fit too well to not use them.

9. While not touring or playing what do you do on your free time? Do you like to spend time together, outside the band?

We all live in different cities so we don’t see each other much outside the band activities. But we talk on the phone especially when we’re drunk. On a weekly basis in other words. My own free time includes movies, music and books, plus occasionally very bad ice hockey.

10. What brought you together to create music?

The idea for this band and the kind of music we play has already been around since the year 2000, we talked about it with Hiili back then the first time, we were recording Sentenced’s Crimson at the time. It eventually took until 2007 before we were able to put the words into action. Ylä-Rautio had been Hiili’s friend for a long time and was the obvious choice for bass. We found Erkki about a week after we started looking for a vocalist who could sing in fluent Russian. We were brought together by the urge to create something crushingly heavy and melancholy, and something that has not been done before.

11. In the process of making the songs, are you all a part of it equally or is one of you having a bigger role in it than others?

Well obviously the lyrics are all Erkki’s responsibility, as he’s the only one who speaks Russian. Music-wise we all bring songs into the band. Perhaps I bring a bit more than the others, but all in all a KYPCK album is a result of 4 guys’ work. Even if the songs differ a lot from each other, our sound and the Russian language always make them sound like KYPCK.

12. You have a tour coming up now starting from St. Petersburg, Russia on 23rd of March and finishing to Kokkola, Finland on 16th of April. Are you looking forward to it? Do you enjoy being on the road for a month in a row?

Well, I was never a big fan of touring, but I’m very much looking forward to these shows. It’s been almost 2 years since we played live – the last time was actually in St. Petersburg as well, hah. This club tour is not in a row, it’s several 3-4 show “mini-tours” around the weekends, and we go home in-between. With Sentenced we were many times on the road for 4-6 weeks in a row, and it always made me a void of a human being. It was fucking horrifying. These shorter trips fit me a lot better.

13. And of course, is the audience better abroad or in Finland?

Well, it depends on the day a lot in Finland – on a weekend also the Finns get as crazy as an audience anywhere. But I don’t think it should be measured by the loudness anyway. When I go to a show I like to just listen and enjoy, and not go climbing on the walls. That being said, for KYPCK so far the Russian shows have been very special. A very warm welcome, hospitality, great and very loud reaction from the crowd, a lot of people singing along… I’m not expecting the last to happen elsewhere anytime soon, hah. I’m very much looking forward to the Russian part of the tour. In addition to St. Petersburg and Moscow we also play in Voronezh and yes: in Kursk! We have been wondering what will happen when these 2 Kursks collide, will it create a massive black hole that destroys everything…

Alright, thank you so much for the interview! I hope you have a brilliant tour and hope to see you live when you’re in Helsinki, Tavastia at 31st of March!

Thanks for the interview Nelli!

Interview by Nelli Perkkiö – Photos: kypck-doom.com