1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?
So, Unohdus is a new one-man-band from Finland that plays atmospheric black metal in a raw and lo-fi format. A YouTube commenter described Unohdus as "misery music," and I think that is a fitting description.
The first seeds of the band were sown during the Covid-19 lockdowns, but now it is finally time to release the first two tracks.
2.So far you have released a demo, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
I actually made around 6-7 songs before writing the ones that are now released. Those first songs were a mixture of hardcore, black metal, screamo, etc., similar to Oathbreaker, Celeste, and similar bands. I created a demo of a 3-track EP and started to look for musicians, but at some point, I realized my heart wasn't really in it. I decided to scrap the tracks and, at the same time, to do as much as I could by myself, including the vocals.
That was also the point when the music started to drift towards slower, more melancholic, and atmospheric stuff. I think it was because of my decision to go solo. Subconsciously, I knew I didn't have to explain or justify anything to anyone. I could create whatever I wanted without anyone questioning my creative choices. I gave myself permission to create exactly the kind of music that felt right.
When I had rough demos of the two songs I have now released, I decided to go for a lo-fi vibe, but not too lo-fi, if you know what I mean. I like things noisy and dirty, but at the same time, I wanted to have enough room and clarity for chord progressions and different instruments to shine. I wanted the music to have a natural ebb and flow, to crash over the listener like a wave of beautifully distorted sound.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the music?
One of the most prominent themes is post-humanism, even anti-humanism. The lyrics consist of fictional flashes of what I imagine to be humanity's last days and moments.
I know it's a cliched theme, but I can't help it. It is just such an "inspiring" theme and is all around us, all the time. You know, humans just hate everything. We destroy nature, butcher animals, and even butcher other people. There's no end to humankind's imagination when it comes to destroying and exploiting everything around us. And it won't end before we end it ourselves. For example, the track "Niin turhaan tähdet valaisivat meitä" is a story about the last humans asking for forgiveness - but there won't be any.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Unohidius'?
Unohdus is a Finnish word, and I think the best translation for it is "oblivion." The name is tied to the lyrical themes of humankind one day becoming a thing of the past. Whatever or whoever remains here after us probably won't spend too much time reminiscing over us.
5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the demo cover?
It's pretty simple, both the artwork and the idea behind it. I wanted an empty, destroyed landscape with no one in sight, and I found a perfect (and royalty-free) picture in an archive of very old Finnish photographs.
6.With the exception of a violin you recorded most of the dmeo by yourself, are you open to working with other musicains or do you prefer to work solo?
I'm very open to working with other musicians. But at the same time, I want to be in charge when it comes to anything related to Unohdus.
I have played in a lot of bands, and like all people who have a history in bands know, things can get complicated and slow when working with other people. So, starting my own solo project was born out of the frustration that was caused by trying to find people to play with, managing schedules, solving creative conflicts, etc. At some point, I just said to myself, "Fuck it, I will do everything by myself." Life is too short to wait for other people.
But that being said, I will definitely work with other musicians and vocalists in the future, mainly in situations when I know that a track needs something, but I don't have the skills to do it by myself. The violin on the track "Niin turhaan tähdet valaisivat meitä" is a great example of this. I had the melody in my head, made a demo, and then Matthew played and recorded it. He also made it 10000% times better than I could have ever imagined. I found Matthew Dakoutros from Fiverr, and I can definitely recommend him.
There are no plans to build a proper live band around Unohdus. I want to use my time and energy on creating new music and learning new ways to create music. At the moment, I have zero interest in wasting any energy on booking gigs, managing schedules, and all that stuff. I would rather record and release a lot of new music and not play the "old" tracks to 20 people at some local club.
7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
I haven't been actively searching for a label, and I probably don't plan to do so either.
I don't want to say that Unohdus is just a hobby for me because it means so much more, but it's also not a source of income. Money or a career in music is not my goal with Unohdus, so I want to keep it free from pressure and external influences. Besides, I think that Unohdus would be a bad deal for any label because I may not have that burning urge to constantly gain new fans, book gigs, and so on, that would profit my label.
But if some label, for example, wants to release my music in physical form, I don't have anything against it. Just send me a couple of those releases, and you can keep everything else.
8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
Surprisingly good. And I appreciate every comment and voluntarily paid euro a lot.
To be honest, I wasn't expecting any reactions at all because there is so much metal, black metal, and other music released in the world every day. I thought that my stuff would just be buried under all the other music that comes out. So, even the few negative reviews have felt good because that means that someone actually took the time to actively listen to my stuff.
9.Do you have any experience playing in other bands or musical projects?
Yeah, a lot! I have played in all kinds of bands. Bass is my "main" instrument, and I have played rock, indie, pop, metal, hardcore, doom metal, and so on. All kinds of stuff. I have also written lyrics for a couple of bands and artists here in Finland.
10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as musician during the future?
Actually, there are no plans for a full-length album. I feel that right now, I'm more confident with short releases, and I think I will put out more of these 2-3 track releases, maybe even just single tracks. Creating a coherent full-length album is not an easy task, and I feel that I'm not there yet with my skills and vision.
With future releases, I'm probably going for more atmospheric soundscapes. I'm bringing in elements from dungeon synth, post-rock, and even funeral doom. I leave the "trashier" and "punkier" black metal for those who know better how to create it and head for the more ethereal seas myself.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that hve had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
The influences that can be heard in Unohdus's music are pretty clear, at least to me. To name-drop some bands: Totalselfhatred, Forgotten Tomb, early Tristania and Theatre of Tragedy, Cult of Luna, and My Dying Bride. These are some of the bands that build the kinds of atmospheres and audible emotions that I aim to create as well. I don't know if other people hear those influences, but for me, they are definitely there! As for the influences that come from outside the metal genre, I would mention bands like Portishead, Massive Attack, Explosions In The Sky, The Gathering, Slowdive, etc.
And then some of the bands that I've enjoyed lately are Cân Bardd, Ultar and Grima; they have been all over my playlists for a couple of years now. Awesome bands! Also, Marrasmieli and Havukruunu from Finland have released great albums during the past couple of years. And all people on this earth should listen to Rolo Tomassi and Draconian, let's not forget about them. And again, if we go outside the metal genre, I have to mention at least Chvrches, Hoaxed, and Now, Now.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for your support! When I released the tracks, I didn't expect anyone to notice them, let alone ask for an interview!
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