SOURCE – After having been together for such a long time, does that make it harder or easier to come up with new material?
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – It’s true that we have been together for a long time. Everybody knows we had 18 years hiatus, but after all Convulse has been active all together almost ten years. I think it’s easier to write new material with this experience. Especially things got easier when we came down to trio 2012. Material to Cycle of Revenge album was pretty easy to compose, because we threw all expectations away. We just did what we wanted to do.
SOURCE – How has the band’s sound evolved/progressed from Evil Prevails to Cycle of Revenge?
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – We came down to trio in the beginning of 2014. The fact is that the decision to move as a trio shaped a lot how Convulse sounds nowadays. At the same point we begin to play more freely and jammed a lot at rehearsals. Gradually we find our new combination. We focused on groove and dynamics in our playing and new songs wrote themselves quite spontaneously.
SOURCE – You’ve been around in the metal world and the music business for a long time. Tell us what your vibe is on the metal scene today as opposed to earlier Convulse days.
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – Generally speaking many things have changed during these 25 years. I mean technology and so on. When we consider Convulse, we do things in a pretty same way we did early days. We rehearse weekly, write new songs, record albums and do some shows. To be honest I don’t follow the scene so actively nowadays. But when I talk to younger metal musicians for example at festivals, I can see the passion is just the same that I had on early days.
SOURCE – Where do you see Cycle of Revenge fitting into the band’s catalog?
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – Cycle of Revenge starts a new era in the convulse catalogue. I suppose we will do the next album in the end of 2017. And I am quite sure we will go further with our music. But who knows..Time shall tell.
SOURCE – Every band has its musical influences. What are some of the other bands and artists that have greatly influenced you guys and your music?
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – I am listening to music very open minded. My favorite death metal bands are classic Autopsy, Entombed, Bolt Thrower, Death. I have listened over 20 years also Pink Floyd, Rush, Kingston Wall, Police, The Who and NWOBHM.
SOURCE – In Brazil there’s much fans listening your kind of music. What do you know about the Brazil?
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – Believe or not, but I played at nineties about five years surdo (drum) in a Samba bateria called Uniao da Roseira. I would have liked to visit in Rio samba carnivals also, but I didn’t have chance to do it. Of course I know also football and Sepultura. Of course I know some of your history and Portuguese colonization as well.
SOURCE – Are there any other side projects that you have in the pipeline or other people you’ve worked with that your fans might be unaware of?
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – During Hiatus of Convulse I played in the bands called Pornorphans, When The Empire Falls and Puhelinkoppi. I don’t have side projects. when I am running a band, I am running a one band. I want to concentrate to one thing per time.
SOURCE – Living in Finland, which has a very large metal scene, which bands out here do you think will make an impression in heavy metal?
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – Well, you certainly know the bigger bands. But if you are looking for “new” old school death metal, you should check out for example Vorum and Galvanizer.
SOURCE – What do you do in your ordinary life to make a living? Would you rather do music full-time if you were given the possibility?
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – I am working in a child welfare with children who can’t live at their homes. Before that I worked almost ten years as a fireman/emergency services. Making music full-time would be great, but that won’t happen. I am satisfied with this situation as long as I have a chance to write and release new music in a professional conditions. It means we have to sell each time about 1000-2000 physical albums to cover the expenses of the record company, studios and so on…
SOURCE – Anything you wish to add to conclude this interview?
Rami Jämsä (Guitar/Vocals) – It would be great to play one day in Brasil. Thanks for this interview!
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