To start with, why have you parted ways with Shiver Records?

- "Blood Will Follow Blood" was released through Nortern Sound recs,
because Shiver (now Last Shivering Planet company...) didn't want to release a mcd. Our second full-lenght cd "Where Angels Dwell No More" has just come out through LSP, and at the moment we don`t have a contract. We are not very eager to work with LSP anymore, because we are not satisfied with the way they have handled things..

Northern Sound is relatively young label, isn’t it? And neophyte labels often collapse shortly after releasing only a couple of CDs… Aren’t you feared to collaborate with Mikko, taking into account the facts I’ve just mentioned?

- No, not really... So far everything has gone smoothly and Mikko has kept his promises, which is something Hans (LSP boss) didn't do that often :)

What’s your view on FAERGHAIL’s current labelmates, the ones coming from Russia (i.e. VALHALLA)?

- I can`t tell you anything about VALHALLA, because I haven`t heard it... sorry.

All the drum tracks “Blood Will Follow Blood” comes with, appear courtesy of the session drummer. How come? As far as I may recall, “Horizons Fall” didn’t feature a session, but a permanent drummer…

- Yes this is true... Tomi Kangassalo played drums on "Horizon`s Fall" and "Where Angels Dwell No More" cd´s, but he decided to leave the band before recording "Blood Will Follow Blood"... Pekka Koponen is no more a session drummer, but a permanent member of the band.

What about singing in Finnish? If I’m not mistaken, there’re only few
acts in Suomi, daring to sing in the language of their own…

- Yeah well... We have done three songs in Finnish, rest of them are in English... I think it just brings some variation to the songs... and at least Finnish people have liked the songs sung in Finnish a lot!

“Faerghail”... Hmm, it reminds me a bit of all these Tolkien
worshipper-combos, at least when it comes to your moniker...

- "Faerghail" was a name suggested by Tomi, if I remember correctly... It has nothing to do with Tolkien... In fact I`m the only Tolkien fan in the band...

FAERGHAIL definitely appears as one of the bands contriving to combine brutality and melodious lines altogether. Whom would you mark out as the most notable examples proving that this sort of mixture is a successful one?

- Bands that come my mind are: IN FLAMES, EMPEROR, KATATONIA ("Brave Murder Day"!!!), CHILDREN OF BODOM, UNANIMATED... etc etc.

What’s your attitude to this modern black metal breed (plenty of synths, drummachine, cheesy sound, and so on and so forth)?

- I haven`t listened to a lot of "modern" black metal, but in general
I don`t usually like drummachines or crappy sounds... I have nothing
against using synths as long as the music needs them. EMPEROR and VORDVEN are good examples of usings synths properly!!

What about the Finnish black metal scene?

- What about it??? heh... I haven`t really followed any scene... You shouldhave asked this three-four years ago... When it comes to metal music I have listened to the same "old" stuff for a few years now...

Back to the country of yours once again. What’s your opinion on
contemporary Finnish society? The rumors say, you guys have pretty huge taxes amount over there… Also equalling the notions of “Finnish” and “alcoholic”…

- Yes, we do have high taxes and everything is pretty expensive over
here... combining Finnish and an alcoholic isn`t that far fetched as we do drink a lot!! :) All in all I`m very satisfied with the quality of life in here, although I`m a bit conserned about the future, because we are evolving towards the "American way", where poor people can`t afford health services and class differences are huge.

Finland isn’t the sort of country with the warm climate’s prevalence, right? Does the certain country’s climate affect the music delivered by it’s inhabitants / residents, what do you think?

- It propably affects lyrics more than the music... I guess the climate also affects people in an unconsious way, but I can`t really link it to the music... It is true though, that most raw / synth black metal bands come from Scandinavia..

Would you mind telling us what kind of person you (and other FAERGHAIL’s chaps) are? Or, more likely, what is your “dark side” represented with?

- Hmmm... Here comes:

Jussi Ranta (vocals & synth): Into extreme sports, tattoos, piercing etc etc... Jussi is quite personal and self-concious I think... If we would be like HIM (the band), Jussi would be the front cover boy...

Petri Moisio (guitar, bass): hmmm... Petri is quite calm and doesn`t make a big fuss about himself... He's the most decent one us I think...

Pekka Koponen (drums): I have known Pekka since we were 6 years old and he's a very good friend of mine... Pekka is a depressed chef and he drinks a lot (and often...)

Myself (guitars): I'm into music, movies and literature... that`s about it. Oh yeah, and I also drink a lot.. :) I haven`t done much in the past few years...

Dark side??? Well, I tend to get depressed from time to time, I guess that`s it...

Is there any difference between the “individual” and the “personality”? What are the main differences between these notions?

- Yes there is... In short, "individual" is the whole package :) and personality expresses different sides and aspects of this individual...

The man and the crowd. What would you prefer, to be a part of the crowd, or to stay alone? It is said that no man is capable of living a life of full value without being a part of society; what about that?

- I'd rather be the one alone... But it`s hard to only listen your own "inner" voice as, like it or not, you are a part of society, a bigger picture... I don`t like people who only follow others and don't have "own" opinions.

Do you know anything regarding Russia? Any metal bands coming from the country of mine you’ve heard lately?

- All I know about Russia, has come from school and from documents in TV. I haven`t ever been in Russia... I also don`t know any Russian metal bands, but I`ve heard a couple of Russian bands live here in Finland (can`t remember their names though...) The picture of Russia in my mind isn`t very flattering... Lot of corruption, crimes etc. And many poor people and a few people with a shitload of money... I have been shocked about some of the programmes I`ve seen... F.ex. one about a prison in St. Petersburg... People just waiting many years for their trial... Also people, even doctors, working without getting paid... Of course there are also good things in Russia I'm sure... At least Russia has "produced" great art and icehockey-players :)

Lastly, do you have a one-album deal with Northern Sound? When are you going to come up with a full-length followup to “Horizons Fall”?

- Yes the deal was for one album... Our future is currently open... 2nd full-lentgh already out through LSP-company, as I said before...

As always: the final words of yours…

- Thanks a lot for the interview, It was quite interesting to answer!
People interested in FAERGHAIL can contact us through e-mail: faerghail@hotmail.com, snail mail: Faerghail, PL 52, 32701 Huittinen, Finland... Or straight write straight to Northern Sound recs or LSP-company... Also check out our website at: www.faerghail.net
Once again thanks and bye...