Hello, how are you? Markus Toivonen: Hello, I'm almost fine.

First of all a very up to date thing. On january 6th it had been made official that Jari is leaving the band. Was that a surprise for you or did you alredy knew long time before what Jari was going to do?
Markus: Jari didn't exactly leave the band, we had to kick him out, because the activities of Ensiferum would have decreased so much especially for the gigs, and it would have destroyed the inspiration of the band. We knew that Jari was going to record a solo album, but I didn't realize that he would devote so much time for it. Especially when we are living the most important times of our career.

In his statement, which can be seen in the news section at http://www.ensiferum.com/, Jari writes something like “that is my side of the story”. Is there also a bands version of the story?
Markus: The version of the band was the news itself of Jari getting "kicked" out of the band. We split up in total understanding of each other, so that "that is my side of the story" doesn't refer to that we would be having different sides of the story. Jari just explains the detailed situation.

What are you thinking when Jari says that his own music was more important for him all over the years? Did you know about it?
Markus: Yes we have known it always, but he has also being serious with Ensiferum all the time. At first we didn't think that he would end up making a solo album, because he had usually made music just for himself and for the friends to hear, not that much for spreading it in large-scale. When I heard from the record contract I thought that it was just a good thing, because he would get to express himself and the "soloings" of him would be getting lesser in Ensiferum. And therefore I thought that Ensiferum would stay together and everyone would be happy. Jari for example composed one song for "Iron" album which didn't sound Ensiferum at all, so the song was rejected. Jari was of course dissapointed and said that he is tired of playing in a band in which he can't express himself. But then he got the contract and I said to him that make the song to your solo album, and the problem was solved. The problems came ahead lately, when I realized how much time he is using for the recordings, although the songs were already made. I thought that he would just record the album in a month and that's it. But he is using almost half a year, if last fall is counted in it. So we couldn't do the gigs in last fall and this winter. And we wouldn't have got to the tour which starts at the half of April.

Is there already an idea how to fill the empty place in the band? Are you already thinking about a new member?
Markus: We have begun the search of a new member in this january. If we don't find guitarist/singer who is good enough, we have to take a guitarist and a singer.

Because of the time problems with Jaris project it was said that Ensiferum won’t be touring with Finntroll… Will we see Ensiferum on Tour with Finntroll in April/May?
Markus: Yes, we are aiming that we could play that forthcoming tour, and as I said the search has already begun.

Are you playing first time in Germany this year? I’m looking forward to see you at the Party.San Open Air and Summer Breeze in August. By the way, Ensiferum is one of the most requested bands in the Summer Breeze discussion forums.
Markus: Yes, we are playing in Germany and at least in Party San and Summer Breeze. It's nice to hear that people wants us to play in Germany for we haven't played abroad.

Can you tell me something about the recordings of your upcoming album “Iron”?
Markus: Making of the album was very rough. We had lot of problems from the beginning. People got sick, instruments and equipments fell into pieces, the tone of the guitars fell apart all the time (might have been the climate of Denmark). And after the horrible beginnig, happened things like that one guy who was driving guitar amplifier to us from local music store in Copenhagen, had got his car broke in by some burgler, so we didn't get the amplifier that day... And that was just one of the millions of problems we had. But at least producer Flemming Rasmussen was very nice guy. He did never lost his nerves, although we were working 14 hours a day once in a while. He is the most conscientous worker who I have met.

Why has the release of the album been delayed to April 2004?
Markus: That is because of our fuck ups at the studio, which aren't yet finished: the final mix hasn't been made and after that is the mastering. And if we have to cancel the tour the record company might release the album in next fall, that we would have more time to find proper member. And we "must" promote the album with touring. We don't want the record to be delayed anymore, for this has been enough. And I believe that it won't.

And what about the music of “Iron”? are there some differences between sound or style or something compared to “Ensiferum”? are there anymore so many stylish folk elements in your music?
Markus: There is some differences for example that it's not as long as the first album :) The sounds are little bit more like "Metallica", might be the producer :) And there's folk music more than on the first one, and there's not that much power-metal (like Guardians of Fate). I believe that "Iron" is not that "easy listening" record. I think it has to be listened more than once.

Are there any more gags like the bag full of beer bottles as percussion instrument in “Gobblins Dance”?
Markus: Maybe something,you'll have to wait and hear...

Have you terminated the life of the whole beer before recording this song?
Markus: Only before we recorded the "drunken group choirs".

The cover artwork of “Iron” is in a smiliar way like the one from “Ensiferum”. Is that funny guy with the sword and the shild with the finnish banner going to be something like a mascot? So in the way Children Of Bodom has it with the reaper which is on every of their covers, for example.
Markus: When we had thought of the same guy being in the cover of this album we realized that it became a mascot, so we decided not to leave it out from the cover.

Did you already thought about re-releasing your three demos? I think all Ensiferum-Fans would be very pleased with it.
Markus: In fact I've thought of releasing the three demos in one album, just have to ask the record company to agree.

Would you please tell me some funny or incredible anecdote from you music- or tour-career?
Markus: I have one funny story which happened once before gig at Nosturi, Helsinki. I was in a toilet having a shit (with outside beautiful dancing girls waiting to get to the toilet to put their make-up). So I shitted the toilet full of shit and all the paper and shit blocked the fucking toilet and it didn't flush! I tried to find a toilet brush, but there wasn't one, so I fisted all the shit with my hand so it would flush!, because it would have been little embarrassing to let the girls in after me. And so the legend about "tolilet to flush with with your fist" had begun.

Are you often using the internet or isn’t that your sphere?
Markus: Mostly for e-mail, not so much for other interests.

Do you like the Lord Of The Ring movies (or books if you had the time to reed them)?
Markus I have to admit that I haven't read the book, but the movies are quite o.k.

Three things you would take to a lonesome island?
Markus: My girlfriend said that she wouldn't come with me, so I'll choose porn-dvd, dvd-player and TV. Is there any electricity?

Finally our traditional brainstorming… what do you think while reading the following terms…

New Metal: Nu-Metal? Pop "music", which some trendfuckers call metal.
Trueness in the Metal-Biz: Ensiferum is "untrue" metal? So I can't demand trueness, although it depends on the situation?
In Flames: On the first records it was very good, but nowadays almost nu-metal.
Blind Guardian: Fucking brilliant band, especially "Imaginations from the other side" is one of the best records ever. Many people have said that Ensiferum reminds of Blind Guardian, even though I haven't noticed it.
Nordic Mythology: What I know about it, I respect it immensely.
Love: Causes usually lots of grief and self destruction.
Groupies: Awesome, don't tell my girlfriend :)
Drugs:Deep from the rectum!
Interviews: Also deep from the arse!, at least for my translator. he he, just kidding.
Metal1.info: Never heard ;) for yet I haven't read.

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions! I wish you good look for the future, especially with a new team member and the new album and of course the upcoming concerts! If you want to say something to your german fans and the Metal1.info readers, here are your lines.
Markus: Thank You! All respect to germans, especially because they seem to like Ensiferum much more than other countries. And in Germany people know how to "get heavy"!

Interview von: Stefan
Материал взят с : Metal1.Info