TOTAL DEVASTATION – Interview with Jarmo Pikka (drums).

Hello, I am Andrew. How are you?

We're super! Thanks for asking.

I would like you to give me a small bio of the band for our readers.

Here it goes (straight from our web site):

Founded in the summer of 1998 by Jaakko Heinonen and Lauri Pikka. The original idea was to play all machines extreme music. Two summers later the line-up also included Harri Pikka with the guitar, and the chaos that the band delivered had already started to gear more towards the metallic sound reality. Around the same time Ville Heiskanen joined the band and later took all the responsibility for the lyrics. The fourth demo, “Divine-Ecstasy” (2001) was praised so much that the band received invitation to play in prestigious Down By The Laituri festival. For the live line-up three new members were invited: Jarmo Pikka, Saku and Pasi Hakuli. Yes, there is more than enough of brothers in this band. The fifth demo, “Left Hand of the Devil” (2002) received the same, if even bigger, praise and in the end of year 2002 the band signed contract with Finnish FIREBOX RECORDS.

I have been listening to “Roadmap of pain” the last few days and I am impressed by its modern style. Death metal but with modern parts. Is this something you really like or a way to get heard more and have more listeners?

This is absolutely our way of making music. We are not trying to gain commercially or intend to find fans by making music some people might like. Simply, this is the music that comes out from TD-mincer. We are, of course, happy if people like it.

Are you satisfied with the production of the album? And generally with the whole artwork? Would you like to change something now that you know the result?

We are satisfied. Sundi Coop Studio is a very professional unit. Lots of records are being made there: their reputation is good which can be heard from our Album. The sound really pounds and pummels. We are happy with the artwork, as well. The guy responsible is very talented. Especially the colors are (what we think) rather unique. It's quite boring to have heavy metal album colored only with black and shades of grey. The red color is quite aggressive and hereby serving our task very well. Something to be changed? Well, there are always small things to be done better but nothing serious really.

Tell me about the guest appearances in the album. Is there any possibility any of them to be a member of your stable line up in the future?

You mean Tapio Wilska and Kaisa Jaakkola? Well, Tapio Wilska already sings in Finntroll. He has his own thing. And Kaisa Jaakkola is a part of the family (Harri's girlfriend). They were just supporting TD. What comes to Ville Heiskanen, he's the seventh son in TD-fold. He's not actually joining the line up but performs at our live shows. And the main thing: he's writing all TD-lyrics.

Tell me a few words about the lyrics. What are they talking about in general and what is their connection with your music?

Connection with our music is the atmosphere. The music is harsh and describes, in its own way, the modern society. World is not so easy place to live nowadays. Lyrics tell about individual's loneliness and despair. They are not visions of mass destruction, world politics, religion and things like that, but small stories about man's mind and something that may change our serene thoughts into a mayhemic, violent and scattered wasteland.

Name me some of the bands you like and some of the bands you have influenced from.

Well, there are Diabolo's Rising, Danzig, Morbid Angel, Rotten Sound and loads of more. But there is no actual main influence. Diabolo's Rising, of course, has its certain part in giving birth to TD.

How are you going to promote your album? Have you arranged any tour within Finland or abroad? And if you had the chance to play in the same stage along with a band of your choice which would that be and why?

Album promotion has already started. This has mainly been taken care of by our label, Firebox Records. There are ads in magazines, radio promotion, promotion by using international contacts, gigs and interviews. The normal stuff. And you can guess we are busy! We are going to tour Europe at the end of August. Poland, Hungary, Germany…there are also plans of making Scandinavian tour at the end of this year. However, this has not been confirmed yet, but we are looking forward to it. We are also touring Finland rather regularly. I think we'd like to play together with Finnish Rotten Sound. RS is an awesome band and we can never hail RS enough. So, check it out!

Why should someone prefer to buy your album than any other release of our days?

This is good music! Honest!

Do you watch the underground scene of your country? I have received many demos from Finland and I think there are some killer bands there like Misery Inc for example?

Yes, we are following the underground. This is natural for us being a part of it ourselves, as well. There are loads of bands, very goods bands. It's very hard to give any particular names…but for example ID: Excorcist, Pain Confessor, Sergio etc. etc.

Name the musicians that would make an all-star band.

Well, it would certainly be our programming manager Lauri Pikka playing all instruments himself. He has played drums in a band called Convicted, guitar and bass in Perselintu! and now he's also singing backing vokills for us. Very versatile and talented little brother.

What is this code written under the title of each song in the booklet? It starts from FI-FX9-03-00003 and ends to FI-FX9-03-00012.

If you count the numbers together, reduce the letters and divide the sum with three (3) you will find a formula that brings the Devil alive. Kidding. They are international codes for monitoring the copyright.

So, we are approaching the end. I want to thank you for your time and wish you good luck for the future. Kiitos paljon!!! Closing is yours…

Thank you! It's been pleasant time! Cheers!

www.totaldevastation.org