With their newest output V: Hävitetty the five Finns of MOONSORROW already deliver in January the masterpiece of 2007 in Pagan Metal! In December 2006 singer/bassist Ville Sorvali and drummer Marko Tarvonen came over to Hamburg to present their newest output consisting of “only” two songs during a listening party at legendary Headbanger's Ballroom. Since it was not granted to me to take part in this party, I could meet up with the guys next day at the promoter’s office (also in Hamburg). Settling in with a few beers we talked about their new CD V: Hävitetty...

Jörn: Hello guys! You look knackered, ha-ha! I guess your pre-listening party last night in the Ballroom was a huge success. Right?
Ville: Oh! It was great! Many fans have properly come and we have drunk extremely a lot of alcohol, haha!
Marko: We have still introduced our new record, besides, however, hehe.
Jörn: And how have the reactions been?
Marko: Fantastically! The people were properly inspired. We could hardly believe that the reactions of the fans were euphoric so. I mean, we have put all our heart blood in this record and we knew that we have created an album which satisfies us as an artist absolutely. But this does not mean still long that the press or the fans feel this just.
Jörn: In commercial aspect your new album V: Hävitetty can be called (a business-like) suicide. I mean, neither single extractions nor video clips might be possible.
Ville: Oh you know, in the Finnish TV runs anyway only once a week for one hour of Metal. And then of course sometime in the middle of the night. And the hardest what they play then are such groups like Nightwish. It would be worthwhile anyhow not for us to produce a video clip.

Jörn: But both new songs Jäästa Syntynyt/Varjojen Virta and Tuulen Ajettu Maa would be perfectly suited to underlay them with impressive pictures!
Marko: You are already right. However, it would cost extremely a lot of money to realize such a project and this might not be affordable for us.

Jörn: V: Hävitetty consists of "only" two lengthy songs. Your last album Verisäkeet existed already only of five songs with a playing time of nearly seventy minutes. Logically your next album would have to contain only one single song!
Ville: We will put into action this also sometime. But absolutely not on the next record. Since if we have done this quite special record, we will dissolve MOONSORROW! And we do not plan this nowadays yet.
Marko: We will continue with MOONSORROW a few more years. I think sometimes that we do certainly another four or five records. The world will have to endure us a few more years, hähä!
Ville: That on V: Hävitetty only two songs on it are, was not planned definitively. It has simply turned out so.
Marko: Our main songwriter Henri always says, a song is ready if he is ready. And if he is then during thirty minutes, he is simply during thirty minutes.

Jörn: Your guitarist Henri Sorvali has written V: Hävitetty all alone. This surprises, since he also polishes up the songwriting for the new Finntroll album and in addition, he recently became a father!
Marko: [takes a deep breath] Henri has taken a time out itself, above all, for informal reasons for the moment with MOONSORROW. He has had at home quite a lot of stress. Of two tapes and then still woman and toddler. This had become at the end a little bit too much. On the other side we can understand him of course very well, because we do not live, in the end, on the music. MOONSORROW is everything purely and simply a hobby for us. And should not be of course that the hobby goes to loads of the family. Nevertheless, we hope very much that Henri will return in the foreseeable future to us. For the time being we have obliged for the moment a type with the name Janne Perttilä as live guitarists.
Ville: [takes a deep gulp from the beer bottle] We will see how the things develop so.
Marko: Neither Ville nor I have children. Oh well, maybe in a few years, ha-ha!

Jörn: Now some people have already criticized Verisäkeet for its songs, which were stated to be a little bit too long. I guess you do not really accommodate them with the new record.
Marko: Hahaha! No, with certainty not!
Ville: These are these people who need rather so-called easy listening music and prefer. And to those I can only reply: Sorry! Then the music of MOONSORROW is not suitable for you! Our music is if one wants in such a way, as good wine. The songs must mature with the listener. One must hear them again and again. And, besides, the new details which he has not discovered with the previous flows before yet disclose to the fan over and over again. This puts out good music for me, when I can discover something new with every new listening. In addition, we do our uncompromising music, primarily, for ourselves. Fortunately, we have with Spinefarm a label in the back which leaves us all conceivable artistic freedom and does us in commercial regard no regulations.
Jörn: Live there might be some problems, right?
Marko: Puh, there you are right absolutely. We will be able to play by no means both songs in an evening. In addition, we will have to shorten the respective song for the live presence something. On twenty minutes or in such a way. We need, in the end, still time for older songs.

Jörn: Please tell us a bit about the story behind Jäästa Syntynyt/ Varjojen Virta and Tuulen Ajettu Maa.
Ville: The lyrics on V: Hävitetty deal with the setting of the people and the end of the world. They are not quite positive, hehe.
Jörn: Unfortunately, I did not get any with the promo copy. And my Finnish is not good enough to understand what was said. So I’d be very grateful for a few content details.
Marko: Sorry! We would also not like to tell too much about the texts not to take her own interpretation possibilities from the listeners. However, of the ready CD English translations will be enclosed. And also our website will soon contain English translations of both songs.
Jörn: Why no English lyrics at all?
Ville: Never! This would take our identity from us. In addition, I can express myself in our national language much better than I would be able to do it into English language. Although I like the English language, actually, completely. Maybe we would sell with English texts more records. But now this is not really so important to us.

Jörn: Well, one can neither call your music happy nor the lyrics. But on the other side you seem to be the perfect party animals. According to your music, why you do not depressively sit in a room’s corner and consider how to perfectly commit suicide?
Marko: Of course we are types which have with pleasure a lot of fun and celebrate, above all, a lot! By our music we realize our negative emotions optimally, so that to us enough elbowroom remains to have fun in the life. I could not present myself at all to walk around the whole day with a funereal mine.
Jörn: While listening to MOONSORROW many fans feel reminded of Bathory. Is that an honor or completely absurd?
Marko: We have heard the comparison with Bathory during the past years already several times. Clear, such a comparison honors us. However, I think that Between Two Worlds of I clearly processes more influence of Bathory than our new record.

Jörn: Then it was time to release the gents Sorvali and Tarvonen to the next interview date. And Cheers!