Dajana: I just have to say WOW, Isolation Songs just has blown me away, what a fantastic album! Seems like you’re taking Europe by storm now… It’s amazing how the audience responds to you during and after the show. Did you expect such overwhelming success?
Wille: No. We did not expect such things happening in our band at all. You know, when we formed this band, we were just five friends playing in different bands before. And then we came together, making music we would like ourselves. We never talked about what kind of music it would be, really, and we even did not expect to release any record. We just wanted to play. That all happened in 2005. That’s kind of our beginning when we started playing on a rehearsal level without any plans. And then fours later we have two records out and tour with Paradise Lost ;) I actually don’t know how all this happened to be honest, but it’s all fun *laughs*

Dajana: Ok, how went the tour so far?
Wille: It’s great. It’s really, really great. When we started touring we thought that maybe half of the crowd would attend our shows. But almost everyone showing up generally is here, at almost every night. We did not expect that. We thought that people would come a little bit later to see the second band and of course the headliner. In that sense it has been a big surprise to us. Also the bands are really nice and friendly people. Tonight Paradise Lost was watching us from the side and when we got off the stage they told us: “excellent, excellent gig”. Same with Samael, really friendly nice guys. I don’t know, I’m living a dream right now!

Dajana: Isolation Songs was also my first meet with GHOST BRIGADE. Of course I also got me your debut record Guided By Fire, which doesn’t differ that much musically. What you think is the reason that the sophomore had such an impact on the metal scene?
Wille: Well… I don’t know. We got a little bit wiser songwriters. On the first record we did some riffs we could not even play. When recording it took us hours and hours to get these riffs done on tape. When we did Isolation Songs we simplified everything, a little bit. I mean, it is still challenging music to play for us. But not too much anymore so that we actually could enjoy recording that album. And I think at the end people can sense out that this album was done with heart.
The second thing is the sound. I think the sound is much better on this one. And the third thing is the lyrics and the singing, the vocal melodies. To me it is, when I listen to the first record it is good for what is. But it does sound a little bit like a demo, compared to the new one. The lyrical content is much better on Isolation Songs, it has more depth.

Dajana: One thing that really struck me now, where the new Katatonia was released… you sound much like them. Now it even can happen that you confuse with the songs if you are not so familiar with them ;) Are they a big influence?
Wille: Not really. Not really. I know that people always think it is, they think that’s two: Opeth and Katatonia, who are big. I write most of the music in that band and I don’t listen to Opeth for example. Well you know, I wish them all the best in the world and everything, and I even bought one of their records two years ago but still have a problem to listen to it from the beginning to the end. I have nothing against it, I think it is ok, but it is surely no influence, not at all. We don’t listen to Opeth. As it comes to Katatonia I think Last Fair Deal Gone Down and Viva Emptiness are great records. On Viva Emptiness are a few tracks I really, really like. Same with Last Fair Deal Gone Down. But I’m not sire if these tracks really had an impact on my songwriting…
Dajana: It’s more like you both have somewhat of the same vibes…
Wille: Yeah, yeah. Because both bands own sort of same kind of dynamics. All that poppy and moody stuff that then bursts into something heavy in the next moment. I can understand that people think this way, that Katatonia is a big influence. But it is not.

Dajana: I remember when Isolation Songs got released in August and a few weeks later we got the promo for the Katatonia release I was thinking what the hell is going on here *lol* I even learned about people that were listening to GHOST BRIGADE on an internet radio and thought it’s a new Katatonia song…
Wille: Ok, ok… cool.
Dajana: As for me I think you also own a certain Post Rock note in your music.
Wille: Yes, there is all kind of stuff in our music. To me Katatonia sounds much modernized these days. It’s very modern, and much produced. We don’t really have that. We have kind of a Punk attitude in the band what makes us a whole different from them. I don’t know… But I take that as a compliment. Katatonia have some good songs, definitely, and I like the band. The drummer is a friend of mine actually.

Dajana: Another thing that struck me when I first time was listening to GHOST BRIGADE was: that must be a Finnish band! I don’t know from where it comes from but I personally think that Finnish bands own something special you always recognize.
Wille: Well, yeah, on a few songs from Isolation Songs I can hear that out too. Secrets Of The Earth for example is such song. Its guitar melody reminds me of stuff my mother was listening to, some traditional Finnish music. It’s not Tango, I don’t know the word for it in English, and it’s some sort of popular music. There is also a sense for melancholy, you will find very often in Finnish music, including the music our parents were and are listening to. It’s always very melancholic. That might make the difference. I’m afraid I don’t think about such things. I write guitar riffs I like and think they sound cool. If they end up sounding Finnish, then it’s a good thing too, because we are from Finland ;) I don’t want to sound us like an American band or Norwegian band or something like that. I’m proud to be Finnish and playing in a Finnish band. Finnish bands have a good reputation anyway.

Dajana: You had a couple of shows back home in Finland with God Is An Astronaut. How turned they out? I guess it must have been something special.
Wille: Yes, for me, because I’m a huge fan of them. I truly love them. I love everything that is included in that band like starting from the music that is awesome, going to their records. They release the records by themselves, which is something I really respect. They book their own shows too I think. The shows went fine. I didn’t know that people in Finland knew about God Is An Astronaut. We played three shows with them; one was sold out, another one nearly sold out and the third one at least over 400 people or so. Beyond expectations anyways. It was special for me, as a fan, you know. We played first, and then I grabbed me a beer and stood in the front :) It’s such good music.
Dajana: Yeah, like them too. And I thought that’s really an interesting package.
Wille: We played a few moodier songs, because we thought it suits better to the music of God Is An Astronaut. We did not play the heavier songs we have. Nice guys. We had a great time.

Dajana: Since that is your first tour ever, what you think, where did you get the best response so far from the audience? Is that something you notice, you can compare?
Wille: Hmm… I don’t know… Belgium… We played that show in Belgium. I think that was a big surprise, because our other guitarist Tommi was really sick. He had fever, over 39°C and he still played, but he could not move, while we were very energetic and he just stood still. In that situation I thought people would not like is at all, thinking what is that stage potato doing there in the corner? But they liked it a lot and that was a real surprise to me. I can’t really pick out a country… It’s been great everywhere.
Dajana: I just ask because I do a lot of traveling for shows and experience lot audiences around Europe. And now where you mention Belgium I find the Belgian fans as much reserved.
Wille: That’s not the picture I got. Maybe it depends on the music.
Dajana: Did you already play in Eastern Europe?
Wille: No. We play Germany and then Denmark and Sweden. Afterwards we go home. We could not do more than 15 shows, because we all have day jobs and family.

Dajana: Any more shows, tours or festival already confirmed?
Wille: As for the festivals, we gonna play Hellfest and Wave Gotik Treffen. We play Wacken Open Air as well. And hopefully some others too. There’s a lot in the works, so let’s see.

Dajana: There was to read that you once had planned to be a mysterious band, no names and no faces known to the public. I think, now with all this attention you get it would have been a difficult task to keep yourself a secret ;)
Wille: Yeah, that is a thing people often talk about. But that was in a very beginning when we had our first discussions about what kind of band is that gonna be, what’s the name gonna be and then we came up with GHOST BRIGADE. And the next was should stay as kind of a ghost brigade that no one knows who’s behind. Because we always thought we would not even tour or do an album, just play, so let’s see where it takes us. We thought about it for a few days and decided just to scrap it. That prevents uf from touring if no one knows who we are. We could have used some sort of masks but that would have been stupid and we are not exactly Slipknot. It’s better this way ;)
Well mysterious… We actually don’t have a website, only myspace and a webshop. I think people spread too much information, bands give too much information all he time. Back in the days when I was a kid and a big Metallica fan, I didn’t knew anything about the band members, their private life. Only when the next album would be released. Now it’s a completely different world with the internet. Now you can probably read at what time someone has shit this morning, ya know. That’s why we decided not having a website. What for? For the news? Go to our myspace site. And actually no one has complained about it yet.

Dajana: You do most of the music in the band, you create the merchandise design… you seem to be a very creative person. Do you have any other creative outlet?
Wille: Yes, I’m. I’m a graphic designer. I do websites, record covers and other graphical stuff. I did the new Insomnium cover as well. I’m a photographer…

Dajana: Ok, do you already have any ideas for a new album?
Wille: Oh yes, we write all the time. As for now we have something like the backbones of three new songs.
Dajana: Is there already anything to tell about? Change in sound? Will you try out something new?
Wille: Yes! And no! That’s my answer ;)
Dajana: Hahaha, I know it would be difficult to ask a musician about that *laughs*
Wille: You know, I mean I do wanna our band sound like GHOST BRIGADE, but I don’t wanna sound too save. I always try and search for something that is new and fresh for us. It doesn’t need to be anything big, even small details make the difference sometimes. Right now it’s difficult to say what we gonna sound like…

Dajana: What you gonna do when you’re back home again?
Wille: I go to work. As I said I’m a graphic designer. I have to build up some websites I guess. Everybody is going back to work and families until the end of the year I think. We will rehearse every now and then and practice some new songs.
Dajana: Just now and then? You don’t live in the same city?
Wille: No. Our bass player lives elsewhere, I live in Helsinki and the other guys live in middle Finland. We rehearse where I live; it’s actually the same building where I work. It's pretty funny and works out fine.

Dajana: What I found interesting is that GHOST BRIGADE is not signed to a Finnish label.
Wille: Finnish labels weren’t interested in us. I think we did not get any answer from a Finnish label back in the time, when we recorded the demo. We got a few offers, but all from abroad and so we signed to Seasons Of Mist. They had the best offer and they really seem to like our music, because for us they broke a rule they had. They did not want to sign a demo band for a while due to the financial risk.
[Dajana: As we know in the meantime, the label was right to do so, because Isolation Songs is now the most successful album on Season Of Mist]

Dajana: Ok, I’m at the end of my questions, time to finish before they lock us here ;) Last but not least let me know your current top 5 of bands, album, what you are listening to right now.
Wille: I would have to give you a tour-top 5 now; because we only listen to stuff we have in the car. That would be: The Cardigans, Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak, God Is An Astronaut, Bolt Thrower, which is one of our favorites… um… what else… and every now and then Johnny Cash for example. And generally a mix of old school death metal like Carcass, Entombed… ya know, the old stuff from the early 90s.

Dajana: Ok, thank you very much taking the time and answering all these questions and I hope to see ya soon on tour again for a longer stint.
Wille: Thank you too.