Mors Principium Est Interview (Ville Viljanen)

Within that mass that came out at the beginning of the 2000s of the last vestiges of Melodic Death Metal on the Swedish side, the Finnish bands after the movement that Children of Bodom made due to the mislabeled Melodic Death Metal, really began to create this personalized sound in their country, and bands like Insomnium, Before the Dawn and Mors Princium Est were the bands that laid the foundations for the true Finnish sound in terms of melodic within the death genre was concerned, and that some years ago bands like Scum before the mislabeled Children of Bodom were within this style, so this sound was defined as the one to take into account within the metal world, and as always in those years one looked for things that were far from the mainstream world of the media and MTV, and that was how “Inhumanity” (2003) came through the speakers, a brutal and melodic album, and that did its bit to give that emerging scene solidity until our times from a much more accelerated side. So, 22 years have passed since that album, and now we have this “Darkness Invisible”, a highly anticipated album by the Melodic Death Metal community.

Para leer la entrevista en español: Entrevista a Mors Principium Est

Metallerium: Hello and welcome to Metallerium.com! Thank you for taking the time to talk with us today. We are grateful to talk about Mors Principum Est and your ninth studio album, “Darkness Invisible”, along with many other topics related to your music. It’s been three years since your last release, so we’d love to hear how you and the band are doing now that the new album is out.

Mors Principium Est: Well, hello. We are doing great. The album has been getting good reviews, and we are more than happy with that.  

Metallerium: In today’s music scene, many listeners focus on singles instead of full albums. What inspires you to keep creating full albums and new songs in this competitive environment?  

Mors Principium Est: Well, I personally like to listen to full albums, not just singles. I think our inspiration is still the same as always, we enjoy writing new music. And off course it helps that there are people who want to listen to our music.

Metallerium: Outside of metal, how do you recharge your creativity? Are there other genres of music or hobbies you enjoy that help you relax or find inspiration?  

Mors Principium Est: I personally listen to all kinds of music, mainly metal, but still. We all have other jobs and families, so that is a good way to take some distance to the band stuff. I also like to watch movies with my wife.

Metallerium: When did you begin writing songs for “Darkness Invisible”? Were the songs the result of a planned process, or did inspiration strike spontaneously? Are the tracks mostly brand-new ideas, or did you revisit older riffs and demos?  

Mors Principium Est: I honestly don’t know when Jori started to write music for this album. Maybe about two years ago. Maybe. I believe all tracks are totally new.

Metallerium: How do emotions play a role in your music? Do you draw from personal experiences or feelings when writing lyrics and melodies?

Mors Principium Est: I think emotions are important. But I cannot say where we get our emotions drawn from. Mostly not from our personal life.  

Metallerium: How would you describe the sound of “Darkness Invisible”? In terms of style and production, what can long-time fans and new listeners expect from this album compared to your previous work?

Mors Principium Est: I would say it still has the core of MPE but we did add some new elements. It is still melodic death metal, but also has some death metal and black metal parts in it. And one song is quite doom metal.  

Metallerium: What is the meaning behind the title “Darkness Invisible” and the album cover art? What message or concept were you aiming to convey with the title and the artwork?  

Mors Principium Est: The very boring answer is that it sounds cool and looks great!

Metallerium: What does this ninth album represent in the band’s journey? Are there any themes or concepts you explored in the lyrics and compositions of “Darkness Invisible”?  

Mors Principium Est: It is just the album number 9. Not a concept album or anything.

Metallerium: Having been around for 26 years, how do you see the evolution of the melodic death metal scene? What changes have you noticed in Finland’s metal scene and the global scene since you started?  

Mors Principium Est: I just put it short. What has changed the most, in my opinion, is that people do not buy physical albums that much anymore. This makes it tougher for bands, as the labels still look at the album sales. So, if no album sales, you don’t get a label deal.

Metallerium: What are your plans now that the album is released? Do you plan to go on tour or release music videos? What are some of the main challenges or hurdles you face when touring or promoting a new album?  

Mors Principium Est: Well, we just played one show in Istanbul, Turkey, and that was the only show we had planned after album release. Now we just wait for the right gig offers and then when the right one comes up, we play that. We released one music video already, check out „Summoning The Dark“ here.

Metallerium: What motivates you to keep Mors Principium Est going after all these years? How do you measure success today (album sales, lasting impact, financial, etc.), and how do you handle the pressures of the music industry to avoid burnout?  

Mors Principium Est: Our personal interest in doing this motivates us and the fact that people still want new MPE. And I think that is all we need. We do not think about being successful or not. If we get good gig offers, people come to our show, people listen and buys our music, I think we are successful enough. To avoid burnout, you just need to have fun and not work too much.

Metallerium: Do you feel there is still a lot left to explore with your sound and melodic death metal in general? How do you balance staying true to Mors Principium Est’s signature style while still innovating and growing as a band?  

Mors Principium Est: I don't know. We try not to think about it too much and do what we enjoy doing.

Metallerium: Despite lineup changes over the years, you’ve maintained a strong identity. How have you managed to keep the band’s chemistry and core sound consistent through these changes?  

Mors Principium Est: I think it is always important to remember to sound like MPE, even if we add some new elements to our music. The chemistry either is there, or it is not. Of course, if people do not get along, being in the same band is impossible, so there needs to be chemistry between the band members.

Metallerium: On a lighter note, what’s the funniest or most unexpected thing that has happened to you as a band? It could be a story from touring, recording, or anything you find amusing.  

Mors Principium Est: Damn, this is a hard one. There have been many funny incidents, but many of them are funny just to us. If I talk about them, people might not even understand why I think it is funny. It is something that the band members understand. For MPE, the funniest thing was when I fell off the stage in Japan. At one part, the stage was totally black, and I could not see where the stage ended, so I fell off. Luckily, it was not a very high stage.

Metallerium: Finally, what would you like to say to your fans in Latin America and the readers of Metallerium? Are there any chances to see you touring across Latin America?

Mors Principium Est: We really hope we could come and play in Latin America. Hopefully that day will come soon. Keep on supporting MPE and that will help.

Metallerium: Thank you again for your time. Congratulations on “Darkness Invisible”, and all the best with the new album!

Mors Principium Est: Thank you.