Interview with Excalion (Jarmo Myllyvirta)

Primal Exhale is a most promising debut album from Excalion that comes from Finland. The songwriter and keyboard player Jarmo Myllyvirta was more than eager to answer to MER questions for almost everything!

Metal Express Radio:
Before we start this interview I’d like to congratulate you for a most promising debut album!

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Thanks.

MER:
Tell us in brief the history of Excalion.

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Excalion was born December 2000 in Konnevesi, Finland. I had written a couple of tunes and I was looking for guys to play with. Soon, I found Henri (drummer) and Timo(ex-bassist) and we scheduled rehearsal. I also invited Tero (ex-guitar, now in bass) to join us. We played about five times together before we realized that we had a band and we needed a singer. We all knew Jarmo, so he was obvious choice. Few months later Kimmo (ex-guitar) joined the band and this was the line-up until recently. We recorded our first demo Forlorn in summer 2001 in Studio Kaktus, Jyväskylö. It got pretty nice feedback. Our second demo Obsession to prosper was recorded in winter 2003. This one we made with our own gear. The demo contained five songs. We picked three songs from it and send them to some record companies. In November 2003 Sound Riot Records offered us a deal. After negotiations we signed with Sound Riot. Our debut album was recorded in Studio Watercastle September 2004. In the beginning of this year Kimmo and Timo chose to step a side, because of their studies and difficulties to come to rehearsals. Soon after we found a new guitarist, Vesa and we decided that Tero takes over the bass. We are very satisfied with the new line-up.

MER:
How did you come up with Excalion as a band name?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Timo came up with that. He misremembered some lord’s name and we thought that it was good enough. No bigger story.

MER:
The album has been in the stores for about 3 months. Are you satisfied from the metal scene’s reaction to Primal Exhale?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
I’m satisfied. We’re getting good feedback from everywhere and sales in here Finland have been pretty good. I don’t know what is the situation in other countries, good I hope. Hopefully we’ll get a lot of chances to play live and in that way chance to bring our music to the listeners. This month we have played two shows and the reaction was very good. It is awesome feeling when the audience is really with you during the show. Hopefully it will continue next month.

MER:
Is there something you would like to change in Primal Exhale?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
There is always something that you could have done better or different, but I am satisfied with the result.

MER:
Did any of the other band members contribute to the songwriting?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Everyone in the band contributes on some level, but I do the most of the work with songwriting. I write the basics to a song and then I bring it to the rehearsals and we play it and do some changes if necessary. If I don’t have idea for lyrics, I give it to Tero to write. Basically the songwriting goes like that.

MER:
When you’re writing music do you think of the fans and how they will react?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Not really. Primal Exhale was our first album and we are just forming our style, so no pressure coming from that direction. I always of course write songs that appeal to me. I try to write songs that are clear and melodic, so you don’t have to be a musician to understand the hooks of the song. Maybe in future it more comes to mind what the fans think about the music.

MER:
Are there any songs that didn’t make it in the album?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
The songs for the album were selected in a pretty early stage, but there are some older songs that were not even considered to be on the album. Now these songs are almost forgotten. They are in some recordings, but we don’t play or listen them anymore. There are not so good anymore.

MER:
In the digipack version you have “Luopio” as a bonus track which is sung in Finnish. Have you ever thought of writing lyrics in Finnish for a whole album?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
No, just some songs. It gives nice spice to the album, when song is sung in our language. I think that our next album will contain too at least one Finnish sung song.

MER:
Are there any plans for a video clip?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
I think that we won’t a make video from this album. We don’t want to make a crappy video, because we don’t have budget to hire professionals.

MER:
What is your favorite song in Primal Exhale and why?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
This is a difficult question. Every song has its moment, but now I would say “Luopio”. It is a very good and alive song. It is very powerful and I like the atmosphere of it. The vocal lines are very nice also and Jarmo’s voice fits perfectly to the song. The answer to this question varies.

MER:
There has been some line up changes since the beginning. Can you give us an update of the current line up? Why did these changes happen?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
The current line-up is: Jarmo Pääkkönen –vocals Jarmo Myllyvirta –keys Vesa Nupponen – guitar Henri Pirkkalainen –drums Tero Vaaja – bass This is ideal line-up for Excalion. We are all very satisfied with it. These changes happened in total understanding. Kimmo and Timo wanted to concentrate in their studies and the band wanted to rehears more often, so it was difficult to get everyone in the rehearsals at the same time. Now that problem is history.

MER:
Can you pin point the major influences in Excalion’s sound?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Stratovarius was a big thing for all of us when we started to play our instruments. So it is an early influence, but personally I don’t listen to their music much, anymore. Bon Jovi is also big thing. That is more present, nowadays. Generally, we are under influence of good music and life. My inspiration for music often comes from the things that I can see or imagine. That affects my compositions and in that way the sound of Excalion. Sometimes, it’s funny to read reviews and saying that we are certainly under influence of some band that I have never listened.

MER:
You‘ve planned to play live only in Finland. Are there any plans to go abroad?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
If we get a chance to play abroad, of course we’ll take it. But it is difficult to get gigs abroad, because expenses are bigger. The traveling costs. Our record label has contacted some bands and their organizers and they are trying to set up some gigs in Europe, but nothing is scheduled yet. Let’s hope the best.

MER:
This interview is for an internet magazine. What is your opinion about internet and music?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Internet magazines are one form of media. It is getting bigger and I think is good way to get contact with the audience. I personally surf on many internet magazines websites. Downloading and copying illegally music from internet is not so good thing, but everyone has to decide whether they’ll do it or not. I believe that if you really like the band, you’ll support it and buy the record.

MER:
What are your personal influences? What is your “best keyboard players list”?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
If we are only talking keyboard players, I say Jens Johansson. He is the best. Richard Anderson is also very good. They both have unique style to play. The world has so much excellent musicians in every music style, but I like those guys. There is no one who’s style I try imitate, but especially Jens plays so smooth and creates so great things that you can only wonder how he’s doing it. The thing that makes a keyboardist great is not only how you move your fingers, but how you can make the song better by your playing and choosing the right sounds. Sometimes it is necessary that you don’t play. That’s why I like above mentioned fellows.

MER:
Can playing/writing music be considered as a regular job?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Yes, in under certain conditions, but in my case at this moment it is more like a hobby or a thing that I love to do. It would be great if someday I could make a living from music. Then I could concentrate even more to that. But it could never be like ordinary job that you do just for the money. It would be more like a dream come true. Besides playing and composing I’m very interested of studio work and especially live mixing.

MER:
How do you use your spare time?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Often it goes with music. I like to watch movies a lot and sometimes I read books. Sports (ice hockey, jogging, soccer) are also a big thing for me, but now I don’t have much time for it.

MER:
What is the situation in the metal scene in Finland?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
It’s big. There are so many great metal bands and more are coming. It is difficult to stand out from the crowd in here. But we’re trying to do our best.

MER:
What are Excalion’s future plans?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
More gigs, more training and musical progress. At the moment we are playing some gigs, promote the new album and doing demo of new songs. In some point of next year we are hitting the studio to record our second album.

MER:
Is there something you’d like to say and I forgot to ask?

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Question: How’s the weather? Answer: Frigging cold. Winter is coming.

MER:
Close this interview with a message to Metal Express Radio readers.

Jarmo Myllyvirta:
Hail to readers of Metal Express Radio. Everybody stay HEAVY!