VERILEHTO

Verilehto are:
Janne Tuikkala – guitar, bass, drums, songwriting
Janne Partanen – vocals, lyrics

playlist:
01 Lohduton Kylmä Polku
02 Kuoleman Siipien Havina
03 Alla Tähtitaivaan
04 Kirottu Kiulu
05 Hirtetyn Hyvästit
06 Kalman Seppä

JANNE TUIKKALA:
“We want to be somewhere between that brutality and gloomy beauty”
Who are Verilehto?
When were they founded?
What kind of music do they represent?
Maybe it’s time to meet the new black metal band that has started and it’s growing rapidly in the music industry and has caused fans to go into a frenzy!
Verilehto, in Finish language means ‘Blood Groove’ and was formed in 2017 by Janne Tuikkala (Dawn of Everwinter, Muria, Alpha Noir, ex-Warceremony and ex-Strange Aeon), he showed some songs to Janne Partanen (The star of Hautajaisyo, Alfa Pentatonik and many others) and they decided to join forces, a fire alliance.
Their creation led to the first album called ‘Kuoleman Siipien Havina’ that means ‘Wings Of Death’, (The debut album consist from seven songs – intro + six songs).
The music was recorded, mixed and mastered by Janne Tuikkala and the lyrics of the songs belongs to Janne Partanen, he also recorded his vocals during the spring of 2023.
There is no need to say more, take a look at the extraordinary interview that Janne Partanen and Janne Tuikkala gave exclusively to Radio Highway Pirates in order to know better the band Verilehto and travel with their songs to a real black metal world…
Who inspired the band and how did it start to form?
TUIKKALA: “The band started as of my solo project few years ago. Quite soon I noticed that I am not good on writing lyrics, yet I had lots of music written. I knew Partanen and I decided to ask him if he would be interested joining forces. Luckily he was.”
PARTANEN: “After my old band Uhriristi went hiatus, I had a black metal band size hole in my heart. Me and Tuikkala were drinking on a festival and he just asked if i wanted to do black metal with him. I said yes and so Verilehto was born.”
What is the identity of the band and with which acoustic splashes it is stirred?
TUIKKALA: “Great question – our identity is to sound true to ourselves, do music what we would listen to. We are not aiming to be fastest band in the world, nor to be most brutal sounding group. We want to be somewhere between that brutality and gloomy beauty.”
Who is the creative team behind this whole band?
TUIKKALA: “Lyric-wise Partanen does 99% of them, music-wise I write most of the music, arranging then happens all together. Especially on new album, which we are working on – new bass player Räipiö (from the band Kaira) has brought some new visions which I think are good ones.”
Tell us about your first album which is titled ‘Kuoleman Siipien Havina’ and the songs it contains…
TUIKKALA: “‘Johdanto’: The introduction that leads listener to album. It is quite dark, yet melodic which kinda gives feeling ‘what could come up next?’ and then you get into ‘Lohduton Kylmä Polku’ which is probably most old-school mid-tempo straight-forward black metal on album. It is also the oldest one. One of the rare songs where I wrote most of lyrics – the song is about death – how alone can one be facing it. Third song, title track, ‘Kuoleman Siipien Havina’ is really melodic and has lots of acoustic guitars to it. I actually compose most of the music on acoustic guitar and that’s why there’s so much of them on album. Also here I wrote perhaps 60% of lyrics. The song itself is about raven and how it is seen as bad omen and ‘soul collector’ in Finnish folklore. Fourth song ‘Alla Tähtitaivaan’, which ended as single- and video track is probably most versatile song on album. Old school blast beats on drums and so on – then it slows down a little and transforms into this Trioli-feel thing. It was fun to record and write.”
PARTANEN: “Lyrics tells about old tales about northern lights. When somebody is killed they rise to the northern lights and join other dead there. They sing and lure people outside and then try to take them to the skyes.”
TUIKKALA: “Fifth song ‘Kirottu Kiulu’ has even some doom-metal elements to it, slowest song the record – lots of acoustic layers and has quite eerie feel to it – I actually planned the song to be faster, but playing the riffs slowly made it feel better – at least to me, that is.”
PARTANEN: “Lyrics tell a story about a cursed witches Sauna (Steam room). That is on a endless swamp. If you use the Sauna you see your future and makes your nightmares turn reality. Nobody survives and swamp keeps growing bigger.”
TUIKKALA: “Sixth song ‘Hirtetyn Hyvästit’ is probably the fastest song on the record. After recording it, I wasn’t really sure if it would fit to album, but once Partanen got his vocals done my mind was changed. I call it banger like hip young people describe their favourite tracks.”
PARTANEN: “Lyrics tell a true story about old times. Men were working long days cutting trees. One guy had bad mental problems and tried to end his life many times. Other guys always saved him. He was fine for few weeks and then tried it again. This happened many times untill the other guys decide they wont help this time.”
TUIKKALA: “Last song ‘Kalman Seppä’ – perhaps the most epic song of the album, there’s acoustics, little bit of synth and lots of layers. Also only song to have guitar solo to it, which sounds like Bathory – haha. All in all, I think it is perfect song to end album with.”
PARTANEN: “Lyrics is also from old times a horror story told to children. There was a really good blacksmith one of the best even. He died doing what he loved next to his anvil. But his job was not over. Every night he would return and sharpen The Reapers (Death) scythe. All night his hammers sound would haunt near villages.”
TUIKKALA: “All in all, I think it is well balanced album.”
Which one do you think is the strongest song of the album?
TUIKKALA: “Till today, I can’t pick up my favourite. Every song has some cool features to them. As of today, I pick the title track.”
PARTANEN: “I say its ‘Kirottu Kiulu’ there is something beautiful on it, ‘Hirtetyn Hyvästit’ is another one of my favorites.”
Talk to us about Janne Tuikkala and your cooperation with him…
PARTANEN: “Well I have know him for many years. We are almost the same age and have listen to the same bands as we grow up. He is really smart and talented guy so its really easy to work with him. Before Verilehto we did a few cover songs for his Youtube channel and it has always been a great guy to work with.”
Which success story belongs to ‘Alla Tähtitaivaan’ and why?
TUIKKALA: “Did we accidentally answer this already? Haha!”
Ηow do you foresee the future of the band in the music industry?
TUIKKALA: “Well music industry is what it is. We play music that isn’t really very popular and we are not going to conquer the world. One more small band in huge world – always happy if someone enjoys what we create, but being realistic we won’t be very high on charts. Haha.”
PARTANEN: “Yeah this is a hobby that we love, so no need to get favous or break any sale records. This is now three guys who want to make black metal that they want to listen.”
Do you have any live performances scheduled as Verilehto, where and when will we have the pleasure to enjoy you?
TUIKKALA: “Why not, when time is right I don’t see any reason why not. Of course we are busy with our other bands, Räipiö has Kaira, Partanen has Hautajaisyö and maybe 666 other projects. I play in few other groups as well and we are scattered all over Finland so that slows things down a little.”
PARTANEN: “Time is the biggest problem and we live different sides of Finland. I would like to play just few festival gigs or something like that. Lets see what the future brings us.”
Is there anything you’d like to say about?
TUIKKALA: “Τhanks for having us! Make sure you follow us on instagram and Facebook. We are working on our next album, so news pop up on our social media accounts.”…Maria Stella Tsatsi…

track-list:
Johdanto
Lohduton Kylmä Polku
Kuoleman Siipien Havina
Alla Tähtitaivaan
Kirottu Kiulu
Hirtetyn Hyvästit
Kalman Seppä

Finnish black metal band Verilehto is set to release their debut album ‘Kuoleman Siipien Havina’ on November 10th 2023 via Inverse Records.
Cover art for album is illustrated by dark-artist Awinita Alm.
What future holds?
The preparations for the second journey to darkness have already begun and there’s pretty much half of the songs written – following the same schematics as the debut was constructed with.