DECROWNED

track-list:
Folklore pt.1 (intro)
Mouth Leaks Black
Rainworld
Stonewing
Mindparasite
Scarred
Awaken
Faceless
The Bird and The Tree
The Vigorian Man
Persona Non Grata
Folklore pt.2 (outro)

credits:
produced by Decrowned with help of Tero Kinnunen
recorded at Crown Crusher studio/Joensuu
kantele recordings at Guru studio/Joensuu
engineered by Antti Venäläinen
mixed by Tero ‘TeeCee’ Kinnunen
mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox
keyboards and synths by Jukka Turunen
kantele by Sari Puustinen and Saila Kinnunen
guitar solo on ‘Mindparasite’ by Euge Valovirta
Finnish vocals on ‘Mindparasite’ by Tuomo Huurre

Decrowned are:
Miikka Hulmi – vocals, bass
Antti Venäläinen – drums
Jaakko Kauppinen – guitar
Simo Puustinen – guitar

Finnish metallers Decrowned have released their brand of catchy and groovy melodic death metal with their first full-length ‘Persona Non Grata’ via Rockshots Records.
The album follows their two EPs ‘Hansel’s Nightmare’ (2019) and debut ‘Weight of The Dark Sky’ (2018), which garnered the ‘Newcomer of the Month’ award from Finnish metal magazine Inferno.
Since its inception in 2017, Decrowned has been constantly evolving, progressing musically and its production both live and studio, especially with the aid of Tero ‘TeeCee’ Kinnunen who has done a remarkable job of mixing the record.
On ‘Persona Non Grata’ fans will find a great number of variations, each song has its own identity but the themes of each are very relevant to one another.
“We hope the listeners will find their own personal ways to relate to the songs and also find the album interesting enough to keep finding new things and themes in it.”
adds the band.
Every member brought something to the table for the album, but guitarists Jaakko Kauppinen (guitars) and Simo Puustinen composed most of the songs.
Musically, the band takes a turn into heavier waters from its predecessors, still keeping in mind the essence of Decrowned.
Lyrically ‘Persona Non Grata’ is a very dark album, reflecting things that pass through the generations, consuming us from inside.
It is a description of a haunted future and the past that took wrong turns on personal and universal levels.
This undefined black matter that flows ignoring time and reason is the unwanted entity… ‘Persona non grata’.
The Band comments:
“We are so excited that our debut album “Persona non grata” will finally be released. Recordings started already in 2022 and the first intention was that album, but there were some roadstops here and there. We had to record bass tracks twice and also our mixing wizard Tero ‘TeeCee’ Kinnunen had timetable changes because of his big contribution to Nightwish. This is also time to say huge thanks to Tero, for arranging time to us on his busy schedule and doing remarkable work for us.”
“All of the bass recordings were already done and sent to Tero for the mixing process. Something had happened during the recording, because all of the bass tracks were useless. So Miikka had to record all the bass tracks again. Luckily modern technology is so good that he did all the recordings at his home. This was not so funny at that time, but now we can laugh about it.”
“Some of the mixing work and fixes was done at legendary Röskö campsite, where Nightwish practices and records their albums. Tero invited us there for few days, unfortunately we all couldn’t go there. Jaakko and Miikka spent there couple days with Tero and they had a terrible hangover after the that 😀 Miikka also learned there to eat mustard.”
“All of the rhytm guitar parts were recorded with 20 years old Engl Powerball 1. It was purchased with low costs in very bad condition but Jaakko wanted the sound of this beast of an amp to the album. A sound of old school tube amp in general. So it was fixed thoroughly by local professionals and recorded raw through Two notes torpedo captor X. The results were just as we expected. Even a little better maybe.”
‘Mouth leaks black’:
“Starting the album by a blast, ‘Mouth leaks black’ is a song that we mostly just wanted to have fun with, it’s kind of playful but still serious enough with fun dark occult themes in play. Having an almost ‘punk rockish’ theme in the chorus, some groovy riffing in the verse and maybe a bit of a chill mental trip on the later half of the song, this has become one of our favorites to perform live. This really gets us going on stage so we figured it’s the best way to get the album going, setting up the album with maybe a bit lighter tone than the rest of the album.”
‘Mindparasite’:
“Song dives into the aspects of human mind and sanity, our prejudices and biases that we may possess and how hard it could be to overcome your basic beliefs, faulty or not. During the writing process when the song was basically done but we had not quite set the lyrics and vocal ideas to it, we discovered the song had parts that very much reminded us of another well known Finnish band ‘Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus’. This led us to the idea that we want some Finnish language in the song and also some featuring artists, because this would aptly fit the theme of the song representing the complicated workings of a human mind. Giving a bit of a homage to our Finnish brethren we want to give our thanks to Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus for the inspiration, Tuomo Huurre for the outstanding vocal performance delivering the Finnish lyrics of the song and also Euge Valovirta for the mind blowing guitar solo!”
‘Scarred’:
“‘Scarred’ is a very personal song, as it was written as a means to unload some anxiety and trauma and this was a very long process. Time went by and the song developed and is intended to aspire hope and rebirth, despite it having a very sad and maybe a bit melancholic feel to it. This song was something that we were not really sure that we would even include in the album but we are glad that we did, we feel that it fits very well in there and has a good place in the album being a bit slower song.”
‘Faceless’:
“Although the song may revolve around very complicated issues, I think it’s very straightforward and simple in its saying and the music itself. Everyone has some sort of misfortune in this life, some more than others but the song is about how we face the issues and how we deal with them. After all, we can be our worst enemy and we can be causing the most harm unknowingly to ourselves just by losing sight of what actually is important to us. This whole idea was something that we wanted to represent in the song, not only in the lyrics. Having a good back and forth in hope, promise and ultimately despair, and we believe that does come through in the song.”
‘Stonewing’:
“I was always very keen on the first riff and the whole song came up very fast around it. Song starts heavily and the chorus is very melodic. The song tells a story about a fallen angel who walks on this Earth. The worlds sorrow turns her to stone. Even though the story is dark, it has positive and uplifting features.”
‘Rainworld’:
“The main riff is very old. I came up with it propably five or six years ago. I played it home as a downpicking practice but when Decrowned was formed, I thought it would make a good song. So it did. Lyrics paints up a rainy and gray landscape of depressed mind. Seasons go too slow for this individual. He wants them to pass faster so that the eternal sleep and rest would finally take place.”
“Rainworld was almost going to be dropped out from the album. It is one of the oldest songs and Jaakko didn’t like it so much in the beginning and it is a song that he composed. Luckily we talked Jaakko over and now the song has risen one of our favorites and strongest songs from the album.”
‘The Vigorian man’:
“This was the last composition for the album. It’s a bit different than the other songs with Its oriental bridge and odd lyrics. ‘Vigorian man’ refers to people as gods image. Time passes on and life is a struggle while man tries to understand himself in this universe.”
‘Folklore pt. 1 and 2’:
“This is very old stuff from my drawer. I have composed this maybe 2007, when my semi-professional sports career came to end. It has been waiting for the right place and this album was it. Original acoustic guitar part is at the end of ‘Persona non grata’ song and we wanted to make an intro and outro from it to the album. Parts 1 and 2 are played with two traditional Finnish instruments called kantele.”
‘Persona non grata’:
“This song is about a demon or unwanted entity that takes over a person. It hides behind ordinary faces and smiles, spreading like a plague. It wouldn’t want to let go until it had taken everything. Riff in the beginning which is also in verse is something that we wanted to create something heavier and rougher. This song has become one of the favorites to the band from this album.”
‘The bird and the tree’:
“A human connection to the wonders of nature is long gone. The Person here does not recognize the simple beauty of the world and goes on with unnecessary grief in heart. Musically this song is very simple but there are a couple of rhythmic twists and unusual chord choices. This song has a very beautiful starting melody which is also used as chorus for the song.”
‘Awaken’:
“Song kicks in with ‘Rammstein’ riff, goes on with quite fast verse and continues with typical clean vocals chorus. This song has a speciality that the guitar solo has blended in various parts of song. This is a song that at first it sounds simple, but you find all these different levels when you listen to it more and more. Jaakko’s guitar solo is excellent for this. Lyrically this song tells about a person’s battle about fears and demons but the chorus tells what is the cure for it.”
Why did you form? How did the idea come to be?
Miikka:
“We all had our previous projects. Jaakko and I knew each other and we both had a burning desire to make metal music. In March 2017 we sent some messages and arranged a meeting at Jaakko’s home. Idea was to form a band that plays catchy riffs that are simple enough to play live and enjoy. That’s how this all started.”
Antti:
“Miikka called me and said that ‘We are starting a new band, but the drummer is still missing. Want to join in?’ As I recall, I immediately replied that it sounded good. I’m in! That’s how I joined the band.”
How would you describe your sound in five words?
Miikka:
“Groovy, catchy, unique, melancholic and hopeful”
Antti:
“Not So Modern Than Most 🙂 (on this genre nowadays)”
Your upcoming album, how do think it will be received by fans?
Simo:
“We think we managed to compile a great set of songs for the album, so that they will commend each other and make for an interesting experience as a whole.”
Miikka:
“Lot of people have been waiting for our first full album. They will be very happy about this and also surprised at what we have done.”
Antti:
“I am also expecting a fairly good reception. At least in advance, the feedback has been very positive”
Jaakko:
“I hope people will like the music and the lyrics also.”
What kind of listening experience is trying to give fans with this album, its singles?
Simo:
“There is a good amount of variations there, each song has their unique thing but themes of the song are still very close to each other. We hope the listeners will find their own personal ways to relate to the songs and also find the album interesting enough to keep finding new things and themes in it.”
Miikka:
“Simo almost cleared the table with his answer, but I must add that our old fans are going to be amazed with new material!”
Antti:
“I think this is specifically an album, and not a bunch of songs. The songs have, so to speak, more to listen to than our previous material. Singles work well as songs too, but I think their own place is to be part of the whole concept. So, if you want the most out of it, go and listen to it from start to finish, over and over again!”
Jaakko:
“Well, the guys already said everything that is necessary”
How is the writing process for the band?
Simo:
“It varies a bit, most often there is a somewhat completed song by some member of the band that is then presented for the rest of the group to pitch in. Sometimes the song does not see much change at that point and sometimes it takes a totally different form for what it was originally.”
Antti:
“Simo clarified the matter brilliantly. Usually everyone has practiced the new song on their own. After that, we try to play it in common practices. Everyone brings something of their own, on the terms of the song. From there it slowly begins to develop towards a finished song”
Jaakko:
“Yes. They form up quite naturally. Our approach is very straightforward.”
Are any of the band members known on the local scene from any other bands?
Miikka:
“Me and Antti were bandmates in At The Border. I also played for a while in Distress of Ruin. Jaakko plays guitar also in Kolossus and has been part of many bands in our city, for example Backstabbing bastard.”
How did you decide on the tracks for this album? How much more music can fans expect?
Miikka:
“Well most of these songs were already in almost final form and some of them we have already played live. So in that way it was easy decision and also these songs had a same theme. Jaakko has been very productive in last months and we also have lot of material in the drawer, so there are lots of new Decrowned songs coming in the future. Now we want to have a good kick off with our debut album and then we start planning the future.”
Antti:
“That was the important thing, that the songs fit together well. In terms of material, we are about to have a shortage of abundance. In the cabinets you can find both older and newer material and more will be created. So this record didn’t really have all of our bangs yet”
What can people expect live from your band compared to other bands?
Miikka:
“Wow, hard question because all the bands are so professional nowadays…well we don’t plan speeches between songs before and that seems to be a very well working thing. It also makes things sometimes very funny. Once I said the wrong club name where we were playing 🙂 We also show our joy of playing music live.”
Antti:
“We’ve probably never had two gigs that were alike, even if the song list was the same. Due to the fact that we don’t plan gigs in advance other than in terms of song order. It has its merits, but at least for me this arrangement suits me well.”
Jaakko:
“We do what feels natural and not plan too much. Our focus is to bring quality performance and energy to the audience.”
Where do your lyrics come from? What inspires your writing?
Simo:
“I don’t think there is any specific thing, just life in general. What we experience, feel and or see. Sometimes it can be very personal things but not always, you can empathize and channel those emotions and thoughts from just about everything you can observe.”
Miikka:
“Like Simo said, lyrics comes from life and our own personal things. There are quite many very personal texts in our past and future songs.”
Jaakko:
“I think Simo and Miikka writes more personal and specific lyrics. I do more ‘free stream of thoughts’ -style lyrics. I don`t really know where the ideas come from. For me the process is very fast. When the writing stars I have at least a raw version of the lyrics ready in an hour.”
Are the songs a collaborative effort?
Simo:
“Yes, very much so. Even when you have written a song from start to finish by yourself, we always seek some different views and ideas from each other. We have a great deal of trust in the fact that everyone does their part as best as they can, so together being collaborative we can have the best result.”
Miikka:
“Yes! Especially my songs. I always have a pile of riffs and then guys help me to glue them together.”
Antti:
“As far as I can remember, no one has ever knocked anyone’s idea outright. It’s nice to work in a good mood. In addition, there will be more contrast to the songs, when everyone has the opportunity to influence the arrangements. So yes, it is very much of it.”
Jaakko:
“Miikka, Simo and Aso are all very good composers. It’s very cool to put our ideas together and create music. On that note, it is very much like a collaborative effort. Everyone also has a good understanding about the musical essence of the band.”
Does the band have a main songwriter?
Simo:
“Most of the song has been written by me and Jaakko, but everyone has their finger prints in every song in one way or the other. It is still a very collaborative process and we all contribute to the songwriting and the lyrics.”
Miikka:
“Everybody brings something to the table, but Jaakko and Simo compose most of the songs. Our drummer Antti has written two songs, which is a great thing and those songs are top of the line material.”
Antti:
“Yeah, for this record, my time was mostly spent on production. So I didn’t gather anything ready to accomplish on this album. Let’s try to fix the situation for the next record!”
Jaakko:
“I hope we’ll have more songs by Antti on the next record. A hidden talent, really.”
How does the music affect the lyrics and vice versa?
Miikka:
“I think we have always made lyrics after the music. For me I like to hear how the song sounds and what kind of feeling it gives to me. Then come the ideas for the lyrics.”
Jaakko:
“Yes, like Miikka said. I also have a lot of lyrics in the reserve. Sometimes we check them out and see, if they fit in new songs.”
How would you describe the evolution of the band’s sound?
Miikka:
“Immediately from the beginning we found our own sound, it has evolved through these years to the more heavier and faster side. One thing that has probably changed the most is my vocals. To this album I found my style of doing this and I don’t care about critics anymore. When it comes to sound that you hear from CD or streaming services, we must say that the essential part has been Tero ‘TeeCee’ Kinnunen who does a remarkable job of mixing it all together. You can hear this difference from the singles ‘Dreamland’ and ‘Road to salvation’, so when you have listened to this album a hundred times go and listen to these songs too ;)”
Antti:
“Our sound has developed little by little through various experiments. Tero has really brought a lot of experience and professionalism when it comes to sound. I think Jukka has also brought familiarity and originality to our sound with his synths.”
Jaakko:
“I think the vision was clear from the start. The main theses are still present. They are only sharpened and refined.”
Name the Top 5 band influences of the band – Top 5 Bands that your band sounds like that fans like.
Miikka:
“There are so many bands to mention, but I have always said these bands, Diablo, Amorphis, Insomnium, In Flames, Soilwork. But in my opinion I can’t compare our music to these bands. We have found our own style, which I’m very proud of.”
Antti:
“Yeah, those mentioned above are quite good as influences, but most of all we want to sound like ourselves”
What metal genres influence you as a band the most?
Miikka:
“Heavy metal, melodic death metal, symphonic metal and of course Göteborg metal.”
Describe the album as a whole
Jaakko:
“Lyrically the album is very dark, reflecting things that pass through the generations, consuming us from inside. It is a description of a haunted future and the past that took wrong turns on personal and universal levels. This undefined black matter that flows ignoring time and reason is the unwanted entity… Persona non grata. Musically the band takes a turn into heavier waters keeping in mind the essence of Decrowned.”