“We are very united in the band and positively looking forward to the future” – interview with Fenyx Rising

Heavy metal was the genre that started it all, which is why it’s always a pleasure to interview a band that plays it. I chatted with Finnish band Fenyx Rising about their music, their hobbies and their unpopular opinions! This is what we talked about:

Hello guys, how are you doing at the moment?
Christian Palin: We are working with new compositions and we are organizing possible events that will give birth to new goals. We are very united in the band and positively looking forward to the future.

In December you released an EP called “Never Say Die”, and it’s wonderful! Did each band member contribute equally to the songwriting/composing, or do you have a different creative process?
Christian: The EP that came out recently was a very elaborate process. Of course, Harri is the riff machine and he puts his compositions in the dropbox, and from there, I start to work out ideas and melodies. In the band, Harri is the one who writes the guitars and that’s how you get this eighties style. Every member of the band does his bit. Sometimes we sit together to listen and Timo our bass player and Janne our drummer give their points of view. As you can see everything is done together. Even when we go out to have fun, we have a great time.

Can you share with us how Fenyx Rising was formed?
Harri: Fenyx Rising is a new group whose musical roots go back to 2003. At that time me and our singer Christian had plans to start a band influenced by 80s metal and especially Annihilator but it faded away right after we finished a few song drafts. Twenty years later, the old demo was found by chance, and no time at all when Christian and I decided to finish the song. “Fenyx Rising” and its first single “Manimal” was born. Timo Lehtinen on bass and Janne Kusmin on drums were also very quickly added to the band, with whom Harri had already played gigs with Kalmah for several years.

Do you remember who has been your first (or one of the first) musical influences?
Christian: Cliff Richard, Stryper, Steel Heart.
Harri: Kiss, Wasp, Twisted Sister

Have you ever taught anyone how to play an instrument?
Christian: I am a music teacher but I have rarely had the time to teach anyone. I think that being a music teacher is not for everyone. Each person has their calling and that’s how things happen.
Harri: I have taught guitar for a couple of years earlier. Nowadays don’t really have much time for that because of work and bands.

What are your hobbies that are not music-related?
Christian: In my free time, I go to the gym, I like to cook, travel, and read books.
Harri: Gym, boxing/kickboxing, travel and a couple of beers on weekends

Are you good at imitating accents? If so, what is your best one?
Christian: I like to imitate Arni’s accent or the French accent [laughs] because I speak a little French too.

Tell me an unpopular opinion (if you have one!).
Christian: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

I wanted to play a little game with you if that’s alright. If you were all characters in a sitcom, who would play the clumsy, the wise-cracker, the serious, and the neutral characters?
Christian: I think I like to play dumb. Well, you go unnoticed many times.
Harri: I guess I’d be the wise-ass haha

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with me! Is there anything else you’d like to add to Chaoszine’s readers?
Christian: Go and listen to our music and watch our music video “Manimal“. We also have our own Instagram and Facebook. Write to us and we’ll be glad to answer you. And remember by Toutatis the sky is falling on our heads!