| Band | : Halo of Shadows |
| Instrument/Position | : Guitars & keyboards |
AM : Halo of Shadows is a very young band, but your story is intense, you were formed in 2005 and you release an album mid 2006 with a big label as Massacre , how did you manage this incredibly fast career ?
Teemu H : Most probably because we had a thought out plan before we even really started the band. We knew which kind of music we would be playing and which labels to contact. It was our goal to first record the album and then sign to a management or a label. Everything did go as planned and now we have the album out in less than one and a half years since we started the band.
AM : How did you get managed by Intromental agency ?
Teemu H : Basically we just sent them our promo songs, and they liked what they heard, then we sent them the whole album and they saw potential in us and wanted to make a deal with us right away. We of course agreed and signed a management deal.
AM : Halo of Shadows is a new band, but its members should already be in other bands (as your music is already very mature), so which ones, in which kind of metal ?
Teemu H : We have been in some underground bands and projects throughout the years, no-one has been in a big or famous bands. Me and Jari Huttunen (drums) also played in a power metal band Requiem, we made 3 albums, though I quit before the 3rd was released. Requiem is probably best known because of the fact that Requiem's keyboard player who played on the first 2 albums plays now in Sonata Arctica.
AM : When I first heard your album, I was surprised, as I expected something with a typical Finnish sound like Children of Bodom, but I was completely wrong, I think you sound more like in the US… Was it your goal to avoid the typical Finnish sound ?
Teemu A : I agree that we don't sound very Finnish, but don't think it's a intentional choise. This is the kind of music we naturally develop.
Teemu H : I don't think there would be any point in making music that sounds just like others, we want to do our own thing. Of course we have some influences and couple of riffs that may sound a little like COB for example, but main thing is to always make music that sounds like Halo of Shadows.
AM : I'm amazed, because you have developped your own style in a very short time, but I'd like to know which bands do you consider as your influences ?
Teemu A : I listen to lots of different types of music, mut to mention a few bands that have affected Hos I would pick Old Man's Child, Cradle of Filth and Arch Enemy. Not necesserry we sound like all of them.
Teemu H : There are lots of influences, and we mix all kinds of influences a lot. We all listen to all kinds of metal and other music too. Some of the bands that influenced riffs and songwriting on our album are Old Man's Child, Cannibal Corpse, Arch Enemy, Covenant and Morbid Angel for example. I listened to those bands a lot when writing material to "Manifesto" and some influences can be heard in some riffs, for example "Follow and Fall" which sounds a little like "Arch Enemy goes Megadeth".
AM : A few tracks of "Manifesto" would make excellent singles, my favourites are "Whore" and "burn is depths", their riffs are truly fantastic… What are your own favourite tracks from this debut album ?
Teemu H : Thank you! I think my favourite is Burn in Depths. I also like Trapped in Infinity, that's a fun song to play, and the title track too.
Teemu A : Including those songs already mentioned, I prefer also the title track Manifesto and Drowned in the Ashes.
AM : How about your live experience ? Is Halo of Shadows a live band, and do you plan tour or gigs soon ?
Teemu H : I hope we can start playing live soon, right now we have nothing planned, and we are actually writing and rehearsing some new material now, but I hope we'll get some good shows and tours to play in near future.
AM : Thanks for your time , I wish you all the best for the release of "Manifesto", stay heavy !!!
Teemu H : Thank you very much for the interview and a great review too!