First of all - tell us something about your new record “Reclusion”. How would you describe your music?

Harri Pikka :   “Reclusion” has been out now for few months and we have played gigs here in Finland to support the release. Reviews have been mostly good, but of course everybody doesn’t like it. The album was released in February 2005. It’s been really fun to play the new songs live and we feel that we’re on the right track songwise now. “Reclusion” was recorded and mixed in autumn 2004 by Janne Saksa. He’s different dude that we used on the first album, so there’s really a different sound and feeling now. We think we’ll use Janne’s studio again when we start to think the 3rd album. Music of TOTAL DEVASTATION is metal with influences from other musical genres, industrial, rock and pop. Vocals are brutal and that’s how we like it.

  Which song is your personal favourite on “Reclusion” and why?

Harri Pikka:   ‘They Stand On 3’ is the newest song the album and maybe that’s why I find that one my favourite. It has really good groove. The lyrics are about tripods and war theme in general.

Jarmo Pikka :   Maybe ‘They Stand…’ or ‘Repentance’. These songs have lots of variation, that’s why I prefer them.

  Although your death metal background is quite obvious “Reclusion” is not a typical death metal album, but experiments with a lot of modern sounds. Also the cover artwork doesn't necessarily make you think of a death metal band. Do you consciously try to avoid clichés?

Harri Pikka :   Not consciously, but we try to put as much attention to the whole package as we can. The visual side is of course important too. When TOTAL DEVASTATION originally started in 1998 the band was all about industrial and machinery stuff. Now we operate with much more organic and rock ‘n’ roll type of sound.

Jarmo Pikka :   I don’t know about the clichés. If you are talking about Death metal, there is always idea that music contains deep growls, grunching guitars, fast paced rhythms and depressing lyrics. For me it’s a bit of ridiculous that every band tries to do that. Why don’t you try to search your own sound and character? I see the artwork issue as the same thing.

  Do you personally like old school death metal, yet? Does it in your eyes still make sense for a band to play this kind of music today?

Harri Pikka :   Death metal is going strong today. Old bands are still going on and new ones popping here and there. As long it’s fun, it makes sense to rock.

Jarmo Pikka :   Old school rules! I still listen a lot of these bands late 80’s and early 90’s. Why not play the good music of 90’s? Of course we try to add our own spice to soup and make good music that is original.

  Unfortunately my promotional copy of “Reclusion” doesn't contain any lyrics. What are the songs about and how important are the lyrics to you?

Harri Pikka :   The songs deal with different things so there’s no a particular theme on “Reclusion”. The title track is about isolation among people and things going on in everyone’s head. There are songs about the rat race of life, insane behaviour of man, regret of individual and so on. Lyrics come after the song, but they are in important role in TD’s material. Even if songs would good, crappy lyrics could spoil it. Topic can be almost anything, but we must feel the lyrical side satisfying too.

Jarmo Pikka :   I think lyrics represent a big role in our music. Ville Heiskanen is responsible for most of the lyrics. He is so called ‘seventh member of TD’. Also I have done some lyrics as other guys too. In “Roadmap..” there was some red line between the songs, lyrically speaking. Now I think the songs are about anything without any concept behind them.

  Does the song 'Ground Zero' deal with 9/11 and do you think that bands should make political statements?

Harri Pikka :   ‘Ground Zero’ is about dying and struggling with your last breath. Bands can sing about everything they feel right: love, politics, pyramids. If band has something important in mind concerning political issues and they want to share it with the listeners, of course they should do that.

  What were your reasons to start TOTAL DEVASTATION in 1998? What has changed since then and what are your plans and hopes for the future?

Harri Pikka :   Band started just for fun. Line-up has grown and the band is now more basic rock line-up than is early days. Plans include more new songs and gigs. Hopefully we get our asses also outside Finland.

Jarmo Pikka :   Hakuli bros and I was called to play some live gigs in 2001, so I think that was the first step to form a real band. Yes, before that TD was only a ‘computer based’ band. Hopefully we can play more live shows in the future and make some good sounding records.

  What are the best things about playing in a band like TOTAL DEVASTATION and what are the bad sides?

Harri Pikka :   Makings songs is fun and interesting, playing gigs and co-operating with other bands and like minded people is highly rewarding. After parties are good also.

Jarmo Pikka :   Everything runs smoothly, no big setbacks or nothing like that. You can also bring up your craziest idea for real and make it happen. These are the good sides. I don’t think there are bad sides.

  Right now bands from Finland are very popular here in Germany. Can you understand or explain such a fascination for your home country? Although TOTAL DEVASTATION is quite different from the really popular bands from Finland - do you think there is something typical Finnish about your music?

Harri Pikka :   Maybe the Finnish melodies that are filled with melancholy and grief appeal to German people. More and more money is also being invested in bands, promoting and so one. So the bands get more visibility outside Finland too. There’s something Finnish about TD’s music, melodies come deep from our subconscious…

  Will there be any chance to see TOTAL DEVASTATION live in Germany?

Harri Pikka :   Hopefully.

Jarmo Pikka :   Hopefully some day.