A:S:Örchestra is the brand new project from Aleksi Susi (Alexanred, ex-2 Wolves) and wanting to find out more, we asked him to introduce A:S:Örchestra to us. Check it all out below!
Can you give an introduction to A:S:Örchestra?
A:S:Örchestra is a gothic/industrial/rock project I formed this year. For a long time, I wanted to have a project without electric guitars, but with all the other instruments necessary for a rock band and to still sound heavy. However, I did not think about that before the recording session. As originally was planned, I played the guitars on the upcoming debut single, but when we started to listen to it in the mixing, to me it sounded like something that I’ve done so many times before and then I remembered my old fantasy. I asked Aki (my friend and owner of MadMix studio) to mute the guitars and I fell in love with what I heard so this project will be with no guitars. And even though I am originally a guitar player, I’m a huge admirer of Peter Steele’s bass playing and sound (R.I.P. and thank you). For now A:S:Ö will be a project, but who knows, maybe one day it will be an active band. It is possible.
Where did the idea for starting A:S:Örchestra come from?
I’m taking my main band (Alexanred) very seriously and don’t want to do many experiments just for fun with that material. I felt a need for more organic personal project and because I just have left my previous band 2 Wolves, I thought I would have more time, energy and resources to do some musical experiments of my own without any bigger pressures. Mostly just for fun, but also with the quality.
So how would you say it differs from Alexanred?
I want Alexanred to sound like a cold machine but I also need a “romantic” side in musical creations of my life. And A:S:Ö is the “channel” for that kind of material.
Would you say there any similarities?
The physical similarity is ME. And Niko on the drums. The musical similarities are probably in the electronics, I guess. It is a hard question for me to answer. What you think? They are very different bands in my opinion. Like day and night. Or at least morning and evening.
Where do you draw influences from?
A:S:Ö is influenced by various gothic metal, doom metal, punk, gothic rock, rock, industrial metal, industrial and electronic bands and motion picture soundtracks. The list would be endless if I wrote them all! But if I have to mention a few bands, I will definitely say Rammstein, Type O Negative, Evanescence, The Birthday Massacre, Lacuna Coil, Sisters of Mercy, Paradise Lost. The lyrical subjects are and will be mostly from my own life.
You’re about to release your single Winter Rain. Can you describe the writing and recording process for it?
I was writing new material for the new Alexanred EP and after it was finished, I composed Winter Rain immediately. It was quite an easy and natural process. All my lyrics come easy when I feel either very positive or negative emotions. It’s like an immortalized moment of happiness or written pain, depending on what the feeling is. When I don’t feel anything, then it’s probably the worst time to write lyrics. The song was recorded in the same sessions with the previously mentioned EP. When I arrived at the studio, the first thing I did was record the vocals to Winter Rain. I was a bit nervous because I take singing seriously nowadays and wanted my performance to be perfect.
Winter Rain is a song about the present time of economic depression, about being relatively poor but satisfied with my own life, about the rain that will wash away the regrets and headache.
Would you say it’s representative of future material from A:S:Örchestra or is it more of a standalone piece?
I would say that it’s representative. Of course I will try different kinds of experimentations because this is definitely a therapy project, but the direction will be more or less the same.
And finally what are your plans for A:S:Örchestra for the rest of the year?
I am making new material already – there’s some catchy choruses and besides the regular bass, there’s some distorted parts too coming up. If you liked Winter Rain, you will definitely like the upcoming songs also. The new information will be on the bands Facebook page. Stay tuned!
A:S:Örchestra: Facebook
