ONE OF THE MOST VISITED INTERVIEWS IN OUR SITE WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT WE DID WITH MATTI OF ULTIMATIUM AND IAM ALSO SURE THAT THIS ONE ALSO WILL CLAIM YOUR INTEREST. YOU SEE ULTIMATIUM HAVE IMPROVED AS MUSICIANS AND COMPOSITORS AND ARE READY TO EARN THE HEART OF THOSE WHO LIKE MELODIC POWER METAL. DON'T MISS THIS INTERVIEW, CAUSE ULTIMATIUM ARE DESTINED TO DO GREAT THINGS IN THIS GENRE IN MY HUMBLE OPINION...

1.HELLO MATTI AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR NEW DEMO! I NOTICED THAT YOU FINALLY HAVE A STABLE LINE-UP. HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT FOR YOU TO FIND BAND MEMBERS? CAN YOU GIVE US THEIR NAMES AND TELL US WHERE THEY HAVE PLAYED IN THE PAST? HAVE YOU FOUND A DRUMMER OR ARE YOU STILL ON THE SEARCH?

Hi, and thanks... Actually the search process was quite a battle at first. The guitarist and bassist were easy ones, because I knew them already, so search for the vocalist was bit more difficult, as we first had female singer, then gothic male singer after that and two other   guys before we found our current singer JT Partanen. Also the drummer was and is still hard to find, but things look more brighter now. SO the current line-up is: JT Partanen handeling the vocals, Matti Pulkkinen (me) in keyboards, Harri Niskanen in guitars and Tuomo Juntunen in bass. We are still bit unsure about the drummer, but not for long, hopefully. These guys have been mostly playing in various local bands previously and JT has one cover project currently...

2.YOU NAMED YOUR ALBUM "FOLLOW THE STAR". WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SUGGEST WITH THIS TITLE?

I'm not sure, actually. I just thought that it would be cool name for a demo and I had some good ideas for the cover which fitted with the name.

3.THE COVER ARTWORK SHOWS A FAIRY I THINK SITTING ON A TREE AND LOOKING AT THE STARS. I LIKED IT A LOT ALTHOUGH IT'S VER Y SIMPLE. WHAT IS SHE EXPECTING TO HAPPEN? WHO IS RESPONSBILE FOR THE COVER?

It's not a fairy, although she looks like one. She's just a regular woman. She's supposed to look like she would be waiting for someone to follow her and she is actually following a star in the sky. Cover picture is drawn by Liu Jing, my sister's boyfriend.

4.AS I KNOW FROM YOUR PREVIOUS RELEASE, YOU ARE THE MAIN COMPOSER AND LYRICIST. NOW THAT YOU HAVE NEW MEMBERS WILL YOU ALLOW THEM TO ADD THEIR IDEAS TO ULTIMATIUM? CAN YOU TELL US WHAT EACH SONG IS ALL ABOUT? WHY 2 OF THE SONGS SPEAK ABOUT WINTER?

Of course, especially our guitarst and vocalist have alternated my songs quite much and that's ok to me, they have done good work. I'm always happy to hear my songs developing... Main reason for the winter lyrics is that I happen to like winter. I'm not happy until it's -20 degrees outside. :)

5.MANY HEAVY METAL BANDS LIKE YOU USE IN THEIR MUSIC KEYBOARDS. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THIS HAPPENS? DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR MUSICAL TRADITION?

My songs would be quite boring without keyboards, keyboards are good for creating emotions to songs. And I don't know how to play any other instrument...

6.I HAVE DISCOVERED IN YOUR NEW DEMO EXCEPT FOR THE STRATOVARIUS INFLUENCES, ALSO SOME ELEMENTS FROM RHAPSODY AND EDGUY. AM I RIGHT? ARE ULTIMATIUM STILL AT THE PROCESS OF FINDING THEIR OWN SOUND OR ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR EVOLUTION SO FAR?

Yes, we are still on progress and hopefully we won't ever stop being. I believe that we're not ever happy. We still need to find our identity and our sound and develop that.

7.AS I KNOW YOU ALSO PLAY OR HELP OTHER FINNISH BANDS AS WELL. NOW THAT YOU HAVE A STABLE LINE-UP, WILL YOU STAY FOCUSED ON ULTIMATIUM ONLY OR WILL YOU CONTINUE HELPING THEM?

I'll propably focus on ultimatium right now, because my time is limited as I do all the promoting and almost everything related to the band. And I have to practise and compose new songs all the time, so my time is now limited. Of course I'm willing to help if anyone needs, but I don't have time for longer projects.

8.WHAT KIND OF PROCEDURE DO YOU FOLLOW WHILST COMPOSING SONGS? DO YOU TRY TO FOCUS ON AN EVENT, A SITUATION OR A FEELING IN ORDER TO KEEP A SPECIFIC FEELING? AFTER ALL DON'T WE SAY THAT AN ARTIST CAN BETTER EXPRESS HIMSELF THROUGH BITTER AND HARD TIMES? DID IT WORK WITH ULTIMATIUM?

My compositions come straight from emotion and sometimes an idea for song can come up in a second. And when I start composing, it feels like the song starts to compose itself. I'm not sure about the bitter and hard times, I've  been lately composing songs when I've happy and that's quite a fun. I compose with my heart and use my mind later to make the song playable  and good.

9.DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR LIVE APPEARANCES OR TOURING?

Of course, as we get this drummer problem solved, we start intensive rehearsals and try to play some live gigs. Only problem is that we're quite expensive, since our vocalst lives quite far.

10.WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE THAT IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR MUSIC TO ATTRACT HIS ATTENTION? WHICH IS THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE ELEMENT IN YOUR MUSIC?

We live to do this, we do this with our heart. We don't make compromises and we always try to develop something new.

11.IF YOU COULD PICK OUT ONE SONG ONLY FROM YOUR RELEASE, WHICH WOULD THAT BE AND IF YOU HAD THE MONEY TO MAKE AN EXPENSIVE VIDEO CLIP, HOW DO YOU IMAGINE IT TO BE?

Perhaps it's "In Winter Nights". It's fast and furious and fun to play, thus hard for the drummer. That song describes our style best. If I'd have the money, I'd make somekind of winter theme (obviously). Something with lots of snow...

12.DO YOU THINK THAT PERHAPS GOD GOT SO FRIGHTENED FROM WHAT HE CREATED THAT HE MOVED TO HEAVEN IN ORDER TO KEEP DISTANCE FROM HIS CREATURES?

??? :) I don't know. Who would that be? Perhaps a human is the only evil in this world.

13.IF YOU WERE A FLY, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE AND WHY?

As a fly on the ceiling... Perhaps I would be somewhere hiding that no one would kill me... I would be a real pain in the ass as a fly...

14.IF WE LIVED IN A WORLD WITHOUT ANY MUSIC, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? HOW WOULD YOU PIPE ALL YOUR FEELINGS AND NEGATIVE ENERGY?

I've never gived a thought for that, actually... Perhaps I would be creating complex software or something like that...

15.YOU ARE GRANTED ONE WISH. WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT?

I'd wish that stupidity and greed would no more rule the world...

16.IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET AN IMPORTANT PERSONALITY OR MUSICIAN (DEAD OR ALIVE) WHO WOULD THAT BE AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK HIM?

I'd like to meet some dead young "teen idol" and ask him "Was it worth to live fast and die young, you dumass!?!"

17.THANK YOU! LEAVE YOUR MESSAGE...

Stay tuned, you'll hear us more in the near furure, I promise...