MAUSOLEUM GATE - COUNT L.F. and OSCAR RAZANEZ

💿 Hi, it’s a pleasure for us to have on Hardrockheavymetal, COUNT L.F. and OSCAR RAZANEZ of MAUSOLEUM GATE, the well known finnish band! Let’s start talking about the early days of the band..When is this all begun? Which bands have influenced you?

Count L.F: All this began back in 2008 as me and Wicked Ischanius met through advertisement in which members for the NWOBHM band were searched. At first there was Me, Ischanius, V-P.Varpula (voc) Pasi Tolonen (dr) and Neva (gtr). After our debut recording -Gateways for the wicked- Pasi and Neva left and after some serious searching and rehearsing Oscar Razanez (dr) and Kasperi Puranen (gtr) came to the band. Our influences were of course the NWOBHM bands like Maiden, Demon or Pagan Altar. Also 70’s progressive rock and 70’s heavy metal like Sabbath, Purple, Rainbow and Heep among others. Personally I love 70’s Scorpions stuff. There is wide range of influences from jazz to AOR and so on. All this brings spices to our soup - so to speak. Oscar Razanez: I had been following the early steps of the band ever since the beginning, and when I heard the news about the free drummers position, I wanted to apply immediately. I got to play audition with Count and Ischanius, and after some years it seemed I got the place, haha! Kasperi (from Hellboozer Union) joined shortly after me, and the line-up was ready. My influences as a drummer are steadily in progressive rock, and in heavy metal like Brocas Helm, Manilla Road, Warlord, Omen, Dark Quarterer etc. 

💿 On September 8th will be out your new full-length INTO A DARK DIVINITY. We were really goin’ mad listening to this work and reviewing it. Can you tell us somethin’ about this platter and its composition process? For us a smart work from a band who learned the lesson from the Hard’n’heavy masters but with an own clear style.

Count L.F: Well the process started pretty soon after our Keep It True gig although there are songs from quite a long period of time. Apophis is the oldest one and goes back to the formation of the band. Burn the witches at dawn is the newest one. We also did pre-production recordings from the songs which was something we hadn’t done before. These turned out to be very useful thing to do. Also we decided that the dynamics of the album should be totally different than in the debut album. So it has three epic songs and the album starts with longer epic track – not a fast-tempo short song like in the debut. Solomon’s Key was also something that came out pretty quickly and its final form. On the other hand some songs were arranged more. Apophis has a totally different arrangement than it originally was.

Oscar Razanez: We wanted to start the album with not so obvious song, and both sides of the record had to end with an epic one. So the album entity came out pretty easy and these six songs present a really great variation and diversity, but all of them sound like us. Every song stands on it’s own, and create an unique record. 

💿 The album will be out on CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC. Can you tell us somethin’about the relationships with this italian laberl?

Count L.F: W we are in completely good relationship with Cruz Del Sur. It’s working fine. Razanez: Cruz handles things as a good label should, we are happy to work with Cruz and Enrico

💿 The real “news” in music industry is the return of vinyl; What’s your feeling about this classic format and the current music business? What do you think about the renewed interest for traditional hard’n’heavy.. only “vintage” or a new golden era for this kind of music?

Oscar Razanez: For me, vinyl is the ultimate format for traditional heavy metal. It is pleasant to listen, and they are usually never too long (except double-LP:s...), and I regularly buy new music on vinyl. But no, I cannot understand why they are making vinyl pressings of albums, which clearly don’t fit in that format (Devin Townsend for example). I keep relentlessly searching for new heavy metal music, and there is a lot of great bands nowadays. Chevalier, Legionnaire, Angel Sword, Outlaw, Tyfons Doom, Eternal Champion, Visigoth, Vultures Vengeance, Moros Nyx, Quayde LaHüe, Wytch Hazel, Demon Bitch, Magister Templi, The Swill, Citadelle, Black Sword Thunder Attack… And the list goes on! 💿 Can you tell us somethin’ about your next projects? Will be there gigs to promote this new album?

Count L.F: First we put album out. Then we’ll see what comes out of it.

💿 Thank you so much for your time! See you soon on HARDROCKHEAVYMETAL!

Count L.F: Thanks and stay Heavy Rock!

(Thanks CLAWHAMMER PR)