Scorpio: How is the weather in Finland? It was snowing here, in Ukraine at firsttwo days ago, but it was +5, so was wet and not many snow on the ground. Andwhat about the "land of thoudands lakes"?

Niko: It's been snowing for couple of days here too. The temperature isprobably around zero or below.

Scorpio: And what city are you from?

Niko: I'm from Kirkkonummi, Anssi is from Karjaa and he's moving to Espoo.Small places that no foreigner has ever heard of. Juffi, the guy who will beour drummer in the future is from Helsinki.

Scorpio: And why did 3 guys from Finnish cities decide to form a brutal band?Tell please a history of FLESH DEFORMATION.

Niko: I wanted to write and publish the most insane riffs I'm capable of.And being a big fan of extreme music it was natural that the result maysound like death metal. Me and Anssi had been in the same band for a whilewhen I decided to experiment my brutal side through this one-man orchestracalled Chop-Off. It was so fun I decided to have a band out of it and theexpansion has been slow but stable. Anssi is now the lead vocalist and Juffi(from my other band AMORAL) is pounding like hell so get ready for realear torure!

Scorpio: Why did you choose death/grind as style of your project? Finland is knownthrough power metal bands such as STRATOVARIUS, SONATA ARCTICA, NIGHTWISH,pop metallers HIM and TO/DIE/FOR, also last few years quite good black metalFINNTROLL, AJATTARA, CALVARIUM.

Niko: Maybe that's exactly the reason. We want to equalize the state ofmetal here, trying to make people listening to something else than just thesame things they've always listened to. We're sick of power metal and we'renot grim enough to do black metal! Haha! No personally I'm not into blackmetal that much but Juffi is and that's the reason he was a good choice fora drummer! He'll never get bored with blast beats I guess...

Scorpio: I've heared metal bands are on the top of Finnish national music charts.Are there really so many metalheads in your country?

Niko: Yeah it's true. We also have the biggest Scandinavian metal festcalled Tuska. It's been sold out for a couple of years, I think, and it surebeats the traditional rock fests. There's several bands, known and unknown,playing every week and weekend so yeah, the metal's alive and well overhere.

Scorpio: And who minister of culture? Timo Tolkki? :)

Niko: Haha! Not for sure! If he was it wouldn't be so good because everyonehad to play power metal. Honestly, I don't know shit about the politicianshere...

Scorpio: What bands can you call your "mental teachers"?

Niko: Hmm... MORBID ANGEL and CANNIBAL CORPSE has done their own thing foryears and they've never gone mellow so they're my heroes. I also like TREY AZAGOTHS- fresh approach to music. MESHUGGAH kicks ass for breathing newlife to the rhythmical side of metal. CRYPTOPSY has my full respect forbreathing new life to the whole death metal genre.

Scorpio: What guitars are the best in the world? And which one is yourdream-guitar?

Niko: B.C.Rich is cool but now I'd say that Ibanez is my choice 'cos I justgot one:) The slim neck makes it so good to play. At first I hated thembecause they all look like the same. My dream guitar would be a 7-stringB.C.Rich V like the one Pat (CANNIBAL CORPSE) has.

Scorpio: Lapland, place when Santa Claus lives, is part of Finland. Haveyou ever seen Santa?

Niko: When I was a kid I saw him a couple of times but haven't seen him fora while. Where the hell is he?

Scorpio: And how is Santa in Finnish? You know, here, in Russia and Ukraine hisname is Grandpa Frost (Ded Moroz).

Niko: It's Joulupukki. Means something like Christmas Papa, I guess.Although "pukki" means either a goat or a stud, but I don't even want tothink about a Christmas Stud!

Scorpio: I've heared there is a city Pajakulja (correct if wrong) in the north ofyour country. So, there is a Santa's post office there. Have you ever beenthere?

Niko: No, never been there.

Scorpio: How old was you, when got know, that Santa doesn't exist, or you stillbelieve Santa is "alive" real person?

Niko: I guess I was something like 5 years old. Can't remember it. Perhaps Iwas 15? Haha! Anyway, now he's dead to me.

Scorpio: What present did you get last year for New Year's fest?

Niko: We don't share presents at new year's eve. No christmaspresentseither. We've been so naughty.

TRUE MEAT QUESTIONARY:

Scorpio: Meat in your life?

Niko: Cow. An important source of energy and inspiration.

Scorpio: What do you like to eat more: ears or fingers?

Niko: Ears. More gummy-like. You can chew it wherever you go. Library,shopping, while driving, you name it.

Scorpio: What do you use to cut meat - axe (classic) or chainsaw (modern)?

Niko: Traditional chainsaw is God! I like the smell ofgasoline, you know.

Scorpio: Have you ever eat hamburger with tongue instead of chop?

Niko: I can't remember my state of consciousness when I tried to do that.Next guestion...

Scorpio: Your former project CHOP-OFF wa named so, beacause you choped off thetongues for hamburgers?

Niko: Pretty much so. And not only tongues, ears also. For that chewinggum...

Scorpio: How can you encode MEAT? My version is More Ears And Tongues! :)

Niko: I'd like to have some organs too. Eat vital organs and you livelonger!

Scorpio: Final Flesh words for our readers.

Niko: Thanks for the interview and stay sick but only when mom's not around!And visit out homepage http://www.fleshdeformation.tk' !