Doomed Confessionary: Rami & Tero (Arson Under The Sea)
Arson Under The Sea is a sludge/doom metal band hailing from Oulu, Finland. Featuring members of Fall Of The Idols, Black Mass Pervertor, Wolfshead, Black Christ & more, the line-up currently consists of Rami (vocals, bass, drums) and Tero (guitars).
Arson Under The Sea is about to release their second full-length album »Comfort In Suffocation« on January 1st, 2025.
Can you say a few words about your band?
Tero: Arson Under The Sea is a band from Oulu, Finland, founded in 2012. We play heavy music that mixes elements from doom metal/sludge/noise rock.
Rami: But one should not mistakenly expect this kind of music to be played as a background buzz for getting high with his/her stoner-oriented friends. When we talk about Arson Under The Sea, we talk about mean, eccentric and withdrawn heavyness of the heart here, which reflects to the environment where we are living.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Rami: The problems we’ve had with our previous line-ups, and the confusion and lack of motivation that was present because of that. It eventually led us into a state of stagnation. It took years for us to find the right intention to come back and be focused again.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Tero: Looking back past +10 years playing great gigs around europe and releasing split 12″ with Stolen Kidneys are probably highlights so far.
Rami: I’m personally quite enthusiastic about our new album »Comfort In Suffocation«, which will be out in the early ’25. It took seven years to get our shit back together, and we are just two of us left in the line-up, so keeping that in mind, I’m proud about the end-result.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Tero: 2014 short tour with Stolen Kidneys was memorable one.
Rami: I guess we haven’t played any shows for 7 years or so, but we have performed fair share of wild shows when we’re still active gig-wise. We had a reputation of being fierce live-act; we’re hysteric, intense and loud, and always pushing ourselves to the limits. If I remember correct, the tour with Stolen Kidneys was our first real tour, and we played our first shows abroad at the time, so that’s why it is so easy to feel good about it. But we played longer and more extensive tour in 2015, which felt more like a real deal for me, both in a good and bad way.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Tero: That people seem to grab more and more to familiar and safe things in music.
Rami: Can’t blame them. I guess many want to stick onto things they feel comfortable and familiar. I mean, the world where we live seems unpredictable and hostile, and we are living at the threshold of war here, so I guess little bit of comfort doesn’t do any harm for anyone. But still I can agree, that too many people are super genre-oriented and lack the courage to be adventurous with music.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Tero: New Kantamus tracks from the split with Turhuus, 40 Watt Sun – Little Weight, Gigan – Anomalous, Abstractigate Infinitessimus, The Sound – From The Lions Mouth.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Tero: Don’t remember any advice, at least that’s any good!
What are your guilty pleasures?
Masturbating in the bushes after sunset while listening to Cocteau Twins.
Can you say something more about current music scene in Oulu?
Rami: Lot of metal and punk bands here, including all subgenres. Don’t know even close all of them, as there are too many people involved in their own doing. Some people are just playing music and running their bands as hobby, and those bands one can rarely see live. Then we have got some more well established and active bands, who are more visible in the scene. The population here in Oulu is something like 200 000, and we have got hundreds of bands here, and like 4-6 venues for the bands to play. The situation could be better, but for sure far worse.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Tero: No gigs planned unfortunately.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Tero: Record a lot of stuff. There are at least two EPs almost written at the moment.
Rami: Playing few exlusive and carefully selected gigs would be something, don’t you all agree? But as mentioned above, our riffmaster has got some very surprising treasures in his pocket, so we need to start working with new material again. It’s going to be HUGE!
Do you have any special plans for New Year’s Eve?
Tero: I’m going to take it easy as usual.
How can people best support your band?
Tero: Share our music in any way possible.
Rami: And buy our merch directly from us! We still have got some LPs left, plus some old shirts collecting dust! Buy them!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Tero: Take care and play it loud!
Rami: Stay brutal!
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well