Finntroll’s Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns On Making “Vredesvävd,” Life During COVID-19 & More
A popular folk-metal band formed in Helsinki, Finland in 1997, Finntroll released its first proper studio album in 1999. After 7 long years of waiting, Finntroll fans can breathe a bit easier in knowing that the band’s followup album to 2013’s Blodsvept will be out on September 18th. Titled Vredesvävd — which translates to “wrath-woven” — Finntroll’s still-forthcoming full-length was produced by keyboardist-composer Henri “Trollhorn” Sorvali alongside vocalist Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns.
Finntroll — which also includes which also includes Tundra (bass), Skyrymer (guitars), Routa (guitars), Virta (keyboards) and MörkÖ (drums) — have already released 2 singles from Vredesvävd: “Ormfolk” and “Forsen.” The music video for “Forsen” is an animated work of art and was created by Animaatiokopla. Commented the band in a prepared statement about that “Forsen” video: “The shaman’s journey into the other is portrayed in myriads of ancient art. Often symbolized by a stream that flows into the earth, riding the rapids one can unravel mysteries, deep within the layers of consciousness. There one can find oneself, if one dares to search deep enough.”
On September 2, 2020, I had the pleasure of speaking with Finntroll frontman Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns via Zoom, as embedded below. The warm and patient frontman not only entertained questions about Vredesvävd and Finntroll’s past, present and future, but also questions about life during COVID-19 in Finland. More on Vreth and Finntroll can be found online by visiting www.trollhorde.com, www.instagram.com/trollballs and www.facebook.com/officialfinntroll.