After Infinity: Power Metal Release with Mauste Records
Lauri “Läpä” Koivusalo
Finnish power metal group After Infinity is an alliance of pro-level artists coming together to bring Zsolt Szilagyi’s latest musical concept to life. The self-titled EP is scheduled to be released March 13. After Infinity is high-energy, straightforward power metal done really well.
The EP showcases melodies reminiscent of Astralion and Dreamtale (not surprising, as both Nitte Valo and Szilagyi are members from Dreamtale). The technical musicianship is insane, and the entire project draws its lyrical inspiration from political turmoil and other disheartening situations in our world. Depression is not an option, however, as Szilagyi's guitar work and musical arrangements are exquisite. Roi Partanen (Everfrost) brings his skills to the mix with raw precision, and a whopping five talented vocalists lend it all a diverse and ever-changing sound. The stamina of After Infinity is just fantastic.
Which new song really captures the essence of, or defines, the album as a whole?
That's a really tough question, because the album is very versatile! There are heavy songs, fast songs, slow songs, short songs and long songs.
I tried to answer this question to myself when we released our first single, since I wanted to give an accurate first impression of the band. I ended up choosing "A Game of Chess", because it kind of has everything mentioned above: slow melodic chorus, some heavy riffs in the verses, some fast sections in the solos, proggy stuff here and there.
You've got five vocalists on this album—very talented ones... what made you decide on that?
To be honest, initially I wanted a single vocalist to do the whole album. But it proved more difficult than I thought! All the best vocalists are busy, and I struggled to find one who has enough time. When I realized I could use more than one singer, it became a lot easier. In hindsight, it was a good decision also because of the versatility of the album: I was able to choose the most fitting vocalist for each song. And it made the album even more versatile.
I'm so honored to be able to have such amazing singers to work with, they all blew me away with their performances. I'm happy it turned out this way.
How do you handle creative differences or challenges with other musicians or collaborators?
Everyone I work with is so easy to come along with, there were zero challenges regarding that. I was more than happy to receive suggestions from the others, and wish they had even more suggestions! And when I gave suggestions to others, they also received them well. There was a great deal of respect between everyone involved. We have such a healthy and safe working environment.
I tend to listen to my demos a lot. Like daily. A LOT. And when you do that, you will get used to all the details in the songs. And then the actual singer comes in and sings it in his or her own way, and it will sound different. They will often make small changes to the melody, rhythm, etc. And it will make you feel weird at first. It is of utmost importance that you don't give in to that feeling. You must listen to their performance enough times to make sure you know how you really feel about it. Is the way you did it on the demo really better, or are you just so used it that anything else sounds wrong?
What is it about the lyricism, instrumentation, or structure of this genre that resonates with you?
To me, emotion is the most important thing in music. The heavier, more extreme emotions, the better. Sad lyrics should burst you into tears, and angry lyrics should fill you with rage.
What I love about metal is that the range of emotions we can use is so huge. The thundering drums, overdriven guitars and screaming vocals can provide more raw power than any other genre. On the other hand, we are allowed to take a breather and have just vocals and piano for a song. It's a real rollercoaster of emotions, and I enjoy riding both the highs and lows.
Fans of true, classic power metal will be delighted with this one, as it delivers all the dynamic and melodic spirit expected from epic heavy metal.
You can pre-save your copy of After Infinity, due March 13 right here:
After Infinity self-titled album
Keep up with the latest at their official website
