Finnish power metal band Heavy Metal Perse mark 25 years with their new album XXV. In interview Matias Palm (vocals, guitar, mandolin) and Heikki Romppainen (drums, percussion) explain why this anniversary record is not a traditional best-of, but a mixed-format snapshot of the band.
The starting point is simple, they originally plan an acoustic EP with just a handful of tracks. From there the idea expands into something that feels like a celebration, but also works as a practical in-between release. The band keeps the price/value logic in mind too, if the release asks for a full-album price, it should also offer extra material.
XXV combines acoustic material, live recordings, and remixes. Band describes it as a way to keep the release cycle moving without forcing a new direction narrative. It is a one-off format that lets them do something different while staying recognizably Heavy Metal Perse.
Working acoustically changes the process. Romppainen says arrangement becomes the main job, because you can’t rely on the usual power-metal autopilot. They talk about building songs with small choices and textures, percussion colors, rhythmic details, and parts that need to be carefully placed so the song still lifts without the standard metal toolkit.
They also point out how some songs come together quickly while others demand long problem-solving. Viimeisin vanha viisas ends up as the opener partly because it’s short and direct. On the other end, Suuri ratas is described as one of the more demanding tracks to finish, with arrangement decisions and performance details taking more time. Kivikova kausi is mentioned as another piece with a longer road from idea to final version.
The live side is shaped by what they actually manage to document. Band included recordings of Aaltojenvalkoiset hampaat, Velhojen vesuri, and Aamunkoiton huilumies. They discuss also the reality of different recording situations, sometimes there are separate tracks to mix properly, sometimes it’s more limited. They still value these takes as real documents of the band at that moment, imperfections included.
On remixes and catalog requests, their stance stays consistent. They find it interesting to hear older songs in different sound clothes, but they are not eager to endlessly rebuild the past. Fans ask for reworks and bigger archival projects, yet the band’s priority remains new material. After finishing XXV, Romppainen already starts jotting down lyric ideas again, and Palm says there are sketches in progress. Touring is also a logistics question, they live across Finland, and so they sometimes turn down offers to protect writing time and avoid burning the band into a second job.
Heavy Metal Perse interview 15.12.2025
Matias Palm & Heikki Romppainen
Producer: Janne Vuorela
https://www.heavymetalperse.com/
WinAudioClean: https://github.com/PikkuJanne/WinAudioClean
Picture: Heavy Metal Perse
