Finnish alternative band Luna Kills will release their new album, Deathmatch, on April 4th via the American label SharpTone Records. In an in-depth interview, vocalist Lotta Ruutiainen shares insights about the album’s themes and the band’s evolution.
Deathmatch openly explores heavy subjects, particularly mental health, depression, and anxiety. Ruutiainen describes the album’s creation as personal therapy, reflecting on her own experiences and emotions. Despite the darkness of the themes, the goal is also to offer listeners a sense of solidarity. She emphasizes how performing live and “screaming the songs with the audience” transforms dealing with these themes into an empowering experience.
The album strikes a strong contrast between aggression and sensitivity. Ruutiainen explains that the band doesn’t deliberately balance these extremes, instead the focus is always on making each song feel complete and authentic. The band had ample material to choose from, with many tracks developing quickly and organically. One song, humorously nicknamed “sourdough starter” ultimately didn’t make it onto the album but inspired several other tracks.
Ruutiainen specifically highlights the track Leech, which she describes as the album’s heaviest and personally most significant. Recording it pushed her to her limits in the studio. Another standout track is Get Mad, uniquely featuring Finnish lyrics. Born out of spontaneous creativity, the song has become a live favorite for the band. The closing track, atmospheric Fever Dream, was initially a heavier metal piece, but due to its profound message the band stripped it down to its essential elements.
Visual elements play a crucial role in Luna Kills’ identity. Ruutiainen herself handles the band’s visual art and music videos. Although the pressures of maintaining a social media presence can be overwhelming, Ruutiainen stresses the importance of visuals in complementing the music experience.
Following the album’s release, Luna Kills will embark on tours across Finland and subsequently Europe. Looking forward, Ruutiainen hopes that in five years, Luna Kills will have released a couple more albums and perhaps even be performing at major festival stages like Wacken. Ultimately she emphasizes that the most important thing is for the band to continue growing, learning, and experimenting with new ideas.
Luna Kills interview 26.03.2025
Lotta Ruutiainen
Producer: Janne Vuorela
https://lunakills.com/
Picture: Guilty Visuals / Lucy Alienne Visuals / Luna Kills
