Opium Warlords 03.10.2024 (Finnish)

Opium Warlords, the long-running project led by Sami ”Albert Witchfinder” Hynninen, is back with their sixth album Strength! In interview Hynninen opens up about the album’s creation and what lies ahead.

“Strength kind of started back in 2002.” Hynninen recalls. “Back then it was more of an EP-like project with marching music. However, over time it grew into a collection of over twenty tracks.” The journey of maturing the project over two decades wasn’t without its challenges. “It has its pros and cons. On one hand it gives you room to compose and arrange, but on the other hand it can be exhausting when you have so much material to work with. Sometimes I was afraid I’d forget something. The fact that I’ve been composing and working on something for so long has been hard, but at the same time it’s allowed a creative freedom that shorter time frames wouldn’t.”

One of the key themes running through Strength! is Europe. Describing the album as a love/hate letter to the old continent. This concept is reflected both musically and lyrically. Musically, the album is built around a direct, industrial rhythm that draws from classical European structures. “Every song is based on a direct rhythm, whether it’s techno, marching music, or hardcore punk. It’s pure industrial rhythm with no groove or American influences.” he states.

What sets Strength! apart is its playful use of post-modern irony and sarcasm with lyrics drawing inspiration from unexpected sources such as shampoo bottles and UFO shows. “For example, the slogan ‘Feel the Strength’ is taken from a shampoo bottle. It was a L’Oréal product and I wrote down the phrase over 20 years ago when I was in the shower. This album is about bringing everyday things into the music and playing with them.” Hynninen explains. While irony and sarcasm are dominant on Strength!, they don’t detract from the album’s more serious themes. The record reflects various aspects of “Europeanness” and the different ways it’s represented. “The song called ‘World War Two’ has no lyrics other than those three words. I wanted to experiment with what happens when a song title evokes certain images, but the lyrics don’t explain those at all. It’s part of the way European themes are handled on this album.” the musician says.

Strength! also stands out in the way it was produced. Unlike previous Opium Warlords albums, which were completed in full before heading into the studio, Strength! saw new songs being written while recording were already underway. “New tracks were born in the studio. This is the first time this has happened on an Opium Warlords album. What was already there sparked new ideas and I recorded them immediately. That’s how the album ended up with over twenty tracks, some of which were completely unexpected.” Hynninen reveals. From a technical standpoint the process was no easy feat. Hynninen confesses that the Opium Warlords projects have been the most challenging of his career. “These records are incredibly difficult to make. Some of the drone sections, especially without a metronome, were nearly impossible to pull off. There were times in the studio where I wondered why on earth was I doing this, but the end result always makes it worth it.” he admits.

While Strength! marks the end of a long journey, Hynninen is already looking ahead to what’s next. With more Opium Warlords albums already in the pipeline, he promises that listeners can expect the surprises and diversity that have become a hallmark of the project. “The next albums are already planned. There might be an all-acoustic album, a metal-oriented album or a minimalist album for example. I always try to surprise the listeners. Something completely different is always on the way, but I don’t want to reveal too much just yet.” he hints.

Opium Warlords interview 03.10.2024
Sami Hynninen
Producer: Janne Vuorela
https://opiumwarlords.bandcamp.com/
Picture: Opium Warlords