RAIN DIARY interview (2/2)

Rain Diary released their first album “The Lights Are Violent Here” in 2013. The Finnish band themselves describe their music as “Winter Wave”. We continue the interview with Joonas and Joni and talk about their third album “Night Church”. Missed the first part? No problem! You can read it here .

Orkus: You live in Finland. To what extent would you say that this fact has shaped Rain Diary in some way… After all, you describe your musical style as “Winter Wave”. – Could there be a connection?
Joonas Verho: You can hear the musical heritage of our rather dark music scene, which has always been influenced by the sometimes harsh but always so beautiful Finnish nature. It’s hard to describe our genre as rock, pop or dark wave, so it made sense for us to include our characteristic landscape.

O: Is winter your favorite season?
Joni Bitter: All seasons are inspiring and beautiful in their own way: summer represents pure love and passion, fall reflects longing, winter is stillness, and spring brings hope. But I just love the sauna and skinny dipping in frozen lakes (it makes you feel so alive!!), so yes, winter would be my choice.

O: Of course there are stereotypes about every country. Which clichés about Finns do you think are actually true? … For example: constant sauna visits, taciturnity, closeness to nature, melancholy that almost borders on depression due to the eternal darkness …
JV: These clichés are all somehow true. I personally love the sauna, and there have been times in my life when I’ve gone every day. The connection to nature – and just enjoying the silence there – is incredibly healing and relaxing. And you may well be right in your observation of a slight sense of melancholy in our nation as a whole, probably because of the long periods of darkness each year. I feel like we really come alive in the summer, and when winter comes, we retreat into our own shells. But these quieter, darker times also seem to be when we find our deepest inspiration for music and art.

O: “Damaged” is particularly moving, I’m sure many people can identify with it. What inspired the song?
JV: Great to hear! I really like the message of “Damaged” too. The song tells the story of a wounded person who has forgotten a big part of their emotional side and is basically asking for help to bring it back to life. This person is very aware, at least from their own perspective, of their shortcomings as a human being and openly admits that their presence tends to take more than it gives. I think that’s a feeling that a lot of people can relate to sometimes, which is probably why the message resonates so strongly with so many people.

O: Inspired by “End of the World”: How would you spend your last day on earth?
JB: Oh my God… I would gather with my loved ones in a summer hut, heat up the sauna, open a beer, pull out the acoustic guitars and play the melodies that would otherwise die inside me.

O: The album ends with the epic title “All the Love Will Fade Away”. Why was it important to you to play the song in its entirety, regardless of its length?
JB: Originally we had the idea for a ten song album, but by the time it was finished we felt the album was missing the final piece of the puzzle that would make it perfect. The length of the song creates a balance with the pop structures of the other songs (apart from “Run & Shout”) and ensures that the message sticks in the listener’s ears. Just as every album has its end, all the love will eventually fade.

Claudia Zinn-Zinnenburg

You can find out more in our May/June issue:

Line-up:
Joonas Verho – vocals
Tytti Toppari-Pellikainen – keyboard, vocals
Teemu Rantanen – guitar
Joni Bitter – bass, guitar, programming
Lauri Kujasalo – drums

Listen to Rain Diary in our “Current Issue” on Spotify: