Writer: David Sàez
Photos: Courtesy of the band.
Stoned Statues are a Finnish trio who have just released their second album, “The Guardian”. They’re one of the emerging bands we’ve found most interesting on the international scene in 2023, blending together a distinctive fusion of genres such as metal, punk rock, prog, and more.
Their style is forceful, energetic and sharp-edged. It’s well worth taking the time to discover them, or to enjoy them all over again. So, to get to know them better, Jenna Kosunen, Markus Hakala and Allu Tanskanen were kind enough to grant us a short interview.
First of all, on your website you tell a bit of the story of Stoned Statues, and how Allu and Markus had known each other since childhood. Jenna joined in 2019. What were those first encounters like, and when did you realise the project might actually work?
Jenna: Allu and I were at the same school in 2019, when Allu asked me to jam with Markus, his childhood friend. We scheduled the band’s rehearsals together, and already in those first sessions it felt like the pieces were falling into place. Our first single, “Demento”, was born during the band’s second rehearsal. That first get-together left us with a really good feeling about the band’s potential.
Allu: The first time we played “Demento”, with Jenna singing the first lines she’d written, I knew this was going to be something. We clicked, the rehearsals worked, we had it all.
And right after you started working together, along came a global pandemic. Did that put the project at risk, or did it actually let you work without any pressure?
Jenna: We formed the band in November 2019, so we hadn’t been working together very long when the pandemic hit. We played a few shows whenever it was possible, though because of the restrictions there weren’t many of them. So in autumn 2020 we decided to record an album of the songs we’d written earlier in the year. In other words, we didn’t have much pressure or tight schedules around making the album, and that probably shaped the final result.
As it happens, “Stoned Statues”, your debut album, was sensational and had quite an impact in Finland. Now, with “The Guardian”, which is even better, are you noticing it’s catching attention beyond your own borders?
Allu: There’s been a bit of attention from abroad — interviews, media outlets sharing news of our new album, that kind of thing. But it’s really lovely to see messages coming in from people all over the world. It’s clear the music is finding its way. We hope to play the rest of Europe as soon as possible!
Is there any chance we’ll see Stoned Statues at some kind of international festival this summer, or is there still a way to go? What are your plans?
Jenna: We’ve been touring actively all over Finland, but our dream is also to tour abroad. Hopefully we can make that happen soon.
The band’s sound fearlessly mixes elements like rock, punk, metal, prog, doom, and more, and it all works because you can feel the musical honesty in it. That blend gives it a distinctive stamp beyond any labels. But how do you like to define your music yourselves?
Allu: If you have to slap a label on it, we’d call it alternative metal. But at its core, the soul and the product are just Stoned Statues 🙂
Have you consciously tried to be different from other bands in any way?
Jenna: I don’t think we’re consciously trying to be anything special, or trying to make our music do anything specific. We make music with all our heart, and we don’t want to limit ourselves to any particular genre or style.
Do you have a particular way of composing, some specific working method?
Jenna: We don’t have a fixed way of writing our songs. We worked on our debut album together, through jam sessions at our rehearsal space, and I wrote most of the lyrics in my own free time. The writing process for “The Guardian”, on the other hand, varied a lot. Some songs were born during band rehearsals, while others started out from guitar recordings Markus had prepared for us. Sometimes we wrote lyrics together as a trio, sometimes it was just Markus and me, and sometimes just me alone. I think the joy of making music together as a trio actually came through even better on the second album.
These days, as a general rule, musicians’ income depends on live performances and merchandise sales, with music sales taking a back seat. So the relationship with fans matters. How do you interact with them?
Jenna: Social media helps us reach fans in countries we haven’t had the chance to tour yet. We always read every message we get, even if we can’t reply to all of them. The best way to connect is during our tours, and we love meeting our fans after the shows. I think one of the best things is interacting with fans during our concerts, where the positive energy and atmosphere are incredible!
Did your family and friends support you when you decided to make music your way of life, or would they have preferred you’d had a fun, thrilling career as insurance agents instead?
Allu: I don’t think they were too sure it would work out so well when I was 15. But they always supported me anyway! 🙂
Is there any special venue or festival where you’d love to play a show?
Allu: So many places! Red Rocks Amphitheatre, without a doubt! The spot in Australia where they filmed Parkway Drive’s legendary live DVD. Wacken, Copenhell, Roskilde — the list just keeps going!
And is there any artist or band you’d like to share a stage with, or write a song with?
Jenna: One of my dreams is to tour and share a stage with bands like Leprous or Nothing But Thieves. I really admire their singers, and I think our musical styles would fit together quite well.
Thank you so much for your time. We hope to see you here on our side of the border before too long.
Jenna: Our fans mean everything to us, and we can’t wait to enjoy the beauty of your country very soon.