WRETCHED PATH - Misery Reigns Supreme (Death-Metal - Interview with Tapio).
- Please introduce yourself and let me know how it all began with the band ?
Hi! This is Tapio Sintonen, I play guitar in the band called Wretched Path, and like the rest of the band, I am from Finland. I live in Espoo, the rest of the band lives nearby, within about half an hour drive from Helsinki.
My path led to the band in late 2020, when my buddy Jaska, who was the drummer at the time, asked me if I was interested in joining in this death metal project he was working on with Esa and Teemu. I checked out a demo mp3 and really liked what I heard. It was so heavy and groovy, embracing the legacy of 90’s death metal guitar riffs, and yet something I hadn’t heard before. So obviously I agreed to join the band and soon we started rehearsing. Next, we hired Nico to play the bass. A bit later Jaska became too busy to continue with the band, but we were lucky to find Seppo as the new drummer. That’s how the current lineup was formed.
We all have more or less considerable background in music; Teemu has played in Pestigore since the early 90’s, and now he is also active with Thin Line. Esa has been doing vocals in Coredust and Resonance. Nico also did vocals in Godsplague and Resolution 13. Seppo’s previous bands have been The Scourger and Tukkanuotta, and now he is also doing drums in Warmen. I have been playing in Born of Thorns for over two decades.
The need to form the band was actually realized when the band was already existing. I think this was first more like a project to record and maybe play live some tunes made by Teemu, without any serious plans. Then once we had been rehearsing for a while and songs were shaping up, we realized that what we had was something special and way too good to keep only to ourselves.
- Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all cost ?
I think our sound can be described as brutal and aggressive, with definition and attack. It’s like something familiar from the 90’s era brought to a modern context. It suits our material perfectly and it’s perfect for headbanging or for running to the mosh pit and going nuts!
The reason to listen to our band at all costs is because we are original, doing a thing that no other band is doing quite like us. Another reason is that it’s always recommended to listen to top quality death metal. The time invested in listening is well worth it and actually pays back in keeping you young and healthy!
- Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences ? How important are the lyrics for you ? Are there any specific messages or thoughts you try to develop and share through your lyrics ?
Some of our lyrics are inspired by tragic, fatal incidents, many of them from real life. Some lyrics are inspired by movies, some deal with mythology, some deal with psychology etc. Meaningful lyrics are important to us, they tell stories, evoke thoughts and stimulate imagination, therefore enhancing the artistic content of a song. I don’t think we are putting through any specific messages, other than maybe the one that our time here is short.
Musical influences of ours include the classic names from the 90’s, Entombed, Dismember, At The Gates, Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse etc, but inspiring new stuff comes all the time too. In some of our songs, influences from hardcore and even black metal can be heard. 
- I have heard of a new album by the band.. can you tell us more ?
We are about to release our second album very soon. Many of the recordings for that album, drums and vocals mainly, were done at our studio. Guitars and bass were tracked at our home studios first for direct signals, which were later reamped for the final mix. Recording this way is very flexible and practical, especially for us with busy personal schedules. We are also very satisfied with the results!
There are eight tracks on the album, which continue from where the first album left off. In my opinion this album is a step towards an even heavier and more extreme sound and style but not forgetting groove and occasional atmospheric elements. The album was mixed and mastered by Jussi Riikonen, with whom we worked with on the last album. The graphical artwork is by Kimmo Hyvönen, who has designed our logo as well.The album will be available at least for streaming. Physical formats are still under consideration and will be announced later as well as instructions on how to get them.
- Future plans ?
In general we probably keep on doing what we do now, but we keep pushing it even better and bigger, as long as we feel like it. In the short term it simply means playing more gigs, spreading the word and making more music.
- Your most insane dream with the band would be ?
Maybe to play a headlining world tour with sold-out venues.
- Your BEST & WORST concert - as a band - and why ?
I think I have only good memories from all of our concerts so far, but the one at Nummirock 2023 was definitely a highlight, because it's such a legendary festival and we had such a great time both on and off stage. I can’t remember any bad concerts, at least performance-wise.
- Next live-appearance(s) ?
Next concerts will be played in Tampere at Bar Kotelo on February 28th (Sorry - too late.. i've been a bit long to publish the interview.. Ed.) in Järvenpää at Shed on March 8th and in Pori at Winston on April 26th. More dates will be announced later in our social media, so make sure to follow them to keep up to date.
- Some words on your local scene - bands you're friends with and you'd like to name ?
The local scene here is very active; there are lots of bands, lots of gigs and even several festivals dedicated to death metal.
We could at least name some of the bands we have played gigs with: Devenial Verdict, Enragement and Fearmonger. They are very talented and great company as well. Looking forward to getting on the road with them again, and actually Devenial Verdict will soon be with us in Tampere and Pori.
- Last word is yours..
First of all, thank you for having us in your magazine! We always appreciate opportunities to reach out to new contacts and listeners. We also can’t wait to let you hear our new album, which luckily is coming soon. And we can't wait to play you live! Follow our social media for gig announcements, and once we hit near you, see you there! Until then, spread the word and keep it metal! Cheers!
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