“Hailing from the innovative metal scene of Finland, Volucrine continues to redefine modern progressive metal. With their brand new single ‘Talk’ fresh off the press and the explosive legacy of their album ‘ETNA’ still echoing, the band is in its most creative phase yet. Today, at Sound Stories by Jo and metalwar.gr, we sit down with the band to discuss their latest release, the evolution of their sound, and the creative fire that keeps them moving forward.”
12+1 questions
Jo: Welcome to Sound Stories by Jo and Metal War! First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us about your art. Your latest single, “Talk”, has just been released and it’s already creating waves. Could you start by introducing the current line-up and the “creative engine” behind the band? Who are the members and what does each
one bring to Volucrine chemistry?
Jupe Velin: Hi! Thank you for reaching out; we’re happy to get the opportunity to chat with you guys! Let’s start with introducing the band:
On guitars, we have our newest members, Marko Orava and Erik ”Erkka” Lindroos. Marko joined us first as a touring member to fill in Antti for the shows in 2022-2023, but stayed in the lineup after Antti finally left the band. Erik made his debut on the guitar a bit later in 2024. We had been short a permanent second guitarist many years, so it feels like these guys really solidified our lineup and made us whole again, musically and in spirit too. Jani joined after our third album, Skywards (2019) and it really feels like he is the only drummer ever to play drums in Volucrine. He is that talented and has also become the most important person to me in the songwriting process. My demos and sketches always go to him first so he can write the drum parts the way he is going to ultimately play them.
Our bassist Joni has been with me in the band for the longest time; I think since 2011. He is an audio engineer himself, so he is responsible for recording the most instruments on our albums. He also produces and mixes them, so we only have to outsource the mastering service.
As for myself, I founded Volucrine in 2009 under a different band name. The original intention was to make one solo record under the name ”V”, but after the release, we had fit together as a band so well that we decided to continue as a unit and changed the name to Volucrine in 2014.
The bottom line for the long answer is that the current lineup is the best blend of people the band has ever had over the years, and we feel close to each other. We even have a silent sixth member in our crew, Eetu Lindgren, who doesn’t play anything in the band but gets involved in video productions, sells merch at our shows and is always welcome to the band’s mutual sauna sessions.
Jo: Your new single “Talk” feels incredibly urgent and modern. What was the driving force behind this specific track, and how does it bridge the gap between your previous work and what’s coming next?
Jupe Velin: The whole upcoming album has been written during the most turbulent time in my personal life, so Talk is one chapter in the story of self-recovery. It is about making bad decisions and wrong turns after breaking up from a long-term relationship. It is like, you can’t help falling for someone and, at the same time, know this isn’t going to end nicely. The nerve wrecking idea behind the song is that when you speak about your feelings openly, the stakes are high on creating something beautiful or tearing everything down between the two people.
Musically and melody-wise, it leans a bit towards older Volucrine albums but for sure has more technical compositions going on. So, it is a nice combination of our established elements and fresh ingredients too.
Jo: Looking back at your last major release, “ETNA”, the title carries a lot of weight—explosive and volcanic. How much of that “ETNA” energy is still present in your current songwriting, and are you moving towards a different “climate” with your new material?
Jupe Velin: Oh boy, we’ve looked back on ETNA and thought to ourselves “This really is one angry record”. And in good spirits, of course. We hate to categorize ourselves as metal, because it often fails to capture the whole repertoire of our sound, but at its core, ETNA really is a metal album. So, if that is what you expect from our next album, I think you are going to be a bit surprised. We use metal as a tool to express emotions like frustration and hate, but you can’t get anywhere artistically with just one trick up your sleeve. There are metal songs and metal parts for sure, but I hope people will keep their minds open on the material, because the album will be the most relaxed and ”true to self” Volucrine we ever made. I think the people who have been with us since the beginning accept this as a natural step forward, but then again, we are not here to please everyone in the first place, but to stay true to our music.
Jo: Since the ETNA era, your sound has become even more dense. How has your songwriting process changed during the development of your most recent tracks? Do you write collectively as a band, or is there a primary architect for the riffs and melodies? Jupe Velin: Although Volucrine is not a solo project anymore, I still feel responsible for writing the material and lyrics myself, because making music to me is like keeping a diary. This way the songs can reach the highly relatable and heartfelt atmosphere we are after. I have flashed the idea for guys to create some riffs or ideas for us to work on, but so far it hasn’t happened.
While I was writing the forthcoming album, I started to get involved doing drum arrangements for the demos before sending them to Jani. This way, it was easier for Jani to get directions on where to go in the first place. Another relatively new thing for me is to use samples and virtual instruments in the songwriting process. Often some of the string arrangements and midi stuff even make it into the final album mix through the demo stage.
I guess what I am trying to say is that nowadays I aim for the full, rich demo before even presenting it to the guys.
Jo: Volucrine is known for blending soaring melodic hooks with heavy, progressive passages. How difficult is it to find that “sweet spot” where the technical precision doesn’t overshadow the emotional impact of the song?
Jupe Velin: That’s a good question. I think the main rule in our songwriting is to never kill the emotion or groove. Songs need to flow like water, so all the progressive or challenging stuff in the compositions needs to form naturally. So, this is something again that I believe that we create by instinct. I also believe that the compositions need to support vocals in the best way possible. Usually, I drop all the ideas that are impossible to write good vocal
melodies on top of. You said it well, when you mentioned progressive passages though, because on instrumental parts are free to experiment on the grooves or guitar lines. That way we keep the songs interesting.
Jo: Whether it’s ETNA or the new single “Talk,” your production is incredibly clear and powerful. How involved are you in the mixing and mastering stages? Do you have a specific “sonic goal” in mind when you enter the studio?
Jupe Velin: As I briefly mentioned before, Joni is our resident sound engineer, so the final sound on the album is pretty much in his hands. Of course, we discuss together how the mix should sound, but 95% of the time, Joni immediately understands how the album should sound or how to balance the mixes due to his experience in his profession. I am so happy about this, because it takes so much pressure off my back and I can concentrate on the artistic side
of things. Joni described our sound to his colleague nicely when he said that when mastering our music, one should consider us as equal as a rock band and metal band. We benefit from loud mastering where it is needed, but we need the overall sound to breathe and have dynamic range just as much.
Jo: Your lyrics often deal with communication, internal struggles, and the human condition (especially evident in “Talk”). Which song in your recent discography was the most challenging to write from a lyrical perspective, and why?
Jupe Velin: I think Bloodsports from ETNA was a hard one to write. I have experienced a lot of violence and mental abuse in my childhood, during my time in elementary and secondary school. I had to accept those memories as a part of me, because it never fades. I tried my best to describe how it feels to not know what horrors the new day at school would hold for me. So that is a hard subject for me overall, but if the lyric resonates with other victims, it was totally worth writing about.
Jo: You are often categorized as “Modern Progressive Metal.” Do you feel this label accurately describes your vision in 2026, or do you feel that Volucrine is pushing beyond the boundaries of specific sub-genres?
Jupe Velin: We use alternative and progressive often to pair up with plain metal as a genre definition, because we really want people to understand that our foundation is built on metal music, but that is just half of the truth. In the metal scene, there is so much gatekeeping and narrow-minded thinking, that we really don’t want to be marketed to, let’s say, death metal audience, because honestly speaking, I can’t see the fans of the genre really enjoying our experimental music that much. Or who knows, it is really hard to label us because we are constantly evolving and exploring the limits of our creativity. I think alternative metal and progressive rock are the closest categories for us if you need one.
Jo: Your music is very complex. When you are in the studio, do you think about how these tracks will translate to a live setting? Is it a challenge to maintain that high level of technical precision while delivering a high-energy stage
performance?
Jupe Velin: It is a challenge for sure. I had to make a decision not to play guitar while singing in this band, because it would only hold me down. So, while others might have to stay more put, I can go as I will with my wireless systems. I am proud of the guys though, because despite the songs being hard to play live, they still manage to bring huge live energy on stage. I think that is what we are best known for. Great energy and precise playing in the live setting.
Jo: The artwork and your music videos have a very specific, professional aesthetic. How much control do you have over the visual side of Volucrine, and how does it complement the “atmosphere” of the music?
Jupe Velin: For me, the imagery on the covers, booklets, videos and in merchandise are as important as the music and message behind it. On our first album, I took a challenge to create the art for myself, and it kind of stuck with us to this day. Especially nowadays, when everyone is using A.I., I feel great responsibility for doing the artwork myself. This includes music videos too, whenever our previous guitarist, Antti, isn’t available for help. That’s why I love
Volucrine is a platform so much, because it gives me so many ways to express myself.
Jo: Coming from Finland, a country with a massive metal history, do you feel that your environment influences the “intensity” of your compositions, or is your inspiration strictly internal and personal?
Jupe Velin: Oh yes, the Finnish melancholy. Living in a cold and dark environment most of the year affects your thinking for sure. So, in those long dark winter evenings, at least my creative juices flow the best. And what comes to the legacy of Finnish metal? I believe there is no metal band here who hasn’t been influenced by Amorphis, Sentenced or Children of Bodom at some point in their life. They carried the flag for metal globally. Our influences music-wise as a band come further from home though and from a larger variety of different genres than just metal.
Jo: Now that “Talk” is out, what is the next logical step? Is there a new full-length album on the horizon for 2026, or are you focusing on releasing more singles and hitting the festival circuit?
Jupe Velin: We are releasing our new album, ”Chapter V: Renewal” through Inverse Records on September 25th, both digitally and physically. Before the album drops, we can promise you two more singles with music videos and as much behind-the-scenes content on our social media accounts as we possibly have time to create. On top of the cake, we will tour as much as possible to bring the new material for the even wider masses.
Jo (+1): The Last Note: If your recent work was the only piece of music humanity ever found from Volucrine in the distant future, what is the one “truth” about the band you hope they would understand just by listening to it?
Our message would be the same nevertheless:
”You are not alone”
-Jupe Velin / Vocals, Songwriting
“Volucrine” is a band that demands your attention, and their latest single ‘Talk’ is the perfect testament to their evolution. We thank the band for their time and their incredible music.
Make sure to check out their latest work and follow their journey through the modern progressive landscape.”
Interview – Text: Joanna Gonas
