Sear is a death metal band from Finland who has just unleashed a super brutal second effort on the Dynamic Arts label. Lamentations Of Destruction is a devastating assault to the senses that fans of Immolation and Monstrosity are sure to headbang to. Here is a recent interview we conducted with one of the mighty Sears...

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Sear, and how long the band has been together?
Hello, I’m Matias founder of Sear and I play guitar and compose the songs! Basically Sear was formed 2001 but then the music style was quite different. But 2003 we found L. Laaksonen behind the drums and the “first” Sear songs (style that we know today) were made. So basically you can think that Sear was formed 2003. So actually we are quite young band, we made only one demo and had a record deal with it.

Where is the band from and what is the metal scene like in your area?
So we come from the capital of Finland, Helsinki. Finland is quite a small country, only 5 million people here, so this is always confusing question. “Where is the band from” heheh. But I think it’s quite different there in the US! I think the metal scene here in Finland is great, lots of amazing bands. And nowadays the metal scene is quite big, so you could actually think that Finland nowadays is a metal country. And because of the small country, the scene is quite well known, so most of the band’s knows each other.

How does Lamentations Of Destruction compare to your previous release?
I think it’s more “professional,” if you can say so. This time we had enough time to make the record just the way we liked. And all the equipment was better, and these days we are training more with the whole band so the playing is tighter, and this time everyone made something own to the songs. Last time we did almost everything with L. Laaksonen. This time, I also think that the new album is more rewarding. It’s not so easy than the first one, but I think it’s better that way! So you can listen to it more and always find new things.

Where did you get some of the ideas for the lyrics this time around? At this time, the lyrics are also quite blasphemous. The stupidity of people encourages us to make these lyrics!
The lyrics are quite straight and honest and I think they fit us the best way because the music is also straight forwarding. Hyytiainen just spills his frustration to the paper – and that’s it.

What did Thomas Vee of Iconofear contribute on your new album?
Mr. Vee is our long time friend and we wanted him to sing some guest vocals to the album. So he’s singing some “clean” vocals in two songs. We know that not all of our fans like the clean vocals, but we wanted to make something different because often you hear albums that has guest vocals but you can’t say where the guest vocalist appears, because he or she is singing with the same style than the band’s own vocalist!

How would you describe your music to a sweet elderly woman?
Heheh, We play very hard heavy metal with growling vocals!!

Has Sear ever played here in the States, or do you plan to do so in the future?
No, but we would love to come there but I think that it’s quite expensive to come there, so we would have to do a bigger tour there, but we all have our daytime jobs so it can be quite impossible. But let’s hope that someone can make a good deal for us! I’ve never been there and I would like to visit there and get to know your country!!

What is a live Sear show like for those of us who have yet to see you perform?
We have quite “normal” live show, just tight playing and headbanging. We don’t have any special effects, just honest playing. Maybe if the live budget would be bigger, maybe then some special light show would be nice!

Is Myspace the great Satan of the 21st Century?
Heheh I think myspace is one of the best things for promoting you’re band.

Who in Sear is on Myspace way too much these days?
I think that all of us have so much other things to do, so we don’t spend so much time in Myspace. I check the new request and mails daily but that’s about it!

Are there any groupies wandering throughout Finland or beyond?
I think the groupie culture here in Finland is quite different. We don’t have any “groupies.” Basically here in Finland, people are quite shy, and after the gig someone might just come and say that you had a nice gig or send an email, but that’s about it. Personally I like that more.

What are the future plans for Sear?
Lot’s of gigs and more albums, hehe..

Any messages for the metal horde here in the States?
I would really visit you’re country and hopefully we see on the road! Buy our album and support the metal scene in Finland!!! (Kenneth Morton)

Sear Links

SEAR: The Official Sear Homepage!
Dynamic Arts Records: The Record Label for Sear!
Sear on Myspace: Their Official Myspace Page!
The Highwire Daze Home Page: Return to the Main Page!

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