Metal From Finland

Still the best Metal in the world

TEN QUESTIONS – Pauli Souka (Coldbound)

Ten Questions - Pauli Souka

Pauli Souka is a Finnish multi-instrumentalist, a creator of Coldbound, a symphonic / progressive doom metal project that has taken on new life with the addition of former Theatre of Tragedy vocalist Liv Kristine and former Ensiferum keyboardist Meiju Enho.

What made you want to become a musician?

The need to express my own view in the world initiated this thing on becoming a “musician” (more like music maker I would say).  Is truly a lifetime devotion and soul-deposit to be able and bring emotions into life. 

How would you describe your music?

The music that I am producing could be described as thematic. There are lot’s of things going on and lot’s of chapters per song.

The point is to picture a 100% most accurate presence of the emotions that are describing a particular song but also to not exclude any of the song’s vital parts (this could be just a small keyboard input or a small choir or some vocal solo/harmony).

Each song has it’s own story to tell and alas, in my opinion, a song should be avoided on becoming too personal. Unfortunately lyrics are a very dangerous “business” cause is so easy to fall into the pit of making them “personal”.
A canvas could be personal. A painting could be personal.

But when it comes to music, it’s all about being there in the right moment and trying to be “available” all the time. 
Trying to capture the moment but also trying to transcript a part of the universe, is what makes music unique. 

Music has been around us forever. We all are music. I just chose to transcript the universe and not the emotions itself.

If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be?

Music industry has been built in this form and structure for long decades now.  Trying to change anything will automatically mean the collapse of the industry as we knew it. What we really need is to put down the problems and try to reform this whole thing. Let’s see how music industry will look after corona is gone (hopefully soon). For sure we need to change the attitude of some people I must admit 🙂 

What is the saddest song you’ve ever heard?

Hmmm….there are quite many of these….”Ellips – Lintu Joka Lensi Ikkunaan” touches my heart everytime I listen to it, “Kansas – Lonely Wind” reminds me lot’s of memories from the childhood,” Demis Roussos – My Friend The Wind” is one of these songs as well…..oh the list is endless….a good song can adapt with your psychosynthesis as a whole being and if you relate this song with a sad memory, then the song will be forever a sad song to you. See the power of music?

What is your best music related memory?

Everytime that a recording session or a jamming session goes smoothly and I feel part of this whole thing. The result not only becomes organic but you actually manage to interpret the whole theme into the project.

What is the most useless talent you have?

Well, I am sure that each talent or value one has is for a good reason 🙂 . For instance, I can bend my thumb 90 degrees, I thought this was so stupid but actually is super helpful for keyboard playing 🙂 

What’s the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?

Oystein G. Brun of Borknagar once told me in 2015 when we had a lunch in Bergen to “Stay True To Yourself”. Another important quote was done by another good friend and band mate of Oystein, Simen Hestnaes (ICS Vortex) when we were having some drinks at Bäkkäri in 2015. Upon the conversation context he told me “Live the moment”. Also my good friend Niko Salmi from the finnish proggers Solitaire told me one day “Man that’s bullshit, just do it” 🙂 These three advices are words that I will never forget.

Has there been one particular moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?

Every single achievement is added only when I am super active . Luckily since last November after Corona made it’s presence wild in Sweden and I got more time to myself, I have had this huge priviledge to be in constant communication with my beloved friends/family and bandmates Liv Kristine and Meiju Enho. To me, forming a three piece amidst corona is the most beautiful achievment. And the beautiful part comes here, it happened organically…magically…without forcing this to anyone. 

What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?

Unfortunately I have been thinking of this aspect quite many times. The reason of thinking about it was just to recap what good I have around me and try to appreciate it much more 🙂 I don’t have any answer, since I have found myself holding a musical instrument since the age of 4, but for sure I would have been a sad person if I was “Pauli” and I didn’t had music in my life.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I feel blessed enough to have been living in places with no war…to me that’s enough of blessing and therefore I don’t wish anything better than I have at the moment 🙂 Home is home…and there is a whole globe to discover 🙂 .

Pauli Souka in internet

About Post Author