Picture by Teemu Nordlund – Tajuttomat kuvat, in the summer of 2024.
Bell Of Mimir was formed by Karhu in early 2021, after he began experimenting with old school doom metal and composing rich, heavy music with wide chords and melodic motifs, influenced by his classical music studies. Soon after, Karhu invited Tuohino, a previous collaborator, to join and contribute to what would become their debut album. Drummer Marde, initially hesitant, also came on board after hearing the material, completing the rhythm section. The lineup was finalized with guitarist Nordlund and vocalist Korvenmaa, both known to Karhu through past projects, and the band began rehearsing and refining their songs. With the writing and recording complete, Bell Of Mimir released their debut album Nocturne on May 16, 2025 via Octopus Rising.
The Origin & Identity:
How did you all come together as a band, and when did it feel real?
– Karhu: BELL OFM IMIR started to form gradually, just like a good doom band should. At first, there was just an idea around which the songs and moods were built. Only after that did the search and discovery of suitable members begin. The most important thing was to find members who understood this kind of music and who were otherwise similar in their thinking. I value calmness, thoughtfulness, honesty, and I wanted people in the band who could both collaborate and express themselves independently artistically. The best part is that I can show a little direction, present ideas and thoughts, and then everyone does their own thing. When you ask when everything started to feel real, for me that moment was perhaps when we were all playing together for the first time. I don’t know if everything is clear even now. We are constantly learning new things about our sound and what works best for us.
Where did your band name come from, and why does it feel like you?
– Karhu: To be honest, I don’t know. That’s my most honest answer. I had an intuitive thought that this would be a good band name. It happened around the same time I started composing songs for our album NOCTURNE. I think it came from the same source as all these songs too. From somewhere deep in the subconscious, or from a common social subconscious, if we take a Jungian reference here. It is a symbol and it tells something. I don’t need to know what it is. In the end, all symbols live their own time and then they die. A symbol is a product of a certain era.
Did you have a clear vision for your sound from the start, or did it develop naturally?
– Karhu: Actually, yes. However, I wanted it to be even better than what I had in mind. I’ve learned that when I don’t get too caught up in what others are doing with their artistic expression, the outcome is going to be better than what I would have ‘wanted’ myself. And so it is. Our album NOCTURNE is an absolutely fantastic record. Thank you to every member of the band.
What should listeners know about your newest album?
– Karhu: It is slow. It is hopeful. It is emotional, melodic, HEAVY, it represents the doom of a more traditional style. Someone once said it reminds them of Warning. They probably meant that very hopefulness.
Influences & Creative Process:
Who or what has shaped your sound in ways people might not expect?
– Karhu: I believe it is clear to everyone which bands have influenced us. However, we are not at all like those influencers. We are very much our own kind. We build the musical and lyrical form of the band in our own way, and that makes us very unique. All legendary doom bands are our influences. Maybe the hopefulness is something one might not expect from DOOM band.
When creating a song, do you follow a routine or mix it up each time?
– Probably in the composition of the piece, both occur every time. That is, one uses what they already know and have found to be good and effective and then tries to come up with something new and new solutions. It is good to shake things up occasionally. I think the upcoming songs will be quite different from these in our latest album, NOCTURNE. It is exciting and development is development. Let´s see what happens!
Are there moods, riffs, or ideas you find yourself returning to?
– Karhu: In a way, yes. I have a certain style in mind for creating melodies and choosing chords. I want to stick to these. But on the other hand, I notice that I have to rediscover the structures every time. I can’t use similar choices repeatedly. I would like to be able to do that, but I haven’t learned how to yet. Maybe I’ll learn it someday and from then on, I will be able to cultivate it so that each of our songs will be radio-friendly. Well, just joking.
How do you make writing decisions â together or does someone usually lead?
– Karhu: I always hope that each band member does what they want. I provide many ideas and structures and take things quite far in preparation, but ultimately it is up to each playerâs discretion. Everyone chooses their own sounds in the end and everyone adapts to the choices of others. Itâs that thesis-antithesis-synthesis kind of approach.
Musical Technique / Composition:
When layering sounds, do you focus more on tone or on mood?
– Karhu: These are not mutually exclusive themes. All aspects must be taken into account. Okay, you can try to influence everything, but you can’t influence everything. The magic of music is that something happens that you didn’t even plan for. And this is particularly present in band activities. And that’s the best part.
Do you use alternate tunings, odd meters, or unusual chords to shape your sound?
– Karhu: We play in B tuning. We don’t have difficult or strange time values. But we also don’t use a metronome. Never. The metronome kills the music. Believe it even just for fun. I don’t know if these chords are special in any way, but we do use quadruple chords and often add large seconds, fourths, and sevenths. They create a nice sense of hope. Although in this world there is no hope at all. In the world of BELL OF MIMIR, there is still hope. Come there. It is a good place for a person to be.
How much of your arrangements come from improvisation versus planning?
– Karhu: If you are trying to ask whether I plan my composing work somehow in advance, I might answer that I do not plan. But on the other hand, yes, composing is quite a detailed planning process. I provide quite finished pieces for the band, and then we play them together. Changes happen, and they should happen. This is how the best results are achieved.
Stories & Experiences:
Whatâs one moment that truly captures what this band is about?
– Karhu: Every time we are together as a band. For me, the purpose of this band is to do nice things together and create art in the process. I think we have fun together and everyone can be themselves. There’s no need to achieve anything impossible here. The main thing is to have a good time.
Does playing live bring out a different side of your music?
– Karhu: No. It brings out our innermost side. We are not as present when we train as we are live. Just look at how Teemu performs. He puts on a great show. He must be in a trance the whole time! It’s amazing!
Whatâs the quirkiest experiment youâve done in the studio?
– Karhu: We rented a huge gong and threw it out the window just because it sounded bad. When we went to retrieve it and tested it again, we found that it sounded great now. The owner of the gong agreed, and we were all happy. We used it in one of the songs. Go listen to how it sounds.
Has a fan ever done or said something that made you see your music differently?
– Karhu: Every time someone says something, we hear that this isn’t quite the usual Black Sabbath. We reply that you are absolutely right, it isn’t.
Current Inspirations & Recommendations:
Any up-and-coming musicians you think deserve more attention?
– Karhu: Shark Varnish. Suoruumis. Temple of Salem.
Vision & Reflection:
Where do you see your sound heading next? Any experiments youâre itching to try?
– Karhu: We are trying to grow our expressive ability. We are trying to develop our sound further and bring out a broader expression. Let´s see what the future brings upon us.
Which track do you feel captures your band best, and whatâs the story behind it?
– Karhu: Probably it is the first track of our album, NOCTURNE, which is also the name of our album. The second could be NIGHTFALL. Both are unique tracks in their own way. Both seem to tell stories of certain night adventures that we all probably have in our experiences.
What do you hope people feel when they sink into your music?
– Karhu: Well, that’s a good question. I suppose it would be something of a deep feeling. Perhaps it’s that hopefulness I mentioned earlier. You can never have too much hope. This is a paradox. We make heavy music, but positivity is never a bad thing. Try to find something good in our music and in your own life, okay?
Turbo Regime:
Fuzz or distortion?
– More is more.
Analog or digital effects?
– Analog. Digital is a curse.
Sabbath or Zeppelin?
– YE´HEAH! Also, R.I.P OzzyâŚ
Heavy riff or mind-bending solo?
– No solos please. Try a good melody?
Vintage gear or modern kit?
– Anything before baroque should be OK!
Email: bellofmimir@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/bell_of_mimir/
https://bellofmimir.bandcamp.com/
