Interview: Apodictia
What do black metal, Finland, weightlifting, and prose have in common? Well, the mind behind Apodictia is one such common denominator. The Finnish artist is quite an enigmatic character, as you will see in the interview. It’s hard to nail him down to one specific thing, which is a great quality for any human being.
But that’s not why you’re here. You’re reading this either because (A) you like his music, or (B) you’re bored and clicked on this link for no reason at all. Whichever one you are, here’s my recommendation: go turn on some Apodictia for background music as you read the following interview. It helps to set the mood.
That said, I’m honored to have been able to connect with the artist, so I hope you all enjoy the following conversation!
Thanks so much for agreeing to do this interview with Blacforje! It’s such an honor to have you share your story here.
For starters, you’re in Finland. Correct?
Yes, that’s correct. I live in Southwest Finland with my wife.
To date, you have released two EPs, the most recent being Kaiken lihan ylle (2020). The most obvious question is this: are you writing new music anytime soon? If so, can you tell us anything about it?
Not at the moment, regrettably. I have some unused ideas but no time to actualize them. As inconceivable as it sounds, majoring in philosophy didn’t help me find a worthwhile full-time job. Now I must do penance by working as a substitute teacher in a junior high school and study financial law in my free time. The latter is quite interesting, albeit hard, while the former motivates me to study harder. In summary, I have annoyingly little time for creative endeavors. I do write prose and poems whenever I can, but unfortunately, music has had to take a back seat for now. But who knows what the future holds in store?
‘Kaiken lihan ylle’ by Apodictia
Do you have any other projects outside of Apodictia?
In the musical field, not really. I have made two rap songs and music videos as a joke, but witnessing those is only for the selected few. My main creative outlet is writing, and I’m determined to get my books released someday. Well, first I’ll have to finish them, but all in good time. I have, for example, one trilogy that’s maybe 80% ready, if you only consider word count. Also, whenever there are interesting writing contests, I partake, and so far, I’ve won two.
On your Bandcamp page, your description says, “Albeit the band is unapologetically Christian and Anti-Satanic in its ethos, it doesn’t limit itself solely to religious themes in its lyrics – who says you can’t sing both about Christ and child-eating werewolves?” That is quite something [laughs]. Do you like werewolves? I’m quite a fan, actually. I am a big fan of the Underworld film series.
Werewolves can be cool, so I guess I like them. I wouldn't say they have a special place in my heart, but I do enjoy reading and watching fantasy with all sorts of mythical beasts. I’ve watched at least one Underworld movie, but that was years ago, so I don’t remember too much about it. Maybe more than werewolves, I’m interested in Greek and Roman mythology – a subject I’ve also studied in university, much to the amusement of potential employers.
So, what inspired you to start Apodictia, and what is your vision for the project long term?
To be blunt, I started Apodictia because I found most unblack metal to be pretty bad. Antestor, for example, is okay, to name an exception, but most bands I researched didn’t quite resonate with me. On the other hand, the secular and satanic black metal genre has no shortage of excellent bands. I found it frustrating that I wasn’t able to find Christian bands that sounded like Taake, Marduk, Satyricon, Mork, or Dimmu Borgir – and absolutely no other band sounds like Oranssi Pazuzu. Mainly because of this, I decided to start making my own music. “Be the change you want to see in the world” (editor note: this is a Mahatma Gandhi quote), right? Problem was that I had no previous experience, so I had to learn.
I’m a terrible guitar player and know even less about playing the bass, and I’m not just being modest. I can’t play the drums one bit, so I had to purchase Superior Drummer 3 and learn how to use it. Luckily, my father has at least some experience about mixing, so he taught me the basics, but most things I just learned by doing. I also don’t have any real musical education, but writing riffs and songs somehow felt very natural. I’d say that, for me, creating music was quite intuitive from the very start. When I write, record, and mix songs, I just sort of know what the end result is supposed to sound like. Sometimes my pitiful technical skills have been a problem, but luckily, I can record any riff a hundred times if that’s what it takes.
Like I said, I like writing prose and poems. Some texts, however, require music by their side in order to really materialize, if that makes sense. Poems and musical lyrics might seem pretty similar on the surface, but I feel the lyrics I’ve written absolutely need to be a part of a song in order to truly be what they’re meant to be. The story just wouldn’t be the same without screaming and frosty guitars. That is also one of the reasons I started making music - I was writing lyrics without songs, and that’s not ideal.
Hopefully someday I have enough time and energy to make music again, but I’m pretty sure it will take years. It’s very frustrating because I’m genuinely proud of most of the songs I’ve made. However, right now, I absolutely have to prioritize making a living and getting somewhere in my career over making music. It sucks, but it is what it is.
Who are you outside of music? What are some of your hobbies and passions outside of Apodictia?
Short answer: I’m a somewhat weird 27-year-old Finnish guy with the best wife in the world. I graduated from philosophy in 2022, and I also studied psychology, pedagogy, ancient culture, Finnish language, literature etc. So in terms of my education, I’m a humanist bookworm, and I greatly enjoy reading novels, history books etc. At the end of my studies, however, I sort of discovered all things economical. Sure, I had liked money before, because who doesn’t, but I had never realized that investing, business, economics, and law could be so fascinating. I’d say that I’ve evolved (or devolved) from being solely an artistic humanist into also being a money-grubbing wannabe businessman. Right now, I’m doing everything I can to find employment in a bank, and I’m sure I finally will. The idea of being financially independent resonates with me extremely strongly, and although I make very little money at the moment, I make sure to invest frequently.
I’m also an avid lifter. The gym has been a part of my life for well over a decade, and I aim to keep training until I’m on my deathbed. I also enjoy walking and hiking in nature, especially with my wife. She’s the woman of my life, and spending time with her is definitely one of my passions outside of Apodictia. She’s one hot lady, by the way, but in lack of a picture you’ll just have to take my word for it. I already talked about my writing, but that too is one of my most important hobbies. If it was financially feasible, I wouldn’t mind being a fulltime writer.
I know you’re a Christian, as am I. Can you tell the readers and me a little bit more about your faith and how it impacts your life?
In summary, Jesus Christ is the Son of God and my Lord and Savior. I try my best to live according to His will, and to help with this goal, I read the Bible and pray daily. I’m part of a local Pentecostal congregation, and before we moved here, I was in two other congregations. My family is Christian, so I’ve come to know spiritual matters from a young age. I can’t name a certain moment when I gave my life to the Lord, but I think one summer camp when I was about 12 was probably quite important. My wife shares my faith, and I wouldn’t have started dating her if she didn’t.
Although I’ve believed in Jesus for quite a while, I wouldn’t say I’ve always been an exemplary Christian – or that I am one right now. Sure, I pray and read the Bible, but oftentimes I feel like such a Pharisee and an unloving dick. So very often, earthly matters seem more important to me than being close to Jesus, although I know He’s “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6 NIV). But luckily, we aren’t saved because of our deeds but because of what Jesus has done for us. Still, I try my best to follow His will, because I know that God’s plan for my life is the absolute best one. The same goes for all you readers, by the way.
Last question: Will you please write a full album solely about the complex emotions of werewolves? That has to be hard, being a human and a dog all in the same body. Imagine the therapy needed.
I’m not making any promises. When I write, the words just sort of come to me, so I can’t very well plan ahead. But if inspiration dictates, I make an album about werewolves and their furry psyches, then that’s the way to go.
