The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Jussi Hänninen of The Bleak Picture & Fall of the Leafe

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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

I make music and I have done that since I got my first guitar when I was 14 years old. The electric guitar started to fascinate me and I just had to get one. When I learned to play that thing I never liked that much of playing other bands songs so basically I always play what comes to my mind and sometimes there can be found something that needs to be memorized for later use. It is such a blessing that we live in a world where it can be recorded and saved in an instant. To create something own and new is what keeps me doing it.

Describe your first musical memory.

When I was little my parents often listened some Carmen parody made by Spike Jones. That is probably something that can be described as first musical memory. I didn’t understand anything of it but there were all kinds of funny noises.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

When I was a teenager I was a huge New Model Army fan (actually that hasn’t changed) and the first time I heard the album No Rest for the Wicked it totally blew me away. The bass sound and the playing was something that I haven’t heard before and it made such an impact on me. I had listened a lot of their later albums but when I bought that album it was something different for me. Sadly the bass player on that album left the band after that.

If it seems weird that I tell you about some bass sound and all that, it’s just that as a guitarist I value the bass as much as the guitar. It is equally important part of the music for me.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

If I look back at my musical career one thing comes to my mind. With Fall of the Leafe we made two extreme metal albums and then quite suddenly decided to change our music to more acceptable form… or so we thought. I always was in a belief that if there are clean vocals and music is more or less mid tempo, it would be so much easier to achieve wider audience and great things would happen. How wrong was I. Of course there were other issues as well that made us to change our sound but it would have been so much better to continue with the path we were on.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

For myself it pretty much goes in cycles. I have never fully got the chance to create freely without having to worry about other things in life so my progression isn’t going much forward. The more I can create my music interruptedly the more I start to experiment. And sometimes the creative energy just drains out. The well is empty. I have to take a break and a whole new cycle begins some time later.

How do you define success?

If I have achieved something that I was hoping to achieve, that is success for me. Nothing to do with fame and fortune.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

A few years back my cat was hit by a car and she managed to get back home even though she was badly injured. The instant moment I saw her I realized nothing can’t be done for her and she’s beyond repair so to speak. She had been with me over a decade and was a survivor and such a bad ass cat but it was heartbreaking to see her like that and knowing it’s time to let go. The only thing left was to put her down.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

If I could some day create a musical piece that is absolutely perfect, that would be brilliant. There wouldn’t be a single thing that I’d want to change later. I think that’s impossible though but never knows.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

The function of art is to give something uplifting or comforting to the listener. Or whatever the art form is in question. To give different feelings, experiences.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

For now I just wait for the spring to come. It’s now the darkest and coldest season of the year and for me it’s somewhat a survival battle every year. So sick of that. People tend to romanticize the winter but if you live in a middle of nowhere without street lights or anything – like me – you know it’s hard. Nothing fancy about it.

https://www.facebook.com/thebleakpicture
https://thebleakpicture.bandcamp.com/

https://alonerecordsshop.com
https://www.instagram.com/alonerecords_alonerecords
https://www.facebook.com/alonerecords.spain
https://alone-records.bandcamp.com

The Bleak Picture, Songs of Longing (2022)

This kind of misery just feels like home. Taking elements of classic death-doom and goth, I’m not sure I’d call Finnish two-piece The Bleak Picture innovative on their debut EP, Songs of Longing, but as an initial demonstration of intent, the atmosphere and emotive sense of drudge are unmistakable. Though a newcomer outfit in the post-pandemic vein of prior-established artists exploring new creative avenues, the duo of multi-instrumentalist Jussi Hänninen and vocalist Tero Ruohonen are obviously schooled in the vibe they’re creating, and even the coffins on the cover of the four-song outing has just an edge of dry-tongue-in-cheek to it that feels like an appropriately over the top bit of humor, whether it was intended as one or not. In any case, it is a suitably bleak picture.

Songs of Longing is out Dec. 2 on Alone Records, and the leadoff track is streaming at the bottom of this post. Preorders are a thing that exist.

The PR wire reminds of that and has more info on the project and release:

THE BLEAK PICTURE: Finnish Duo Formed By Fall Of The Leafe And Autumnfall Members To Release Songs Of Longing EP Through Alone Records + Preorders Posted

Alone Records presents a deluxe vinyl version of Songs Of Longing, the debut EP by Finnish duo THE BLEAK PICTURE.

A place where Finnish death/doom meets with England gothic rock formed following the no wave movement is the point of departure of the jaw dropping debut EP from THE BLEAK PICTURE, Songs Of Longing.

Jussi Hänninen of missed cult act Fall Of The Leafe joins with Tero Ruohonen of Autumnfall in this absolutely must-hear act for fans of the genre that looks for something distinct without losing the essence. Even as this music is rooted in the old-school it’s not simply a rehashing of the past, but a new beginning. Looking towards the future without forgetting the past, THE BLEAK PICTURE is a coin with two equal sides that point your destiny underground.

A perfect mix of early Katatonia constructed by the lightning feeling of superb melodies of the keyboards and guitars sharp enough to cut permafrost. Mid-paced tempos with groovy keyboards in the same vein of Joy Division, Bauhaus, or Fields Of The Nephilim. It’s all met with a mix of vocal styles, with growls in the vein of Officium Triste mixed with clear passages drenched in anguish.

Self-recorded by Hänninen and Ruohonen, with session drummer Anssi Ikonen’s material recorded at Lucifuge Studio by Danil Venho, Songs Of Longing was mixed at DTT Äänitys by Danil Venha, mastered by Dan Swanö (Edge Of Sanity, Bloodbath) at Unisound AB, and completed with cover artwork photography by Tero Ruohonen.

Alone Records presents the album in physical incarnations, with 300 copies on Clear 12” vinyl as well as on CD, set for release on December 2nd.

Songs Of Longing Track Listing:
1. The Dead Beginners
2. Absence of Light
3. Tragedy’s Own
4. Broken Statues

THE BLEAK PICTURE:
Jussi Hänninen – guitars, bass, synths
Tero Ruohonen – vocals

https://www.facebook.com/thebleakpicture
https://thebleakpicture.bandcamp.com/

https://alonerecordsshop.com
https://www.instagram.com/alonerecords_alonerecords
https://www.facebook.com/alonerecords.spain
https://alone-records.bandcamp.com

The Bleak Picture, Songs of Longing (2022)