Please tell us all the story how happened old To/Die/For split up and new To/Die/For appeared?

Jape: It all happened already in the studio in autumn 2003 when we were recording Jaded! I was so bored and pissed off to watch Tonmi drinking all the time! And our musical directions went different ways! And we always had problems with Joonas because he never wanted even play this kind of music! So it's a bit mystery for me why he wanted to join TDF? Maybe couple of records are that Tonmi is always been his "musical brother" and maybe he thought that he can get some "name" for himself and get a record dead to his own band Malpractice… And so he did:)
I still don't like Jaded album! It doesn't sound like TDF should sound. I hate that album. I don't hate the songs, but I hate that kinda sounds! First I though that I have to stop this band! But then record companies and one great manager from Finland started to call me, and all of them said: "Jape, To/Die/Foe is always been your band, and if you get new guys, we will give you a new record deal!" First I was like "What the fuck?" But I had already therapy band called Tiaga! And there was guys like Alli and J-P Sutela. They used to play in To/Die/For. So everything seamed great to this kind of idea! And Santtu was playing drums in Tiaga too. So we made a new deal. And then promoters from Mexico called us to play there, and we needed a bassist. We asked Josey if he would like to help us and come with us to Mexico , and he said "yes". And that tour was so great that Josey said that if it's ok he would like to stay! And it was great idea for us because he is so fucking great guy! So now there's new better To/Die/Foe and we are full of power nowadays.

Who is playing in the band now - who are they and from what bands?

Jape: Jape – vocals, Josey Strandman – bass, Mika "Alli" Ahtiainen – guitar, J-P Sutela – guitar, Santtu Lonka – drums, Juska "Zoltan Pluto" Salminen – keyboards. Well, Josey and Santtu used to play in New Dawn Foundation and Juska played in HIM. Alli and JP are from old To/Die/For.

What is the atmosphere now in the band? Do you like making music together?

Jape: Now everything feels great!!! We really enjoy playing together and we're like brothers!

What is new album IV about?

Jape: There's lyrics about my life. It rocks a bit more than old To/Die/For. There is painful feelings – hate – love – apathy – big emotions. So there's everything about live, I think.

Who is writing music and lyrics now?

Jape: I've done most of the To/Die/For songs always! And so I did now. I wrote lyrics too because there was so much things happened for me in 2004. So every lyrics are from my life. But on next album, I think, Josey and Juska are going to write lyrics too.

What inspired you for this album?

Jape: Like I said it's my life! But musically we were so happy we could start a new period in our life! And it goes better all the time. You know we're learning from each others all the time.

Where did you record it? And who is a producer?

Jape: It's recorded in our hometown Kouvola at Sonicimages studios. It's recorded by our friend J.J. Nippala. We are producers ourselves with J.J. But we really hope that we could have some producer like Johnny Lee Michaels to our next album.

How would you compare IV with the previous albums?

Jape: These songs are easier to listen, I think. There songs are shorter and more simple. There's more rock'n'roll and there's not that much programming stuff. This is a honest album!

Is there any guest appearances on IV?

Jape: Yes, there's Anna Lukkarinen and Katja Kallio singing female parts, and Tomi Uotinen played cello.

Who made this beautiful cover for IV?

Jape: It's done by Travis Smith from Belgium. And I agree that it's nice!

Why did you choose Little Deaths as a single?

Jape: There's no big story for that question:) At Spinefarm office we just said that this could be a single song and that's it. Do you think there's more songs for a single?

It looks like you have quite many gigs abroad this year. What you expect from this tour?

Jape: We're trying to play better gigs than we used to. And we really enjoy touring. I don't like to be here in Finland ! This country sucks a big time! And we're going to so more shows around the world!

Seams like your previous brightest tour was with Sentenced, In Flames and Dark Tranquility. How happened To/Die/For appeared in such a brilliant company. What do you remember from those days? Is something like this possible nowadays?

Jape: Yes. And after that we were touring with Lacrimosa! Well, it was so fucking great to tour with those band, and all of them were so fucking great persons! By the way In Flames is my favourite metal band ever. And Sentenced is always been close to me! But yesterday I heard that Sentenced upcoming album is their last one! It pissed me off!

Finnish bands quite often go South America. Why?

Jape: There's a lot of fans! Without fans you don't have to go anywhere! And when we have fans in China , when we're going there:) Well, and I like dark haired girls:)

You've been to Russia before? What do you remember now? What was good and what was bad?

Jape: Our first gig in St.Petersburg was awful! Tonmi was too drunk to play (again!), but in Moscow everything went great and we noticed that we have lots of fans there! It's much better place to play than Finland. Finland sucks like I told you.

What do you expect from coming to Moscow now? Please, say something to your Russian fans.

Jape: I don't know. I hope that our fans didn't forget us. And I hope that we could do great show for our audience. So Russian fans, ba there and have fun with us!

Five years ago all this Finnish so called love metal with gothic motives was very popular at least in Europe. Do you feel that interest to this music is going down? Do you see any future for this kind of music?

Jape: It's hard to day. I think it goes a little bit down, but bands which are not going to stop will be bigger in the future of course! It's funny, because there's bands who are changing their music style:) Fucking assholes. But we're always what we are, and we are not going to stop! Someday there will be our album number 10 at the stores, I promise!

What music is the most interesting for you nowadays?

Jape: Oh, I'm always listened every kind of music. From Depeche Mode to In Flames. But newest great bands for me is Muse and Mew. And there's many other bands.

To/Die/For has quite long history. Do you regret about something? What would you like to change now if you could?

Jape: I think our history is not that long yet:) And now I don't want to change anything. My dream is that we could grow all the time slowly! Because bands which are growing fast they also die fast, you know. But I want to change this fucking winter to summer time!

Jape was interviewed by Maria Key and Melamory