(in the above picture, left-to-right: Jari, Sami, Jaakko and Edu)

Jari Aarniala, guitars

Equipment

Ibanez J-custom RG8420ZD, ESP Ltd EC-1000, Jackson Dinky DK2 with Bare Knuckles. Framus Dragon 4×12″. Digital modelling toys.

Musical influences

Pain of Salvation, Queen, Opeth, Insomnium, Muse, Katatonia, SikTh

Musical goals

A whole album’s worth of Embreach.

Life outside Embreach

The missus & the dog. Travelling. Work at Reaktor.

Playlist, November 2008

Sara - Veden Äärelle
Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God
SikTh - Death of a Dead Day

Jaakko Mäkilä, bass

Equipment

Spector Legend 4 Custom, Gallien-Krueger 700RB-II, Gallien-Krueger 410 RBX, Gallien-Krueger Diesel Dawg

Musical influences

Pink Floyd, Faith No More, Killswitch Engage

Musical goals

To improve my notes per second average

Life outside Embreach

Family and friends

Playlist, September 2008

Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
The Haunted - Versus

The history

The roots of Embreach lie within its predecessor Blindfold, which was founded in 1999 by Jari Halonen (guitar), Sami Honkonen (vocals) and Toni Enqvist (guitar). The initial idea was not to form a metal band, but just to play a few cover songs at one gig. Everyone in the band was inexperienced and young. And we needed the money.

Some time passed and, out of the blue, Enqvist composed a song for Blindfold. Honkonen had tried to relieve some of his teenage anger into poems and one of them now became the lyrics for the first epic song, “Kiss My Tears Away”.

Pekka Jokinen joined the band to play bass guitar and Lasse Lindroos to play the drums. In 2000 Blindfold released its first demo “Through these eyes”, which contained five songs. Blindfold played gigs in local bars, despite the fact that the members were underaged, and at concerts of the senior high school that most of the members went to.

Each new song was a huge step forward musically. However, there was no clear direction and the songs didn’t really have much in common with each other. Nevertheless, Blindfold released their second demo in 2001 called “Vanity of Vanities”. They became the headliner of school concerts.

The next few years were quiet because of changes in the line-up. Jarno Vanhanen replaced Lasse Lindroos on the drums, since Lindroos wanted to to concentrate on his other project, Dewian. Pekka Jokinen decided that the music Blindfold was composing was not his style and left. He was replaced by the founding member Jari Halonen who switched from guitar to bass.

Jari Aarniala was asked to audition for the band. It was more of a formality all the other members knew that Aarniala had the required guitar skills. Also his views on composition and arrangements were very welcome. Jari Halonen had to leave the band since he moved to Spain and he was replaced by Juho Karenko.

With these line-up changes the band was reincarnated with a new name, Embreach. In 2004 Embreach released their first demo “End of the Line”, which was recorded and mixed by Toni Näykki, guitarist from such bands as Soulgrind and Twilight Ophera.

Finally the individual skills of each member were at a sufficient level. The songs contained some good ideas, but were still more like pea soup than gourmet food. The most important thing is that everyone was very enthusiastic about the band and they rehearsed like hell.

The next huge plunge was the promo “Her Grace” recorded at D-Studio in 2006. It was proof that the band really had potential. The promo was very well received and got good reviews in metal magazines and web sites. The style of Embreach had formed to be melodic death metal with a progressive touch. “Her Grace” has three songs but still runs over 21 minutes.

Juho Karenko took a job as a peace keeper in Kosovo and he was replaced by Jaakko Mäkilä. Also very shortly after the release Vanhanen had to leave the band. He was too busy with his other band, Tacere, which caused problems and was wearing everyone out. Embreach started looking for a new drummer, but replacing Vanhanen turned out to be quite a challenge. Embreach kept composing new songs while looking for a new drummer. Several guys auditioned, some of them really good, but still not quite what the band was looking for. This phase of slow boiling continued for almost two years.

At the start of 2008 Embreach had several great songs ready, but no drummer. The auditions were ceased and Vanhanen was asked to play the songs in the studio. Embreach reinforced with Vanhanen recorded four of the best new songs in the turn of June and July at Sound Supreme Studios in Hämeenlinna with Janne Saksa, who is a respected sound engineer known for his work with, for example, Mokoma.

On 11th of August 2008 the EP bearing the name “Deafening Silence” was released. Containing four superior melodic death metal songs it hopefully lifts Embreach to the pedestal of great metal bands.