The discussion naturally started by looking back. Stam1na has celebrated major milestones over the past decade, but one moment clearly rises above the rest. Their ambitious anniversary arena production remains one of the proudest achievements in the band’s history. Originally delayed by the pandemic, finally bringing the show to life with actors, visual storytelling and classical musicians sharing the stage, made the experience even more meaningful. Looking back, Antti admits it was “probably one of the highlights of our career,” while Pekka agrees without hesitation. Yet despite celebrating those accomplishments, both quickly steer the conversation away from nostalgia and towards what still excites them most: whatever comes next.

That perfectly echoed something we had discussed during our first meeting in 2016. Back then Stam1na spoke about constantly trying to do something different, and ten years later that philosophy remains firmly intact. Having released eleven albums, they could easily settle into familiar territory, but that simply doesn’t interest them. Antti explains that the band is “most excited about the new things,” whether that means experimenting with production, exploring different sounds or introducing unexpected elements such as horns into their latest material. Rather than treating a long career as an excuse to celebrate old successes, Stam1na still approaches each record as an opportunity to surprise themselves first.

That same mindset shapes how they view the wider music industry. While streaming services, artificial intelligence and countless other developments have transformed the landscape around them, Stam1na deliberately keeps its philosophy remarkably simple. “You can’t go chasing trends,” Antti says matter-of-factly. Instead, music has to satisfy the band themselves before anyone else. Commercial considerations come second to creative honesty, a principle that has helped them navigate three decades of constant change without losing their identity.

Although Stam1na has long been one of Finland’s defining metal bands, the members still light up when discussing opportunities beyond their home country. Finland remains their primary focus, but playing abroad offers something increasingly rare: the chance to start from scratch. “It’s like a holiday for us,” Antti laughs, explaining that performing in countries like Belgium means facing audiences who may never have heard the band’s name before. Unlike Tuska, where experience has made many things comfortably predictable, international shows demand that Stam1na win over every crowd from the very first song. Rather than seeing that as pressure, they embrace it as a welcome challenge—and, as Pekka jokes, “we are getting younger every year.”

The interview came to a fitting conclusion with another callback to our first meeting. Before wrapping up, I reminded them of one particularly memorable topic from 2016: their unforgettable verdict on Belgium’s infamous Cara Pils. The beer still received little affection, but the shared joke perfectly captured the spirit of the conversation. Beneath the humour, however, Antti ended on a more heartfelt note. It still amazes the band that listeners across the world connect so deeply with songs performed entirely in Finnish. “Music is universal,” he reflects, expressing genuine gratitude towards everyone who embraces Stam1na without understanding a single lyric. After ten years, it felt like an appropriate reminder of why this reunion mattered in the first place.

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