JANNE WIRMAN Begins Life After CHILDREN OF BODOM With New WARMEN Album: 'It's Part Of My Healing Process'

By David E. Gehlke

WARMEN's new "Here For None" full-length is intentionally the album CHILDREN OF BODOM never got to make. BODOM dissolved in 2019, nearly a year before Alexi Laiho, the band's leader, co-founder, primary songwriter and vocalist/guitarist, passed away in December 2020. Laiho initially attributed BODOM's breakup to his bandmembers' (keyboardist Janne "Warman" Wirman, bassist Henri "Henkka T. Blacksmith" Seppälä and drummer Jaska Raatikainen) lack of interest in touring, but the trio stated Laiho's substance abuse issues were the cause. Whatever the case, Laiho's death put a permanent end to a unit whose unlikely ascent to the top of the Finnish metal scene surprised everyone — including themselves.

WARMEN is Wirman's long-running namesake solo outfit. The band was last heard from via 2014's "First Of The Five Elements", but a re-tooled lineup that includes ENSIFERUM vocalist Petri Lindroos and DANIEL LIONEYE drummer Seppo Tarvainen has provided the keyboardist the prime opportunity to write an album that unabashedly picks up the BODOM torch and runs with it. It's an admirable, if not satisfying, take on the BODOM sound, something Wirman promptly conveyed when he connected with BLABBERMOUTH.NET to talk about "Here For None" and Laiho.

Blabbermouth: Considering all that has transpired in the last few years, was doing the new WARMEN album part of your healing process?

Janne: "It sure was. I didn't realize when we started doing it because I'm not that smart of a person, but when we started writing the music, I realized after a few songs it was a tribute to Alexi and his songwriting. So, yes, you're correct. It's also part of my healing process of the very violent end of BODOM and then the fucking tragic loss of Alexi."

Blabbermouth: Were these songs written before or after he passed?

Janne: "Right afterward."

Blabbermouth: Were you even planning on doing another WARMEN? The last one came out in 2014.

Janne: "No. When BODOM ended and Alexi fucking died, I was 'musically depressed.' I didn't feel like making any music or playing the keyboard. But my brother [Antti, guitar] and bass player, Jyri [Helko], talked me into it and said, 'Let's try writing some riffs. If we feel like it, we can do something.' We sat down and wrote some pretty awesome stuff. We thought, 'Okay. Let's fucking do this.' [Laughs]"

Blabbermouth: Do you now feel responsible for carrying the BODOM legacy?

Janne: "I do not want to take that on my shoulders. I love BODOM. I realize the band isn't active, but I'm a huge fan. [Laughs] I think the band made some amazing music. I'm not trying to carry the legacy. It was all Alexi's songwriting and it was so magical. No one could ever copy any of that. It's not possible. I'm doing my own thing as well as possible, but I don't mind if it sounds a little like BODOM. I'm definitely not trying to carry the torch in that sense."

Blabbermouth: How did Petri from ENSIFERUM get involved?

Janne: "When we started writing the songs, I first had in my mind to have shouting vocals with some melody in the choruses. I was going to ask Bjorn Strid [SOILWORK]. It was during Covid when we wrote the music and I saw a Facebook post from him about him saying he was available. I thought, 'Fuck. I'll talk to Bjorn about singing.' Then we wrote more riffs and it became more brutal. I thought, 'Fuck. We need someone who will scream the whole album.' I had a bunch of ideas for people who I never contacted. I thought, 'Who would be the perfect fit?' I've known Petri for 25 years and wanted to ask him. With the addition of Petri, I realized it would be one more notch closer to BODOM. I wasn't worried about that anymore. I was like, 'Fuck it. Let's do it.'"

Blabbermouth: He's a good choice. We can't forget that he was in NORTHER before ENSIFERUM, who was regularly referred to as a BODOM clone.

Janne: "Oh yeah. I've been surprised by how positive the feedback has been and how much kids still remember NORTHER and BODOM. It seems like a lot of kids are super-happy about Pete joining us."

Blabbermouth: You have a full lineup. Does this mean you'll take WARMEN out on the road?

Janne: "We're definitely going to do some shows. It feels good. It feels good to have Pete with us. We won't be a real touring band anytime soon. The music business has changed so much since Covid. It's weird out there, so I'm not planning on making a full comeback as a musician. But it feels so much fun right now that we are going to play some shows and festivals."

Blabbermouth: To that point, you spent nearly your entire adult life on the road or in the studio. What has the adjustment been like not being on tour?

Janne: "It could have been weird. [Laughs] I always wanted to become an architect. When BODOM ended and I was clueless about what to do with my life, my wife said, 'Why don't you apply to school and get your architecture degree?' I just got my Bachelor's. I now have two more years for my Master's. Then I'm an architect."

Blabbermouth: That's awesome.

Janne: "That was my dream since I was a little kid, but I got sidetracked. [Laughs] I can't complain. I traveled the world for 22 years and am now studying like all the other kids."

Blabbermouth: So if BODOM hadn't worked out, you would have become an architect? Then again, you only get one shot at doing a band like BODOM.

Janne: "BODOM, how it started was so weird and magical now that I think about it. The music was so weird and we were sure it wouldn't go anywhere, but it got huge. We had to keep doing it. I had to keep doing it because it felt right."

Blabbermouth: Do people recognize you in school?

Janne: "Not much. The kids are so much younger! [Laughs]"

Blabbermouth: It's pretty amazing how things have changed for you in a few years.

Janne: "That's why I'm in a good headspace with WARMEN. It's so much fun because it's not my main gig. My future is not dependent on it. It's just great fun doing great metal music with awesome dudes. I'm super excited and super happy about the new WARMEN. I love the album. I think it turned out better than expected. It's just fucking fun."

Blabbermouth: On the flip side, do you mind if I ask whether the shock has worn off over Alexi's death?

Janne: "It has, yes. First, it was the shock of the band ending so violently. We had invested 20 years in it and suddenly, because of one person's problems, the band disappeared. That was the initial thing. Then he fucking died a year after. It was a difficult time mentally. Then we couldn't come out with the truth of why the band ended because we had to respect his passing. Those couple of years were pretty difficult. I'm in a great space with BODOM. It helps because I'm doing WARMEN."

Blabbermouth: You and Alexi were close. Did you feel helpless when he started having his issues?

Janne: "Alexi's downfall started in 2016. I don't know what caused him to do that. He told me but didn't tell anyone else in the band — he made sure no one else was in the room — and told me, 'Dude, from now on, I'm going to drink until I die.' I said, 'Fuck, man. You can't say that to me.' He said it another time in 2018. I knew that was what he was doing — he said he wouldn't take any help for his medical issues. He was going to keep drinking. That's what he did, which is fucking crazy. A lot of people who haven't had a family friend or work buddy or someone who is sick with alcoholism, a lot of people don't understand you cannot help the person who doesn't want help. He had decided he didn't want help and would keep drinking until he died. That's what he did."

Blabbermouth: Was that the cause of so much tension during the last years of BODOM?

Janne: "Yeah. The last years were pretty bad. There was a lot of bullshit. It's so crazy because he was in such a good place a couple of years before. He was happy about being sober and on tour, and the shows were good. I don't know what happened to him. Something pushed him over the edge where he decided, 'Fuck it. I'm going to keep drinking.'"

Blabbermouth: BODOM always had a pretty stable lineup and it seems people wanted to help him, making it hard to understand.

Janne: "Alexi was getting help at some point and doing better, but he was also very difficult to support and help him. I don't know. He wasn't the type of guy that wanted…I guess he was seeking support from somewhere else rather than his bandmates. I don't know. It's a weird situation."

Blabbermouth: How hard was it to keep quiet about the real reasons behind BODOM's breakup?

Janne: "It was pretty bad. Henka, he's so sensitive, a vegan-sensitive artist. [Laughs] It was hard for him. He had to stop reading all the comments online. I didn't care much because I knew the truth would come out one day and we were completely safe with what had happened. All I can say is I'm happy everything is great right now. We talk to the estate and Alexi's sister a lot. We have a lot of things going on. I feel positive about keeping the BODOM legacy alive. We have a bar in Espoo [Bodom Bar And Sauna]. It's great. I was there on Sunday and one crazy thing is that I go there once a month and meet international fans who travel to see the bar every time I go there. That's fucking great. That's what we wanted the bar to become. We wanted it to become the center of the BODOM community where everyone can meet up."