What began as a simple studio collaboration has grown into Progeny of Sun, one of Finland’s rising names in extreme metal. With their latest release Prophets of the Void, the band reflects on their unexpected beginnings, the challenges of a crowded scene, and the creative vision driving their music forward.
Serial Metalbums: Take us back to 2017—what sparked the idea of forming Progeny of Sun, and how did the members find each other? Which artists or genres outside of metal have unexpectedly shaped your sound or songwriting?
Tuomo Tolkki: Guitarist Jaakko and vocalist Niko coincidentally searched for a studio project simultaneously on a Finnish forum intended for musicians (muusikoiden.net). Initially, Progeny of Sun was not even meant to become an actual band - it happened completely by chance. An interesting chain reaction started when Jaakko already knew the other guitarist Joni, who in turn knew the drummer Juha, and he then knew the bassist Tuomo. Suddenly, a five-member band was formed in 2019, and the same lineup continues to operate to this day.
We don't have many musical influences outside metal. But maybe some video games, books, and movies might have some part in the process.
Serial Metalbums: How has Finland’s extreme metal environment influenced your growth as a band, both creatively and in terms of opportunities?
Tuomo Tolkki: Of course the environment itself has a huge influence in the decision to start making metal music in the first place. There are a lot of good bands here that we listened to while growing up, but there are loads in other countries as well. Opportunity wise it makes things more difficult than good, there are so many bands that compete for the same spots in limited venues and festivals.
Serial Metalbums: Your first EP, Progeny of Sun (2019), introduced your sound to the world. Looking back, what stands out to you most about that debut recording? Dark Wanderer (2021) showed growth and darker atmospheres. What lessons or experiences from that EP carried into your later work?
Tuomo Tolkki: The self-titled EP was created as a duo by Niko and Jaakko. It was an experimental work, made purely out of interest without any intention of becoming a goal-oriented band. However, this taught them that perhaps the project has a future and could become a real band. "Dark Wanderer" was the first release made by the fully formed five-member band. Through "Dark Wanderer," the direction was found for what kind of entity Progeny of Sun would truly become. Important lessons were learned with "Dark Wanderer" on how to run band activities in general and how the musicians should communicate to achieve the best possible outcome.
Serial Metalbums: Your first full album, Throne of Desolation, marked a turning point. What did you set out to accomplish with that record?
Tuomo Tolkki: In the early 2020s, we had a large number of demos, most of which worked perfectly as they were. A few demos were mutually discarded during the production phase because they didn’t reach the same level as the others. We knew that we had something good in the works, and that the demos needed to be developed into a complete album. In a way, the pressure from having the songs sitting idle started to build up, which automatically pushed us towards the production phase. We constantly want to see the band grow and also for the band members to learn through the process, and we are still very proud of Throne of Desolation even today. With this album, we discovered a lot of new artistic visions and practical implementation methods, which is a major reason for the outcome of Prophets of the Void.
Serial Metalbums: Prophets of the Void has just arrived. How would you describe the journey from initial concept to finished album? And in what ways do you feel the band’s chemistry has shifted between those two full-lengths?
Tuomo Tolkki: At this point, with the debut album behind us, we already had good experience of what making an album actually requires. The composers were actively involved in composing in 2023 already, and demos were created rapidly and naturally. The composers knew how to perfectly utilize their drive when creativity was flowing. Instead of just playing for fun among friends, the whole band also became more professional at this stage. We dare to be honest with each other and like to challenge one another to ensure the best possible outcome. It's definitely not always easy or pleasant, but at the end of the day, this is art, and making art requires active contention. This is our way of operating, and we have found it to be effective and serving Progeny of Sun in the best possible way.
Serial Metalbums: Beyond music, are there books, films, or personal experiences that feed into your lyrical ideas?
Niko Aromaa: Most of my life I have been influenced by videogames. Fallout series, Diablo series, Heroes of Might and Magic series, Doom series, Starcraft series, World of Warcraft and many many more. Also Lovecraft stuff and post-apocalyptic movies like The Road, The Book of Eli, Matrix or Mad Max.
Serial Metalbums: What stands out to you about today’s Finnish extreme metal scene compared to when you started in 2017? Are there any up-and-coming bands—Finnish or international—that you think deserve more attention right now?
Niko Aromaa: Well I think it's a bit different, mostly just genre wise different. I loved extreme metal back in the day like Gloria Morti or Scent of Flesh. But these days it's more deathcore “ish”, like Assemble the Chariots, Enemies Everywhere or Ode of Disgrace.
Serial Metalbums: What are your plans for touring or festivals in support of Prophets of the Void?
Tuomo Tolkki: We are currently aiming for the Finnish summer festivals in 2026. Also abroad, if reasonable and cost-effective opportunities arise. In addition to festivals, we will, of course, be actively touring clubs across Finland in 2025-2026!