By Jai “That Aussie Metal Guy”
Finland has long been a cradle of groundbreaking metal, and 2025 just introduced another force to reckon with: Underwater Father. Formed in the summer of 2024, this extreme metal collective is the shadowy sibling of Of Spite, made up of members looking to channel a more stripped-down and emotionally raw sound. Spearheaded by Samu Haatainen, the band brings together black, death, and melodic metal in a form that’s as philosophical as it is pulverizing.
The release of their debut EP “Without Waves” via Inverse Records, a powerful and thought-provoking five-track plunge into themes of karma, death, unity, and existential search. Paired with the release of their third music video “My Name is Your Name”, Underwater Father delivers a soundscape that is both crushing and poetic — heavy with meaning, yet not afraid to carry dark humor along the way.
The EP was produced in collaboration with Saku Moilanen (Deep Noise Studios), who handled the drums, mixing, and mastering. The rest was a DIY labor of love from the band themselves, matched visually by a haunting cover artwork by Jouko Alapartanen, titled Cathedral of Death.
I caught up with Underwater Father to discuss the band’s origins, sonic identity, lyrical depth, and what’s next in their journey.
Interview with Underwater Father
1. First off, congratulations on the release of your debut EP “Without Waves”! How does it feel to finally have it out in the world?
Underwater Father: Thank you! It feels great. The project was long and educational.
2. Can you take us back to the formation of Underwater Father in 2024? What inspired this project, and how did it differ from your work with Of Spite?
Of Spite’s complex songwriting and band dynamics needed a counterbalance — something simpler, more emotion-driven, and more direct to satisfy our musical urges. Personally, I also wanted to try my hand at being a death metal vocalist and lyricist instead of just tormenting the guitar.
3. The title “Without Waves” is a powerful metaphor. Can you tell us more about its meaning and how it connects to the themes explored on the EP?
Without waves, there would only be emptiness. Waves have their crests and troughs — just like everything in life. As above, so below. There’s a lot to unpack here psychologically, scientifically, and even religiously. The theme appears in songs like My Name is Your Name, which explores unity and dualism through a pirate revenge story. And of course, our name is Underwater Father.
4. Your sound fuses raw black and death metal elements with melodic layers — what was the creative process like in shaping this balance?
It was experimental. The vision for a final sound that would serve both ends emerged quite intuitively as we went along.
5. You’ve mentioned bands like Mgła, Horna, Uada, and Sentenced as influences. How have these artists helped shape the Underwater Father sound, and what do you take from both the extreme and melodic sides of metal?
Above all, those bands have influenced our song structures — combining the primal force of extreme metal with melodic segments as distinct parts. This contrast helps create dynamic depth and builds those powerful “highlight” moments in the songs.
6. The lyrics dive into themes like karma, death, and existential reasoning — heavy stuff! Where do these themes come from personally or philosophically for you as a band?
As the lyricist, I draw inspiration from occult, psychological, metaphysical, and philosophical literature. I’m also very much a “seeker of truth” in my civilian life.
7. There’s also a touch of dark humor running through your work — how do you approach balancing that with such serious and emotional themes?
As I mentioned earlier, Underwater Father started out as a side project to Of Spite. So in the beginning, there was maybe an unnecessarily therapeutic element to it — including emotional processing through humor — rather than an ultra-serious goal-oriented mindset. Even though we’ve grown more serious about the band, that dark humor still lingers in the background. I don’t think a death metal band should take itself too seriously anyway.
8. You worked with Saku Moilanen at Deep Noise Studios on drums, mixing, and mastering — what did he bring to the table in helping you achieve the sound you envisioned?
Saku is a true professional and very easy to work with. He was like the genie in the lamp for this project — a wish-granter.
9. The cover art by Jouko Alapartanen is striking. How did that collaboration come about, and what does the artwork represent to you in the context of the EP?
Since our skills lie mostly in musical expression, we decided to look for a cover artist on social media. Jouko happened to have a finished piece titled Cathedral of Death, which resonated with us instantly. This crumbled human-faced ruin beautifully reflects the imagery of the “Underwater Father.”
10. What’s next for Underwater Father? Are there plans for live shows, more videos, or perhaps a full-length in the works?
We’re actively looking for gigs and rehearsing new material all the time. Right now, the plan is to record a second EP as soon as we’re fully happy with the new songs. Work on more videos will also likely continue alongside future releases.
11. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this — on behalf of our readers and your fans, thank you. Do you have any last words?
Thank you — the pleasure was ours. Namaste! ;D
🖤 Be sure to check out Underwater Father’s new EP “Without Waves” — available now via Inverse Records, and keep an eye on their socials for more updates as this killer new act continues to make waves in the underground metal scene.
Listen to the EP on music services (Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer jne.): https://push.fm/fl/underwaterfather-withoutwaves
