A. The New Single: “The Blood On Their Hands”
1.”The Blood On Their Hands” is a powerful, accusatory title. Whose hands are you singing about, and what is the crime or betrayal that has blood on it?
Tommi:
I got inspiration for the lyrics from the Netflix series The Fall of the House of Usher.
I’ve also watched other series and programs dealing with questionable medical practices.
Because of that, I was inspired to write lyrics around this theme.
The story of the song is completely fictional, but we believe that throughout history, highly questionable methods have been used in medicine when developing drugs.
2. Musically, the single is described as a “perfect storm” of blackened death aggression and thrash precision. Can you break down how these genres collide in this specific track? Is there a moment that best represents the “Gates Open” fusion sound?
Jere:
For us, “blackened death aggression” is above all about attitude and atmosphere,
that raw, almost chaotic energy that doesn’t ask for permission.
You can hear it especially in the tone of the riffs and the intensity of the vocals.
The thrash element, on the other hand, brings discipline: tight rhythms, sharp accents, and the idea that even though the music is aggressive, it remains razor-sharp rather than uncontrolled noise.
These genres collide in the song through dark, heavy riffs that are played with thrash-style precision and groove-focused thinking.
We didn’t want to choose between chaos and control, we wanted to force them to coexist in the same space.
If I had to point out one moment that best captures the core of Gates Open’s fusion sound, it would be the riff right after the intro: death-driven aggression pushing forward at full force, while the rhythm section keeps everything locked in with thrash-like precision.
That’s where the “perfect storm” really comes together.
3. As a single following your Black Clouds Over The World EP, does “The Blood On Their Hands” continue a thematic narrative, or is it a standalone burst of fury?
The Blood On Their Hands is a standalone song, but it has clear connections to both the Black Clouds Over The World EP and the Voice After Silence album.
The core idea behind Gates Open is to tell stories about the darkness of the world through both fact and fiction, and in this song those two dimensions merge.
While it works as an independent outburst of rage, it carries the same dark narrative vision that ties our entire catalog together and gives it continuity.
4. The lyric video was created by Deep S. What was the creative direction you gave to ensure the visuals matched the song’s dark and haunting atmosphere?
We explained what inspired us when writing the song.
We suggested horror-influenced elements such as laboratories, testing devices, human experiments, and mad scientists.
Beyond those guidelines, we gave the creator free hands, and the end result was pretty much perfect.
No changes were needed once the video was completed.
B. The Duo Dynamic & Creative Process
5. Gates Open is a duo with a highly efficient division of labor: Jere handles all instrumentation and production, Tommi handles vocals and lyrics. How does this clear separation of duties streamline your creative process and contribute to your “tightly honed” sound?
Tommi:
It’s true that Jere handles all the instrumentation and production and I handle the vocals.
However, lyrics in our production come from both of us.
Some are written together, and some lyrics are also written by outside contributors.
Jere generally handles the pre-arrangements of fitting lyrics to the music, after which I refine the lyrics into their final form.
From there, we make any necessary adjustments together in full agreement before arriving at the final production version.
6. Jere, composing and performing all guitars, bass, and drums allows for complete musical unity. What is the biggest challenge and the greatest advantage of being a one-man instrumental army in the studio?
Jere:
The biggest advantage is definitely that the overall vision stays consistent from start to finish.
When I compose and perform all the instruments, I can think of the song as a whole rather than as separate parts.
Riffs, bass lines, and drum patterns are born from the same breath, in a way.
That makes the music tight and purposeful, with nothing left in a “grey area.”
The biggest challenge is also the same thing: when working alone, there’s no immediate second perspective to challenge ideas.
You have to be brutally honest with yourself and able to question your own decisions so you don’t repeat yourself or take the easy route.
In the studio, being a “one-man instrumental army” means a lot of responsibility, but also freedom.
I can refine details as much as the song requires, and that comes through in Gates Open’s signature tightness and controlled aggression.
7. Tommi, how does your lyrical and vocal approach adapt to the intricate, multi-layered soundscapes Jere creates? Do you write to completed instrumentals, or is there a back-and-forth?
Tommi:
This genre has felt natural to me since my teenage years.
I started practicing death-grunt vocals before I was 18, so this form of expression is deeply rooted in what I do.
Jere’s complex and layered soundscapes give the lyrics and vocals both space and challenge, which for me is more inspiring than limiting.
Lyrics are usually written separately from the music and later matched to the instrumental that feels the most natural for them.
At the same time, the process isn’t one-directional, there’s clear back-and-forth interaction, and the songs take their final shape through that dialogue.
8. Your collaboration roots go back to 2007. How has your creative chemistry evolved from your earlier projects to the laser-focused vision of Gates Open?
Let’s put it this way: our creative chemistry has clearly evolved into something much more straightforward and focused with Gates Open compared to previous projects.
With a two-person lineup, the process is tighter, decisions are made faster, and the shared vision stays clear.
This two-man chemistry genuinely works, and because of it, songs are completed much more smoothly than before.
Gates Open’s laser-focused vision has grown directly from this clarity and mutual trust.
C. Rapid Rise & The Finnish Sound
9. Since founding in 2023, you’ve released a staggering amount of high-quality material: multiple singles, a full-length album, an EP, and now this new single. What fuels this incredibly prolific pace?
Tommi:
Jere has been composing his entire life.
There have been half-finished songs sitting in a drawer for years, waiting to be completed.
By 2023, many of the songs we’ve released were already nearly finished.
When we decided to form a new two-man band after a few years’ break, it brought a whole new wave of inspiration and motivation, and material started flowing naturally.
10. You are a fully self-managed band on Inverse Records. How does maintaining total creative control shape your decisions, from songwriting to release strategy?
Jere:
Complete creative control means that all decisions are driven by the music itself, not by schedules or outside expectations.
In songwriting, it allows us to follow the song’s own logic, if a track needs more time, a darker mood, or a more aggressive approach, we give it space instead of forcing it into a mold.
In terms of release strategy, self-direction means we want every single to feel like a meaningful step forward, not just a content-filler release.
For us, it’s more important to release less often but with impact than to follow constant release pressure.
Inverse Records provides the framework and support, but trust goes both ways.
When the responsibility is fully in our hands, the commitment to the end result is deeper, and that’s reflected both in the music and in how Gates Open builds its path for the long run.
11. The FFO list (Children of Bodom, Norther, Arch Enemy) places you in a very specific lineage of Finnish melodic extreme metal. How do you honor that national legacy while ensuring Gates Open has its own distinct voice?
Tommi:
Finnish melodic extreme metal heritage is an important foundation for us, and it can’t, and doesn’t need to be denied.
In my opinion, Jere’s compositions clearly carry a Nordic melodeath undertone, but at the same time they have their own unique sound that doesn’t lean directly on any single influence.
My biggest vocal inspirations include Alexi Laiho, Petri Lindroos, Shagrath, Spellgoth, Mc Raaka Pee, and Dani Filth.
From them I’ve absorbed attitude, expression, and boldness, but the goal has never been to sound like any of them.
Gates Open’s voice is born from filtering these influences through our own vision into something uniquely ours.
12. Coming from Seinäjoki/Orivesi, outside the major hubs, how does your location influence your sound and your approach to the music scene?
Jere:
Coming from Orivesi mainly means that we don’t make music on the scene’s terms, but from our own starting point.
Outside major centers, focus naturally shifts to the work itself, less noise, less comparison, more time to dive deep into sound and songwriting.
Sonically, that probably translates into a certain roughness and directness.
There’s no need to polish things or chase trends, the music can be heavy, dark, and honest.
As for the scene, our approach is more inside-out than outside-in.
Location isn’t a limitation, it gives us the freedom to build our identity without pressure to belong to any specific wave.
For Gates Open, Orivesi / Seinäjoki is more of an anchor than a restriction.
D. Sound & Production Philosophy
13. Jere, you are the composer, performer, and producer. What is your production philosophy for Gates Open? Are you chasing a modern, polished aggression or a more raw, organic brutality?
Jere:
Gates Open’s production philosophy is built on balance between modern refinement and raw aggression.
I don’t chase clinical perfection for its own sake, but I also don’t romanticize uncontrolled rawness.
What matters most is that the song’s energy and intent come through as powerfully as possible.
Modern production gives tools to make aggression precise, riffs stand out, rhythms stay tight, and the music holds up to repeated listening.
At the same time, I aim to leave in organic elements and small imperfections that keep the music alive and dangerous.
In the end, production always serves the song.
If a track needs a sharp, almost surgical edge, I let it be modern.
If it needs more dirt and weight, I don’t clean it away.
Gates Open’s sound comes from making aggression feel both physical and emotional, not just technical.
14. The term “blackened death/thrash” is precise. Can you define what the “blackened” element brings to your music that pure death/thrash would not have? Is it in the atmosphere, the vocal style, or the melodic approach?
Jere:
For us, “blackened” doesn’t just mean black metal influences in a technical sense, it’s about a certain spiritual and atmospheric layer.
Pure death/thrash often focuses on physical force and direct aggression; we want to add coldness, darkness, and a sense of something larger and more threatening.
This comes through primarily in atmosphere and melodic thinking.
Riffs and melodies aren’t meant to be heroic or groove-driven, but more oppressive, repetitive, and slightly uncomfortable.
The goal is to create a feeling that doesn’t just hit, it lingers and weighs on the listener afterward.
Vocally, the “blackened” aspect shows as intensity and expression rather than a specific technique.
It’s more ritualistic than purely brutal, as if the voice is part of the song’s dark texture rather than something layered on top.
By combining this blackened dimension with the physical power of death/thrash, Gates Open creates its defining tension, aggressive yet cold, direct yet disturbing.
15. With such a dense, multi-instrumental sound coming from one person, how do you approach arranging the music to ensure it sounds massive but not cluttered?
Jere:
Clarity is the biggest challenge.
For Gates Open, massiveness doesn’t come from stacking endless layers, but from giving each element a clear role and space.
I think of arrangements more in terms of movement and dynamics than as a solid wall of sound.
Everything isn’t at full force all the time, tension is built through contrast.
Heavy, crushing sections are paired with more open moments so the next impact feels even bigger.
Technically, the riff carries the core of the song.
If a riff doesn’t work on its own, it won’t work buried under layers either.
Bass and drums exist to reinforce the structure, not compete with it.
In the end, it comes down to discipline: knowing when to add, and when not to.
That’s what makes the sound massive while still giving it direction and shape.
E. Themes and The “Voice After Silence”
16.The album title Voice After Silence is evocative. Was there a period of “silence” before Gates Open, and what is the “voice” that is now speaking so relentlessly through your music?
Tommi:
The title refers to the silent period between our previous band and Gates Open, but not to the end of creative work.
Jere was constantly making music, and many Gates Open songs began during that time, some even earlier.
My own creative focus was on other projects, and life circumstances were a bit more challenging, so Gates Open hadn’t fully taken shape yet.
When the timing was right and the pieces finally clicked, this “voice” after silence emerged.
Lyrically, Gates Open opens gates in many directions: inner darkness, moral contradictions, and societal shadow sides.
It’s not about preaching, but storytelling — mixing fact and fiction and letting the listener decide which gates to open and how deep to look.
17. Lyrically, what are the recurring gates that are being opened in your songs? Are they gates to inner darkness, societal critique, or other realms?
We kind of already answered this in the previous question.
18. What is the darkest cloud in Black Clouds Over The World, and what is the bloodiest hand in “The Blood On Their Hands”? Are these themes connected?
Tommi:
In Black Clouds Over The World, the darkest cloud is the “poison nurse”.
A character where predator and prey merge and nightmares coming true.
It represents a moment where power, care, and death are turned upside down, and the line between good and evil blurs.
In “The Blood On Their Hands” , the bloodiest hands belong to scientists who have developed medicines at the cost of human and animal lives.
The intention may have been good, but the methods were questionable, often driven by money, while consequences were ignored.
The themes connect through responsibility and abuse of power, how a role seen as good can become destructive when morality fades and boundaries are crossed.
F. The Future of the Duo
19. With this prolific track record, is “The Blood On Their Hands” a precursor to another larger project (EP/Album) already in the works?
“The Blood On Their Hands” serves as a glimpse of where Gates Open is heading.
A new full-length album is currently in progress, although we can’t yet give a precise release schedule.
Before the album, it’s very possible we’ll release another single.
The upcoming album will naturally include “The Blood On Their Hands” as part of the whole.
20. As a duo, what are the logistical and creative considerations for taking your meticulously crafted studio sound to the live stage? Is performing live a goal?
As a duo, the biggest question is how to make the layered home-studio sound work live without compromise.
At the moment, Gates Open is strictly a two-person project, and we don’t perform live yet, because if we do it, we want to do it properly.
Logistically, this involves instrument roles, technical execution, and how much backing material can be used, preferably keeping everything as genuinely live as possible.
Creatively, the most important thing is preserving the songs’ identity and atmosphere on stage.
Live performance is the next step, when it feels musically right and our schedules allow it.
21. What’s the one thing you want listeners to feel when the final note of “The Blood On Their Hands” hits?
Jere:
I hope the listener feels both weight and clarity.
Not just aggression or anger, but an awareness that something was said directly and without softening.
“The Blood On Their Hands” isn’t meant to end in relief.
It should leave the listener silent for a moment, maybe slightly uncomfortable and force them to think about responsibility, causes, and consequences.
If after the song you feel the need to pause instead of immediately playing the next track, then it has done what it was meant to do.
G. Rapid Fire / Finnish Metal Insight
22. What’s one classic Finnish metal album that is a non-negotiable influence for Gates Open?
Jere:
The first one that comes to mind is Children of Bodom’s second album, Hatebreeder.
Musically it’s not necessarily similar, but it has definitely inspired my playing.
23. Finish this sentence: “The key to surviving a Finnish winter is ______, and the key to writing a great Gates Open riff is ______.”
Jere:
“The key to surviving a Finnish winter is not stopping. Just doing what brings joy, and maybe a little alcohol, heh.
The key to writing a great Gates Open riff is the right state of mind.”
24. For a new listener: should they start with this new single, or dive into the Black Clouds Over The World EP to get the full picture?
Tommi:
Our latest single “The Blood On Their Hands” is currently our most-played track in a short time span, so it’s an easy entry point into the Gates Open world.
Another good starting point is “Preys and Predators”, which has gathered the most streams overall.
So listeners can simply start where most of our audience has — and from there, it’s easy to dive deeper into Gates Open’s world.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GATES OPEN RETURNS WITH FEROCIOUS NEW SINGLE “THE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS” — OUT NOW
Finnish blackened death/thrash metal duo unleash relentless fury via Inverse Records
Listen/Download: https://music.imusician.pro/a/
Seinäjoki/Orivesi, Finland – Gates Open, the Finnish blackened death/thrash metal powerhouse, is back with their latest single, “The Blood On Their Hands”, out now. Following a string of critically acclaimed singles and the explosive Black Clouds Over The World EP, this release marks another brutal chapter in the band’s rise through the Scandinavian metal underground.
Founded in 2023 by guitarist and composer Jere Neejärvi and vocalist Tommi Manninen, Gates Open’s roots go back to 2007, when the duo first collaborated in earlier projects. The band quickly cemented its presence in the Finnish metal scene with singles like “The Awakening” (June 2023), “Let The Night Become Your Guide” (October 2023), and the self-titled “Gates Open” (December 2023). Their debut full-length album, Voice After Silence (February 2024), and the follow-up EP, Black Clouds Over The World (October 2024), solidified the band’s reputation for dark, aggressive riffs and relentless intensity.
“The Blood On Their Hands” delivers a perfect storm of blackened death metal aggression and thrash metal precision, drawing comparisons to Children of Bodom, Norther, Arch Enemy, and Witchery. With Jere Neejärvi handling composition, guitars, bass, drums, and production, and Tommi Manninen providing vicious vocals and lyrics, Gates Open continues to showcase a tightly honed sound that is both merciless and meticulously crafted.
The single is accompanied by a lyric video created by Deep S (Fiverr), offering fans a visual entry into the dark, haunting world of Gates Open. Distributed via Inverse Records, the band remains fully self-managed, maintaining complete creative control over their music and vision.
Fans of aggressive, uncompromising metal won’t want to miss this latest offering from one of Finland’s most ferocious new acts.
Release Date: October 2, 2025
Label: Inverse Records
Genre: Blackened Death / Thrash Metal
For Fans Of: Children Of Bodom, Norther, Arch Enemy, Witchery
For press inquiries, interviews, or promo requests, contact: zach@metaldevastationradio.com
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