A. S. Kivineva is one of the two vocalists of Lahoava, the band’s primary composer and lyricist, orchestrator, and the main creative force behind its visual aesthetics. His musical journey began in his teenage years in the band Kalman Varjot, together with S. P. Tuomisto and S. P. Keltaniemi. Back then, he wrote the basic frameworks of songs on a computer using Fast Tracker, and ended up as the vocalist almost by accident.
Kivineva’s musical taste is diverse: his playlists feature various subgenres of metal, pop and rock from past decades, classical music, folk, evergreen hits, a selective dose of hip hop, and all sorts of other styles. The dark-toned compositions of Lahoava are especially influenced by his enduring love for the early work of Cradle of Filth, especially their album Dusk and Her Embrace, as well as Finnish folk music, film and video game scores, most notably World of Warcraft. He also has a bit of experience in composing music for film and theatre.
Storytelling has been a lifelong passion for Kivineva, sparked in childhood while playing in the remote forests of Jurva. He has always been fascinated by the past—not only through melodies and lyrics, but also through objects, images, and lived tales. He describes himself as a lover of nature and old-world elegance, outwardly laid-back, but inwardly a bit of a control freak. Kivineva lives in Viljakkala and finds energy in nature hikes, krav maga, swimming, target shooting, and ice-skating—along with his aging beagle companion Kekkonen, who followed him from Spain, where Kivineva lived for thirteen years.
He also releases old instrumental tracks under the name Amon Silvio, but Lahoava is the stage where all his passions converge: storytelling, music, history, somber and vintage aesthetics, and the beauty and menace of the Finnish landscape.
Photos:
Aani Visuals
Editing:
Aarni Visuals and A. S. Kivineva
Special thanks for providing the shoot location:
Yli-Lauroselan talomuseo ja Korvalaanen Oy