Finland, the home of metal
Some music genres are more popular in the north, and metal is one of those. Finland has an enourmous amount of metal bands, all trying to become the next best thing. Some actually make it, some don't.
This lens is to show you a selection of those Finnish bands that I like.
Listing of the bands
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byAjattara
Ajattara produced black metal and lived for about 7 years up till 2006 when the band broke up.
Founder of the band, Pasi Koskinen, is an ex singer for "Amorphis" and current singer for "Shape of Despair" and a singer guitarist for "To Separate the Flesh from the Bones".
Ajattara Discography
Itse
The first album by Ajattara, released in 2001.
Guitar/vocals by Pasi Koskinen (Ruoja), drums by Pekka Sauvolainen (Malakias I) and bass by Toni Laroma (Atoni)
Track list
1. Yhdeksas
2. Verivalta
3. Musta Aurinko
4. Kuolevan Rukous
5. Agras
6. Murhamiesi
7. Tulessa
8. Manan Lapset
9. Rajan Takaa
10. Vihan Musta Tanssi
Amazon Price: $31.99 (as of 12/19/2009) 
Kuolema
Released in 2003, "Kuolema" means "death" in Finish.
Track list
1. Antakaa elää
2. Surman henki
3. Haureus
4. Huoran alla
5. Ikiyössä
6. Musta leski
7. Sielun särkijä
8. Kituvan kiitos
9. Helvetissä on syntisen taivas
10. Rauhassa
Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
Tyhjyys
The third album by Ajattara was released in 2004 and is called "Tyhjyys" or "Emptiness".
With the release of this album, Pekka Sauvolainen (Malakias I) was replaced by Atte Sarkima (Malakias III).
Track list
1. Intro
2. Sortajan Kaipuu
3. Katumuksen Kyinen Koura
4. Naaras
5. Armon Arvet
6. Pahan Tuoma
7. Harhojen Renki
8. Langennut
9. Uhrit
10. Tyhiyydesta
11. Outro
Amazon Price: $31.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
Apare
The forth and most likely last release by Ajattara is called "Äpäre" or "Bastard". It was released in 2006, the same year the band broke up.
Track list
1. Hurmasta
2. Raato
3. Säälin koira
4. Lautuma
5. Eksyneet
6. Hirsipuulintu
7. Tahtomattaan syntynyt
8. Itse
9. Koito
10. Syntyni
Amazon Price: $34.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
Alghazanth
The sound of Alghazanth can best be described as melodic black metal.
Their line-up has changed quite over the years, cureently M. Kotamäki for the vocals, Thasmorg and Grimort for the guitar sounds and Gorath Moonthorn on the drums.
Alghazanth Discography
Thy aeons envenomed sanity
The first album by Alghazanth was released under the Woodcut Records label in 1999.
Track list
1. Introduction (The Broken Talon)
2. The Unbounded Wrath
3. My Somberness Surmounted
4. Of a Stormgrey Vision
5. He Awaits...
6. Towards the Tempting Infinity
7. Ensnared in Moonshades
8. When the Spirits Dance in Grief
9. The Thorns Cry Blood
Subliminal Antenora
The second album "Subliminal Antenora", released in 2001, already showed a major line-up change. Nebiros joined as vocalist, bringing bringing Alghazanth to a more aggressive musical style.
Track list
1. Breathless Flesh Sculpture
2. The Igneous Embrace
3. Daemonolith
4. Netherworldly
5. Of Predators And Preys
6. The Mirrored Deathwish Paranoia
7. An Ode To Bringer Of Chaos
8. Anno Sathani
Amazon Price: $22.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Osiris: Typhon Unmasked
The third album, released in 2001, was the last with a founding band member. Veilroth left the group after its release.
Track list
1. The Circle Of Six
2. Mercurian Soulscapes
3. In Invidiam
4. My Twin Of Disorder
5. Regained Planetary Posession
6. Antithesis
7. The Parodys Zenith
8. Horns And Feathers
9. Iconoblast
Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
The Polarity Axiom
The most recent album "Polarity Axiom" was released in 2004, still under the Woodcut label. The group survived the line-up changes.
Track list
1. Soulquake
2. The Herald For Reason
3. Chaos Attributes
4. Blood Beguiles Phantoms
5. Drakomorphos
6. 8th Sphere
7. With Black Aureoles
8. Forsaking The Yoke
Amazon Price: $22.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Altaria
Marko Pukkila and Tony Smedjebacka formed Altaria in the year 2000. With just drumms and bass, Altaria had to look for some guitar players and a vocalist. Johan Mattjus was that vocalist who later got replaced by Jouni Nikula then by Taage Laiho and finally Marco Luponero.
The band switched form 1 guitar player to 2 during several line-up changes. Jani Liimatainen and Emppu Vuorinen were two names that ring bells in metal music, but the 2 current guitar players are Petri Aho and J-P Alanen.
Altaria released 3 albums so far, before that there are 2 demos that were used to convince the music labels.
Altaria Discography
Invitation
The first release by Altaria under the AOR Heaven label. The album became a great success.
Track list
1. Unicorn
2. History of Times to Come
3. Ravenwing
4. Innocent
5. Wrath of a Warchild
6. Kingdom of the Night
7. Fire & Ice
8. House of My Soul
9. Immortal Disorder
10. Here I Am
11. Emerald Eye
12. Unicorn [*][Demo Version]
Amazon Price: $30.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Divinity
In 2004, Altaria recorded their second album, Divinity. Due to many line-up changes, the second album was a shot in the dark. But all doubts aside, Divinity turned out to be the second success for Altaria.
Track list
1. Unchain The Rain
2. Will To Live
3. Prophet Of Pestilence
4. Darkened Highlight
5. Discovery
6. Falling Again
7. Divine
8. Haven
9. Try To Remember
10. Stain On The Switchblade
11. Enemy
12. Final Warning
Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
The Fallen Empire
With the popularity of Sonata Arctica rising, Jani Liimatainen had to leave Altaria. The third album was recorded with a new guitar player.
Track list
1. Disciples
2. Valley of Rainbows
3. Abyss of Twilight
4. Frozen Hearts
5. Crucifix
6. Showdown
7. The Lion
8. Outlaw Blood
9. Chosen one
10. Access Denied
Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
Amoral
The band started out in 2000 with "Wound Creations" under the Spikefarm Records label. Their second album "Decrowning" was soon released and continued with the success.
Band members are Ben Varon (Guitar), Silver Ots (Guitar), Niko Kalliojärvi (Vocals), Erkki Silvennoinen (Bass) and Juhana Karlsson (Drums).
Amoral Discography
Wound Creations
high quality, catchy death metal from this Helsinki based band.
Track list
1. Verge
2. Atrocity Evolution
3. Silent Renewal
4. Solvent
5. Last Round
6. Other Flesh
7. Distract
8. Nothing Daunted
9. Languor Passage
10. Metamorphosis (Bonus Track)
Amazon Price: $31.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
Decrowning
Confirmation was not far away. Decrowning was just as good as the first release...
Track list
1. Showdown
2. Lacrimal Gland
3. Decrowning
4. Tiebreaker
5. Drug of Choice
6. Denial 101
7. Control Cancer
8. Raptus
9. Warp
10. Bleeder
Amazon Price: $37.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
Amorphis
This is one of the older bands I review in this lens. Amorphis was founded in 1990, by Esa Holopainen and Jan Rechberger. They are still in the band, joined by Santeri Kallio, Niclas Etelävuori, Tomi Koivusaari and Tomi Joutsen.
In 2007, their 8th album will be released, each one of them a big success, Relapse Recaords did a good thing signing up these guys.
Amorphis Discography
The Karelian Isthmus
In 1993 the debut album was released. Amorphis already had a solid fanbase, and the album became an expected success.
Track list
1. Karelia
2. Gathering
3. Grail's Mysteries
4. Warriors Trail
5. Black Embrace
6. Exile of the Sons of Uisliu
7. Lost Name of God
8. Pilgrimage
9. Misery Path
10. Sign from the North Side
11. Vulgar Necrolatry
12. Pilgrimage from Darkness *
13. Black Embrace *
14. Privilege of Evil *
15. Misery Path *
16. Vulgar Necrolatry *
17. Excursing from Existence *
* Not actually part of the first album, these bonus tracks were added to the re-release of The Karelian Isthmus and feature 6 songs recorded before the first album.
Amazon Price: $15.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Tales From the Thousand Lakes
The biggest change with this album, which was heavily based on the Finnish Kalevala (national epic), was the addition to clear vocals.
Track list
1. Thousand Lakes
2. Into Hiding
3. The Castaway
4. First Doom
5. Black Winter Day
6. Drowned Maid
7. In The Beginning
8. Forgotten Sunrise
9. To Father's Cabin
10. Magic And Mayhem
11. Folk Of The North *
12. Moon And Sun *
13. Moon And Sun Part II: North's Son *
14. Light My Fire *
* Not actually part of the album, these bonus tracks were added to the re-release of Tales From the Thousand Lakes and feature 4 songs.
Amazon Price: $16.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Elegy
Elegy features a new line-up. The band was now a 6 man operation. Pure melody was created, and Amorphis evolved from pure death metal to progressive rock metal (or whatever it can be called).
Track list
1. Better Unborn
2. Against Widows
3. Orphan
4. On Rich and Poor
5. My Kantele
6. Cares
7. Song of the Troubled One
8. Weeper on the Shore
9. Elegy
10. Relief
11. My Kantele [Acoustic Reprise]
12. Better Unborn [Live] *
13. Against Widows [Live] *
14. Castaway [Live] *
* Not actually part of the first album, these bonus tracks were added to the re-release of Elegy and feature 3 live songs.
Amazon Price: $14.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Tuonela
After 1,5 years of massive touring, the band took a time-out to gather new material. Keyboardist left the band (later replaced by Santeri Kallio) but the Tuonela album was te become a guitar album. It's hard to categorize its genre, but Amorphis proved to be a mature band not limiting their skills to 1 genre.
Track list
01. The Way
02. Morning Star
03. Nightfall
04. Tuonela
05. Greed
06. Divinity
07. Shining
08. Withered
09. Rusty Moon
10. Summer's End
Amazon Price: $14.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Am Universum
Again after some line-up changes, Amorphis recorded their 5th album. With Am Universum, the mood from Tuonela was preserved, but there was, again, more room for keyboard and saxophone sounds. Am universum also turned out to be the last album released under the Relapse label.
Track list
01. Alone
02. Goddess (Of The Sad Man)
03. The Night Is Over
04. Shatters Within
05. Crimson Wave
06. Drifting Memories
07. Forever More
08. Veil Of Sin
09. Captured State
10. Grieve Stricken Heart
Amazon Price: $8.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Chapters
Chapters was released as a collection of past work and featured a DVD with videos.
Track list
CD:
01. Alone
02. Drifting Memories
03. Too Much To See
04. The Way
05. Northern Lights
06. Summer's End
07. The Brother-Slayer
08. Better Unborn
09. My Kantele
10. Weeper On The Shore
11. Moon And Sun
12. Black Winter Day
13. The Castaway
14. Drowned Maid
15. Warriors Trial
16. The Exile Of The Sons Of Uisliu
17. The Lost Name Of God
DVD:
01. Alone
02. Divinity
03. My Kantele
04. Against Widows
05. Black Winter Day
Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
Far from the Sun
This is the re-released version of the 6th album by Amorphis (if you don't count Chapters as it's just a collection).
The album was produced entirely by the band, after they got out of the Relapse Records contract. The sound of Far from the Sun contains more folk than Am Universum and it was the last album featuring the vocals of Pasi, who left the band after 9 years.
Track list
01. Day Of Your Beliefs
02. Planetary Misfortune
03. Evil Inside
04. Mourning Soil
05. Far From The Sun
06. Ethereal Solitude
07. Killing Goodness
08. God Of Deception
09. Higher Ground
10. Smithereens
11. Shining Turns to Grey *
12. Follow Me Into The Fire *
13. Darkrooms *
14. Dreams Of The Damned *
15. Far From The Sun - Acoustic *
* Bonus tracks on US version:
Amazon Price: $15.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Eclipse
Eclipse can be seen as a return to the past. Not only was it released under the Nuclear Blast label again, also the inspiration was once more sought in the Kalevala, just like Tales from the Thousand Lakes. With Tomi Joutsen as the new vocalist, the band found new freshness, and Eclipse turned out to be the fullest album by Amorphis so far.
Track list
01. Two Moons
02. House Of Sleep
03. Leaves Scar
04. Born From Fire
05. Under A Soil And Black Stone
06. Perkele (The God Of Fire)
07. The Smoke
08. Same Flesh
09. Brother Moon
10. Empty Opening
11. Stone Woman - Bonus Track
Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
Ancara
The eighties, when British heavy metal was popular, was a time of influences and new genres. 1985, Timo Rajala (drums), Timo Kytölä (guitar), Jani Pellikka (guitar) and Timo Sukupolvi (bass/vocals) founded the Metal Circus which was later on shortened to MC. A band which tried to take these new influences, and make something good out of it.
MC kept performing with the same setup. Lead singer was Marko Haikonen then Jallu Bergäll then Rami Lindqvist and whenever there wasn't one available, Timo Sukupolvi was on duty.
The nineties brought change. Not only was the name changed to Resistance (1992) and later Ancara (1996), it was also a time for line-up changes.
Mika Rajala was recruited for the bass, Sammy Salminen became the new lead singer. The four members (Timo Rajala (drums), Timo Kytölä (guitar), Mika Rajala (bass), Sammy Salminen (vocals)) searched for a second guitar player. Riku Melen tried from 1990 to 1991 and Arsi Leino from 1992 to 1995, but after that, they went back to 4 members.
To be able to record their own creations, Timo Kytölä founded the Peacemakers in 1996. A professional recording studio with state of the art material. The basic idea was a good one, but the price tag of a professional recording studio was too much to bare alone. Other bands started paying for the use of the studio, but the effort needed to run it was negative to the band Ancara.
After 2 slow years, 1998 & 1999, Ancara finally found its fifth member. Juice Wahlsten, an old friend, joined the ranks to play the second guitar.
The new millenium brought better times for Ancara. 2003 started with the recording of 6 new songs. They were all released as promo singles (Black snow, Burn in hell, Too Far Gone, Bound to Roam, Come Apart and Why). The end of 2003 was different though. Timo Kytölä decided to step aside and leave the band, not a light decision, since he was one of the founding members and a cornerstone of the band.
Samuel Hjelt stepped in to fill the spot, and the band is since then composed of 5 members:
Timo Rajala (drums), Mika Rajala (bass), Sammy Salminen (vocals), Juice Wahlsten (guitar/backing vocals), Samuel Hjelt (guitar/backing vocals).
Their latest realease, Beyond the Dark, will be available in March 2008.
Ancara Discography
The Dawn
Track list
1. Flower Garden
2. Why
3. Under Life
4. Comes Around Goes Around
5. Too Far Gone
6. Black Snow
7. Burn In Hell
8. Come Apart
9. Bound To Roam
10. The Dawn
11. Rebel Yell
Beyond the Dark
Track list
1. Circles
2. Deny
3. Snowflower
4. Scarred
5. Just For Me
6. Cranium Tension
7. When Everyone Else Is Gone
8. In Silence
Apocalyptica
Uniqueness. That's the keyword applicable to the Apocalyptica sound. If you want to categorize it, your best option would be melodic metal, but there is so much more to be discovered.
The band sprung from the mind of 4 students of the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki who had a great and unique idea to start covering metal songs with their cello band. When Eicca Toppinen and his 3 friends got to play at an after party for metalheads they were discovered by Kari Hynninen of Zen Garden Records and were promptly offered a contract.
Their 1996 debut album "Plays Metallica" sold million copies worldwide and Apocalyptica was born.
In 1998 they released their second album, "Inquisition Symphony", another batch of covers from songs by Faith No More, Pantera and Sepultura. New wit this album was their own original material. 3 songs written by themselves and played with great enthusiasm showed how much more Apocalyptica was.
The third album "Cult" featured almost entirely original songs and the cover band evolved to a sound of their own.
With "Cult" the band had been reduced to 3 members, and with the release of "Reflections", Apocalyptica worked together with Dave Lombardo (Slayer drummer) to give their sound another new impulse. Apocalyptica decided to enlist a full-time drummer, and Mikko Sirén joined the band.
The new drummer and a lot of guest performances made the fifth album their best so far. "Apocalyptica" by Apocalyptica, it can carry their name with proud.
Their latest release "Worlds Collide" didn't steal its name. Apocalyptica decided (unlike their previous albums) to not do all the work themselves. Song writing, producing and some vocals were opened to other guest performers. This enriched the Apocalyptica sound to what it is now, with unexpected new ideas and tricks.
Current members
Eicca Toppinen: Cello
Perttu Kivilaakso: Cello
Paavo Lotjonen: Cello
Mikko Sirén: Drums
Apocalyptica Discography
Plays Metallica by Four Cellos
This album features Metallica covers.
Track list
01. Enter Sandman
02. Master Of Puppets
03. Harvester Of Sorrow
04. The Unforgiven
05. Sad But True
06. Creeping Death
07. Wherever I May Roam
08. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
Inquisition Symphony
Track list
01. Harmageddon
02. From Out Of Nowhere
03. For Whom The Bell Tolls
04. Nothing Else Matters
05. Refuse / Resist
06. M.B.
07. Inquisition Symphony
08. Fade To Black
09. Domination
10. Toreador
11. One
Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
Cult
Track list
01. Path Vol. 2 (Feat. Sandra Nasic)
02. Struggle
03. Romance
04. Pray!
05. In Memoriam
06. Hyperventilation
07. Beyond Time
08. Hope
09. Kaamos
10. Coma
11. Hall of The Mountain King
12. Until It Sleeps
13. Fight Fire With Fire
14. Path
Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
Reflections
Track list
01. Prologue (Apprehension) - Apocalyptica, Dave Lombardo
02. No Education - Apocalyptica, Dave Lombardo
03. Faraway
04. Somewhere Around Nothing - Apocalyptica, Dave Lombardo
05. Drive
06. Cohkka
07. Conclusion
08. Resurrection - Apocalyptica, Dave Lombardo
09. Heat
10. Cortége - Apocalyptica, , Dave Lombardo, Antero Manninen
11. Pandemonium
12. Toreador II
13. Epilogue (Relief)
14. Seeman [Album Version] - Apocalyptica, Nina Hagen
15. Faraway, Vol. 2 [Extended Version] - Apocalyptica, , Dave Lombardo
16. Delusion
17. Perdition
18. Leave Me Alone
Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
Apocalyptica
Track list
01. Life Burns!
02. Quutamo
03. Distraction
04. Bittersweet
05. Misconstruction
06. Fisheye
07. Farewell
08. Fatal Error
09. Betrayal/ Forgiveness
10. Ruska
11. Bonustrack inkl. Deathzone & En VIe
Amazon Price: $11.98 (as of 12/19/2009)
Worlds Collide
Track list
01. Worlds Collide - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica
02. Grace - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica, Hotei Tomoyasu
03. I'm Not Jesus - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica, Corey Taylor
04. Ion - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica
05. Helden - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica, Till Lindemann
06. Stroke - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica
07. Last Hope - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica, Dave Lombardo
08. I Don't Care - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica, Adam Gontier
09. Burn - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica
10. S.O.S. (Anything But Love) - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica, Cristina Scabbia
11. Peace - Apocalyptica, Apocalyptica
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
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