RANKKA PÄIVÄ: Kylmään veteen Release year: 2022Label: self-released If you’re into punk, you’ll know that Finnish hardcore is A Thing with capital letters. Even from before hardcore itself was a thing, Finland has churned out fast, raw and aggressive punk … Continue reading Hard days & cold waters
Häkkinen, Perttu & Iitti, Vesa: LIGHTBRINGERS OF THE NORTH Release year: 2015/2022Publisher: Like Kustannus/Inner TraditionsAvailable in: Finnish, English The original Finnish version of Lightbringers Of The North, a look into the murky waters of Finnish esotericism, quickly became a cult … Continue reading Finnish bringers of light
VERMILIA: Ruska Release year: 2022Label: self-released Some time around the time of Finnish one-woman act Vermilia’s debut album Kätkyt (2018), I saw the project described as “hygge black metal” – a pretty derisory remark in a way, but also apt. … Continue reading Autumn in vermillion colors
SERPENTFYRE: Baptism Of Shadows Release year: 2022Label: Altare Productions I don’t quite remember when I realized that Finnish black metal had become a concept emulated the world over, almost a successor to the Norwegian 90’s sound in terms of impact … Continue reading Baptism of serpent fire
THROMDARR: Midwinter Frost Release year: 2022Label: Svart Records Though the list of legendary names within Finnish extreme metal is both long and illustrious, even longer is of course the list of names who have been largely forgotten, and whose exploits … Continue reading Thromdarrian midwinter
CRYHAVOC: Sweetbriers Release year: 1998/2022Label: Spinefarm Records/Lipposen Levy Ja Kasetti The late 90’s were a great time to be a metalhead in Finland. The scene was active, with lots of new bands popping up, but there was basically no mainstream … Continue reading Cryhavoc and let slip the tits of war
IANAI: Sunir Release year: 2022Label: Svart Records Reading the promo text of Sunir, first release by the enigmatic, or at least seemingly enigmatic Ianai, one is baffled by the sheer amount of self-conscious myth and mystery construction going on. I … Continue reading Self-made mysteries of Ianai
UNCREATIONIST: Whirlwind In The Ashes Release year: 2022Label: Insurmountable Rex There’s a case to be made against the stereotypical, generic judeo-christian imagery so common in extreme metal. I say this as a fan of both black and death metal, and … Continue reading Whirlwinds in the ashes of uncreation
LAKI & JÄRJESTYS: Uusi aika Release year: 2022Label: Hell’s Tone Records In my review of Finnish Laki & Järjestys’ debut 7″ EP (click here to read) I lamented the fact that relatively few homegrown oi! bands have made a full … Continue reading A new time for law & order
IKU-TURSO: Into Dawnless Realms Release year: 2022Label: Wolfspell Records/Korpituli Productions Finnish-Dutch Iku-Turso are at it again: Into Dawnless Realms is the successor to 2020’s Pakana (reviewed here), and it sees the band continue on the same path as before. So, … Continue reading No dawn for Iku-Turso
Only Death Is Real 