CMX, originally Cloaca Maxima, is a Finnishrock band. They originally played hardcore punk, but soon expanded to play a wide variety of rock formats, including progressive rock, heavy metal, and mainstream rock 'n' roll. Throughout their career, they have been influenced by progressive rock bands such as Rush, Yes, Tool and King Crimson. The progressive influence is most evident on their albums Dinosaurus Stereophonicus (2000) and Talvikuningas (2007).
CMX have gradually gained large-scale mainstream following in Finland. They are especially known for the poetic lyrics of A. W. Yrjänä that often contain references to mythology and religion. Finnish rock magazines, particularly Rumba, have named them Best Band of the Year multiple times, and even Best Band of All Time on one occasion.
History
Early years 1985-1990
CMX was founded on Good Friday 1985 in Tornio, Finland by A. W. Yrjänä (18 at the time) and Pekka Kanniainen.[1] The band's original name, Cloaca Maxima, Latin for the "Greatest Sewer", was taken from a footnote of H. P. Blavatsky's book Isis Unveiled.[2] Over the next six months Kanniainen became the drummer, Yrjänä the bassist and singer, and Kimmo Suomalainen the guitarist. The band played mainly fast hardcore punk with the vocals sung in English; the language, however, soon changed into Finnish. The band shortened its name to CMX in 1986.
The first EPJohannes Kastaja was recorded 1987 in Kemi and released in 1988. The same year CMX performed for the first time outside of Tornio and its neighbouring areas, at Lieto punk rock festival. In 1989 the EP Raivo was released on a small label Bad Vugum. The band's first appearance at the Tavastia Club in Helsinki followed.[2]
The first full-length album Kolmikärki was released in January 1990. The album received practically no radio airplay and sold less than 2,000 copies during the first year. During the spring Pasi Isometsä was brought on as a second guitarist, however he would only stay in the band for less than a year. As the band moved south to Helsinki in late 1990, guitarists Isometsä and Suomalainen weren't willing to leave Tornio and eventually quit the band. They were replaced by Janne Halmkrona and, in early 1991, Timo Rasio.[3] This lineup would remain the same for the following six years. In early 1991 they recorded another EP, Tanssitauti, and later that year the band's second full-length album, Veljeskunta. The aggressive hardcore approach of the album was generally well received by the press.[4][5]
Mainstream success
1992's Aurinko, released by the international EMIrecord label, won CMX both the Album of the Year and Band of the Year awards in a poll by Finnish Rumba music magazine.[3] The album saw CMX largely abandon the hardcore style in favor of more accessible mainstream rock songs.
In 1994, Aura was released. The album continued the trend towards mainstream audiences, which was criticized by the band's early hardcore fan base. Aura contained some of the band's best known songs to date, including the etheric ballad "Ruoste" and the radio-friendly (though lyrically hardly traditional) love song "Kultanaamio".[6]
For their next album, the band changed radically their approach to recording. Discopolis (1996) was engineered with Pro Tools in the studio and made heavy use of sampling to edit the songs together from a set of short guitarriffs. The album received mixed reviews: Allmusic wrote that "friends of the modern music will find Discopolis very attractive",[10] while Tero Valkonen, on his analysis of "Kultanaamio", expressed his dislike for the album, and called the song "Paha" a "rotten bad joke".[11]Discopolis was the first CMX album to enter the Finnish album charts, peaking at No 3.[12] In 1997, drummer Kanniainen left CMX saying that the band had become too professional for him. Tuomas Peippo was hired to replace him. The same year CMX released a three-CD compilation album, Cloaca Maxima.
1998-2003
The first album with new drummer Tuomas Peippo, Vainajala (1998), was recorded in a cabin in Lapland and produced by Faith No More bassist Billy Gould. According to the band the deliberately minimalistic sound of the album was largely thanks to Gould.[13]Vainajala was the first CMX album to top the Finnish album charts.[12] At the Provinssirock festival 1999, CMX announced that they intended to stop playing live in order to concentrate on their studio work.[14]
By the time Isohaara (2002) was released, CMX had already abandoned the idea of becoming a full-time studio band and started touring again.[17] The album was considered slightly heavier than its predecessor, and the guitar riffs of "Minne paha haudattiin" were compared to the music of Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus and Kotiteollisuus.[18] The album's lyrics concentrated less on mythology and religion and were closer to traditional rock lyrics, albeit keeping a dark, melancholy tone. Although less present than on Dinosaurus Stereophonicus (2000), progressive influences hadn't been totally abandoned: The band uses a child choir on the title track and the uptempo rocker "Pohjoista leveyttä" contains a harmonica solo.[19]
A year after Isohaara, Aion (2003) followed. The album was put together around a common theme of the essence and symbolism of evil.[20] It was both a critical and commercial success and was described as a highly experimental album for such an established band. Guitarist Halmkrona plays trumpet on the first track of the album, and violins and synthesizers are heard on several songs.[21] Both "Melankolia" and, four months later, "Palvelemaan konetta" peaked the singles chart.[12]
2004-present
A. W. Yrjänä in 2006.
The band's second three-CD compilation Cloaca Maxima II, released in 2004, followed the format of the 1997 Cloaca Maxima closely. Both consisted of 44 songs on three CDs, the first one concentrating on faster rock songs, the second on ballads and the third on B-sides.[22] The compilation covered four albums from Vainajala (1998) to Aion (2003) and also featured three previously unreleased songs.[23] The band had originally intended the compilation to only include the B-sides, and indeed the third disc was the one that received some praise from the press.[23][24]
Pedot (2005) showed some influences from contemporary rock bands such as Tool, A Perfect Circle and System of a Down, and combined straight rock songs with heavier and lighter elements, such as the minimalistic ballad "Eteläisen tähtitaivaan kartoitus" and the aggressive double bass drum sound of the title track.[25][26] "Uusi ihmiskunta" was a number one hit, the sixth one for CMX in just over five years.[12]
On the Tuuliajolla 2006 tour on lake Saimaa, CMX recorded a song in collaboration with fellow rock bands Kotiteollisuus and 51Koodia. Ambiguosly named "Vapaus johtaa kansaa" ("Liberty Leading the People") was written by Yrjänä and released in 2006.[27] It reached number one on the Finnish singles chart.[12]
CMX's following album, Talvikuningas (2007), was a space-themedrock opera and contains only one song, divided onto 12 tracks without pauses. Originally, the story about the power and fall of the Winter King (Talvikuningas in Finnish) was going to be the story of a novel by Yrjänä. The first edition of the album was soon sold out despite being much more expensive than a regular album.[28] The press reviews were largely positive.[29][30]Helsingin Sanomat newspaper called the album CMX's "third bullseye" after Aura and Aion,[31] while Soundi music magazine argued that the album will probably be a mere curiosity in the CMX saga.[32]
CMX's thirteenth studio album, Iäti, was released by EMI on 29 September 2010. The singles released before the album were called "Sateenkaaren pää" and "Linnunrata".
Drummer Tuomas Peippo left the band in 2012 due to his job as a dentist. The fourteenth studio album, Seitsentahokas, was released in February 2013. The drummer for the album was Olli-Matti Wahlström, known for bands Kumikameli and 51koodia, who later in the spring became the official member of the band. The first single released from the album was "Kusimyrsky" in November 2012, followed by "Rikkisuudeltu" in February 2013.
Fifteenth studio album Mesmeria was released in 2015. It was produced by Arto Tuunela and first without producer Rauli Eskolin since Isohaara released in 2002.
Popularity
CMX are practically unknown outside Finland. However, Billy Gould of Faith No More produced their 1998 album Vainajala. In Finland, CMX has won the Rumba magazine "Band of the Year" reader poll ten times.[33] In 2005, the band was even voted the "Best Band of All Time" by the magazine's readers, in favour of such bands as The Beatles, Metallica, Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden.[34] In a City magazine poll, they were voted the best Finnish band of all time.[35] In a Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reader poll in 2007, the readers voted both "Ruoste" and "Kultanaamio" into the top 10 of Finnish rock songs. CMX were the only band to have two songs in the top 10.[36]
Ten CMX albums, including their both compilations, have been certified gold, each having sold approximately 20,000 copies. CMX DVD has also reached the gold record threshold for DVDs, which is 5,000 copies. The platinum record threshold for albums in Finland, which none of the band's albums have achieved, is 30,000 copies sold.[37]
Musical style
Early CMX was influenced by heavy metal, punk rock and progressive rock.[38] During their career, they have explored several different genres of rock music. Their early EPs and albums up until Veljeskunta (1991) have been mainly hardcore, although combining a variety of styles. From Aurinko (1992) onwards, hardcore has been merely an ephemeral element in their varied expression. Progressive rock elements are always present in the band's music, most evidently on Dinosaurus Stereophonicus (2000) and Talvikuningas (2008). Many of the band's best known songs are ballads, such as "Ruoste" and "Pelasta maailma".
All the band's lyrics are written by vocalist Yrjänä. His texts are often poetic, symbolic and intertextual, and contain themes of mythology, religion and philosophy.[39] Many CMX fans are attracted to the band particularly for Yrjänä's texts, although there are also people who can't stand the band because of them.[40]
Band members
During the early years of the band, the lineup changed several times. A. W. Yrjänä is the only remaining original member.
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus is the eighth album by the Finnish rock group CMX, released in 2000. It was recorded after the band had decided to stop touring and become a full-time studio band. The decision only lasted until 2002.
Aion (2003) is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The word Aion is Ancient Greek for "age, life-force" and also a Finnish verb form meaning "I intend ".
Aurinko (1992) is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The word "Aurinko" means "The Sun" in Finnish. The album cover depicts a cross section of a pineapple.
Aki Ville Yrjänä, better known by the stage name, A. W. Yrjänä, is a poet and the singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the Finnish rock band CMX. In addition to his musical work, he has published five collections of poems.
Cloaca Maxima (1997) is the first compilation album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The name Cloaca Maxima means "Great Sewer" in Latin, and was also an early name of the band before it was shortened to CMX. The compilation contains three CDs named Physis, Aetheris and Astralis respectively. Physis, contains rock songs from their albums and EPs, while Aetheris focuses on softer material. The third CD is reserved for B-sides of singles and some new songs recorded solely for the compilation.
Cloaca Maxima II (2004) is the second compilation album by the Finnish rock group CMX, released seven years after their first compilation Cloaca Maxima. The name Cloaca Maxima means "Great Sewer" in Latin, and was also the name of the band before it was shortened to CMX. The compilation consists of three CDs named Lyijy, Helium and Uraani respectively. The names of the CDs are all names of chemical elements in Finnish: Lead, Helium and Uranium. The compilation is divided between CDs in a similar way to the earlier Cloaca Maxima. Lyijy contains rock songs that CMX would usually play on stage, while Helium focuses on softer material. Uraani is reserved for B-sides of singles and some other CMX rarities. Three new songs were recorded exclusively for the compilation.
Vainajala (1998) is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. Vainaja is Finnish for a dead person, Vainajala meaning a name of a place inhabited by the dead.
Pedot is the eleventh album of the Finnish rock band CMX. "Pedot" means "Beasts" in Finnish.
Discopolis is the sixth studio album by the Finnish rock group CMX.
Isohaara is the ninth studio album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The album is named after Isohaara power plant in Keminmaa. The band spent six months in the studio because of the chosen songwriting method: the songs were written and rehearsed at the studio under constant perfecting and re-arranging. Musically the album is lighter and more accessible than its predecessor, the over 100-minute Prog-epoch Dinosaurus Stereophonicus.
Veljeskunta (1991) is an album by Finnish rock band CMX. Its name means "The Brotherhood" in Finnish.
Talvikuningas (2007) is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The title is Finnish and translates to "The Winter King".
"Kultanaamio" is the second single from CMX's 1994 album Aura. It also appears on the group's first compilation album Cloaca Maxima. "Kultanaamio" means "Golden Mask" in Finnish.
Janne Halmkrona is a Finnish musician. He is best known for playing in CMX, a band he joined in 1990, replacing Kimmo Suomalainen. He has also released two albums with Sapattivuosi, a Black Sabbath tribute band. Halmkrona also worked as an A&R manager for Sony BMG Finland.
"Pelasta maailma" is the first single from the CMX album Rautakantele. It also appears on the compilation album Cloaca Maxima. The chorus contains a quote from a poem by L. Onerva. "Pelasta maailma" means "Save the World" in Finnish.
Tanssitauti is an EP by CMX released in 1990. The band had released their debut album Kolmikärki earlier the same year with a different lineup. Tanssitauti is the first CMX recording to feature guitarist Janne Halmkrona, who appears on all of the band's albums from this point on.
Raivo is the second EP by Finnish rock band CMX. It is seen as their heaviest, most aggressive hardcore recording. One song, "Hiki", made it to their 1997 compilation album Cloaca Maxima. The Raivo EP, along with Johannes Kastaja, is included on the 2002 re-release Kolmikärki Gold.
Musiikin ystävälliset kasvot is an EP by CMX. It was recorded in 1991 to be released as a four song EP, but instead the title track was released as a single. The EP was finally released in 1998 under the name Musiikin ystävälliset kasvot + 5 and included six songs. The originally planned four song EP was released in 2002 as a part of Veljeskunta Gold.
Iäti is thirteenth album by the Finnish rock group CMX. It was released in 2010, three years after the previous Talvikuningas. Compared to the previous album Iäti is more of a traditional rock album. It ranked first as most sold album on The Official Finnish Charts.
Seitsentahokas is the fourteenth album by the Finnish rock group CMX. It was released in 2013 and ranked as most sold album on The Official Finnish Charts.
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