Finntroll is a Finnish metal band from Helsinki that combines elements of black metal and folk metal. Finntroll's lyrics are mostly in Swedish, the only exception being the song "Madon Laulu" on Visor om slutet. Finntroll's original singer, Katla, decided to use Swedish over Finnish since he was part of a Swedish-speaking minority in Finland and the sound of the language seemed to better suit the band's "trollish" outfit.[1] Despite several vocalist changes, this tradition has continued.
According to band members Vreth and Skrymer, they took their name from an old Finnish legend where Swedish priests coming to Finland had an encounter with a wild-looking man who killed most of their party. The survivors came back bearing the tale of the Finn-Troll.
Finntroll's lyrics mainly deal with legends and tales revolving around the fictional troll-king "Rivfader" and the trolls fighting against the Christians who entered their lands and spread their beliefs. A recurring theme is the story of two priests named "Aamund" and "Kettil": the first three full-length albums feature a rather short but fierce song about the two men who constantly get themselves into trouble with the trolls, only to get beaten up and mutilated over and over again by the wrathful followers of Rivfader.
To date, the band's discography includes seven full-length albums, a live album and three EPs. Their newest studio album Vredesvävd was released in 2020.
Their second album, Jaktens Tid, was released in 2001. The following summer, the band had their first time playing festivals in Finland and other countries. The album features yoiking by then Shaman vocalist Jonne Järvelä, later known as vocalist and guitarist for fellow folk metal band Korpiklaani.
The year after the release of the album Jaktens Tid proved to be a misfortune for Finntroll: some tours had to be cancelled, and vocalist Jämsen had to retire from the band due to a viral-based tumor in his vocal cords which could not be removed surgically; he retired after the release of the EP Visor om slutet. The EP was recorded in early January 2003, in a forest cabin near Helsinki. It was an "acoustical experiment", where Jämsen and the new vocalist Tapio Wilska (of Sethian and Lyijykomppania) shared the singing duties among them. Visor om slutet was released as a mid-price EP and held rank on the Finnish midprice chart for several weeks.
On 16 March 2003, shortly before the release of Visor om slutet, guitarist Teemu Raimoranta died when he fell off a bridge in Hakaniemi, Helsinki. Although they had lost their last remaining founding members in this tragic event, the band did not dissolve, but after some time decided to go on, touring Europe for two weeks, supported by the band Katatonia. Guitarist Mikael Karlbom was hired as a replacement for Raimoranta.
In 2004, the band released an EP, Trollhammaren("The Trollhammer"), a prequel to the soon to follow album Nattfödd("Nightborn"). Also in 2004, Trollhorn stopped touring with the band, prompting touring musicians to be hired to fill the void left in his absence. Aleksi "Virta" Virta joined the band in an official capacity as second keyboardist in 2005.
On 29 January 2006, Tapio Wilska, vocalist of the band since 2003, was fired from the band. In a statement issued on the band's website, Wilska stated that he would like to keep the reason for his dismissal private.[2]
Following Wilska's parting with the band, they decided to take on Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns of Chthonian and Twilight Moon as a full-time member on vocals.
A new album, titled Ur jordens djup("From the Depths of the Earth"), was released March 2007. This fourth album put more emphasis on epic keyboard riffs with very loud but melodic guitar. Former vocalist Katla was brought in to write the lyrics for this album, and continues in this capacity with the band. The last song contains an acoustic hidden track entitled Trollvisan which can be heard at 11:03 minutes. It is commonly believed to be the installment's "Aamund och Kettil song", yet there is no mention of the two priests in the lyrics, the song rather refers to "de kristna" ("the Christians") in general.
The band has recorded a live performance for its upcoming first live DVD. A release date is yet to be confirmed. They have released their fifth album, titled Nifelvind("Underworld's Winds"), and Katla has again written the lyrics. The progress on the album was recorded by Trollhorn in a studio diary.[3][4] On 15 January 2010 Finntroll released a music video for the new song "Solsagan" on their MySpace page in preparation for the album release.[citation needed] The new album was then released in February 2010.
The band's sixth studio album Blodsvept was released on 25 March 2013.[5]
On 13 May 2014, drummer Samu Ruotsalainen revealed that he would be departing the band in July of that year; the parting was confirmed to be amicable by the band.[6] He was replaced by Heikki "Mörkö" Saari.
In June 2014, the band released a live album, Natten med de Levande Finntroll ("Night of the Living Finntroll").[7] Thomas Woroniak of RockRevolt Magazine stated "Natten Med De Levande Finntroll is a must-have for any dedicated Finntroll fan. Followers of the group have been waiting a long time for a live recording...the music is unique and vibrant in color and tonality, and the performance is exceptional."[8]
On 25 June 2020, the band announced that their next album, titled Vredesvävd, would be released on 18 September.[9]
Meiju Enho – keyboards (2004–2005; toured in place of Trollhorn)
Brandon Ellis (Arsis) - guitars 2013–2014; toured in place of Skrymer)
Timeline
Discography
Guitarist Samuli "Skrymer" Ponsimaa at Rockharz Open Air 2018 in GermanyGuitarist Mikael "Routa" Karlbom at Rockharz 2016Singer Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns at Rockharz 2018
Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles. It also sometimes features soft instrumentation influenced by folk rock.
Midnattens Widunder is the debut studio album by Finnish folk metal band Finntroll. It was released in Finland in 1999 by Spinefarm.
Jaktens tid is the second studio album by the Finnish folk metal band Finntroll, released on 18 September 2001 through Spinefarm Records.
Visor om slutet is an all-acoustic folk metal EP by the Finnish band Finntroll. It was released in 2003 by Spinefarm. It was the first album to feature Tapio Wilska on vocals, and the last to feature Jan "Katla" Jämsen, who was forced into retirement in 2003 due to a tumour developing on his vocal cords.
Trollhammaren is an EP from Finnish band Finntroll. It was released on April 13, 2004, by Spinefarm.
Nattfödd is the third studio album by the Finnish folk metal band Finntroll. It was released on April 19, 2004 by Spinefarm Records in Finland and by Century Media outside.
Barathrum is a Finnish black-doom metal band, formed in 1990. The band's name is Latin for pit or abyss. The first letters of their eight full-length albums spell "HEIL SOVA" - referring to the band's frontman, Demonos Sova, who is the only original member of the band. Their music is stylistically similar to early black metal acts such as Venom and Celtic Frost. Their lyrics deal with occult and religious themes.
Leaves' Eyes is a symphonic metal band from Germany and Norway. They were formed in 2003 by Liv Kristine, formerly the lead singer of Theatre of Tragedy, and the entire line-up of Atrocity. To date, the band has released eight studio albums, a single, six EPs, one live album and a DVD.
Tapio Wilska is the main vocalist of the heavy metal band Sethian. He is also the ex-lead vocalist for the band Finntroll and is the current vocalist of Canadian band Obscene Eulogy. He gets his inspiration from bands like Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Dead Kennedys, Venom, Thin Lizzy and The Pixies.
Korpiklaani is a Finnish folk metal band from Lahti who was formerly known as Shamaani Duo and Shaman.
Riverside are a progressive rock band from Warsaw, Poland. They were founded in 2001 by friends Mariusz Duda, Piotr Grudziński, Piotr Kozieradzki and Jacek Melnicki, who shared a love for progressive rock and heavy metal, although Duda, the main lyricist and composer of the band, was originally a fan of electronic, ambient, experimental music, like Radiohead, Massive Attack, Dead Can Dance, Tangerine Dream, Peter Gabriel, and later on, prog rock like Pink Floyd, Rush, Marillion, as well as thrash metal. Riverside can be described as a blend of atmospheric rock and metal elements, resulting in a sound similar to that of Porcupine Tree, Pain of Salvation, and Dream Theater.
Jonne Järvelä is the vocalist/guitarist of the Finnish band Korpiklaani. He is known in the folk metal scene for his yoiking and contributed the yoik on the Finntroll album, Jaktens Tid. He was once a member of the Sami music group Angelin tytöt. In 2011 he appeared in the song "Humppa Is My Neighbour" by the Russian band Troll Bends Fir and in the song "Leszek a Hold" by the Hungarian band Dalriada, in 2012 he played on the Varg Song "A Thousand Eyes" of the Guten Tag album.
Obscene Eulogy is a death/black metal band from Saint John, New Brunswick. The band record with Impaled Nazarene's Mika Luttinen on vocals. Their current singer is Tapio Wilska of Finntroll.
Ur jordens djup is the fourth full-length Finntroll album. It was released on March 28, 2007. The album is the first to feature vocalist Mathias Lillmåns, who replaced Tapio Wilska in 2006. Unlike in Nattfödd, the lyrics for this album were written by the band's original vocalist, Jan "Katla" Jämsen.
Jan Jämsen, better known as Katla, is a Finnish songwriter, former singer, and co-founder and singer in the folk metal band Finntroll.
Nifelvind is the fifth full-length album by the Finnish folk metal band Finntroll, released on February 17, 2010 through Century Media.
Teemu (Somnium) Raimoranta was a Finnish metal musician. He was the founding guitarist of Finnish folk metal band Finntroll along with vocalist Jan "Katla" Jämsen. He was active in Finntroll as a guitarist until his death in 2003. He also played in Thy Serpent, Barathrum, and Impaled Nazarene.
Adrenaline Mob is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in early 2011 by singer Russell Allen, guitarist Mike Orlando and drummer Mike Portnoy. The band's current lineup consists of Allen, Orlando, and drummer Jordan Cannata.
Blodsvept is the sixth studio album by Finnish folk metal band Finntroll. The album was released on March 22, 2013. The album features artwork by band member Samuli "Skrymer" Ponsimaa, including a painting for each song on the album.
Softengine is a Finnish alternative rock band that represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen, Denmark, with their song "Something Better". They released their debut album We Created the World in October 2014. The band's members were born between 1994 and 1997.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
