Finnish metal

The heavy metal in Finland is a kind of music strongly practiced by groups, whose the very many ones from now on became of the references in Europe and in the world. The most adopted kinds are symphonic metal, the melody speed metal (or Power metal), the black metal and Gothic metal.

Beginnings

With beginning of the year 80, metal was a marginal kind in Finland; besides some rare groups with the weak national success, like Stone (group of famous the Roope Latvala, future guitarist, inter alia, of Children off Bodom), the phenomenon remains very limited. However, some formations are born, without still knowing that they will become the leaders of the movement later a few years; it is in particular the case of Stratovarius…

The Nineties: beginning of the international recognition

At the beginning of the decade, one finds, in the first emerging groups, Amorphis and Sentenced. These groups practice melody Death metal, also emergent music at the time in the adjoining country (the Sweden). But the most important evolution came from another innovative group for the time. Practitioner a melody speed metal mixed with neo-classic metal, Stratovarius became since 1994 (date of the recruitment of the singer Timo Kotipelto) one of the leaders of European metal. Its so particular style then (since, he was very often imitated…), as well as the talent of its musicians (in particular the Swedish guitarist Timo Tolkki and clavierist Jens Johansson) allowed him to enjoy an important success.

Another group even atypical, Apocalyptica was made known in 1996 while leaving an album resumptions of the Californian group Metallica exclusively played on violoncellos. After only formed albums of metal resumptions (of Pantera to Faith No More), the group started to play only its creations, decorated batteries and other instruments coming to support the violoncellos.

Let us not forget Waltari, indefinable group, formed in second half of the Eighties, readily adored musicians of the scene but curiously been sulky by the general public in spite of titles very hookers. It should be said that the jungle of the styles practiced here has all the same what to reject of them more one: heavy, punk, techno, rap, music experimental, breakbeat, symphonic, grind-core, funk, pop, death metal…

And like everywhere else, Finland knows also its batch of troublemakers. Impaled Nazarene and its " nuclear metal" with crossroads between Black metal and Death metal account among most remarkable of the kind. The group carried out by Mikka Luttinen was pointed out by the many scandals which it generated, with an unquestionable delight: drunk musicians unloading on scene, texts mixing " perversions" sexual and satanism, they are even had concern with associations hindouists! " We are those which you will adore détester" seem to be the assumed currency of the group.

The years 2000: diversification and success always growing

Groups increasingly more were success out of the borders of the country. But the innovative character of Finnish metal did not lose anything, quite to the contrary: the ideas of certain musicians allowed a constant renewal.

Follower of symphonic metal with Gothic aspects, the group Nightwish, carried out by the clavierist Tuomas Holopainen, knew a great notoriety since 1998, which became phenomenal extensive since their fifth album, Once , in 2004. The characteristic of the group lies in the lyric song of Tarja Turunen, but as in the play of Tuomas, follower of environment medieval and the orchestral sounds rather as of the fast solos. The success of the group was not contradicted from the exit of their second album, Oceanborn , in 1998. In 2005, Nightwish laid off Tarja Turunen, creating strong reactions on behalf of the fans, especially in Finland.

The new hope of European metal, named Children off Bodom, left its first album in 1997. Mixing very many influences, as a majority of the melody speed metal and death metal combined with a song black metal, the group, carried out by the singer and guitarist virtuoso Alexi Laiho, literally became a reference impossible to circumvent from the exit of its third album, Follow the Reaper , in 2000. The mixture of the various styles, the play hallucinating of Laiho, Wirman and others, the arrival of the veteran Roope Latvala (ex- Waltari and Stone, inter alia), definitively made it possible the group to acquire the world recognition which they deserve. Their clavierist Janne Wirman also became one of the most famous clavierists in Finland, even in Europe and perhaps even in the world.

Now, Finnish metal became one of the most innovative scenes, most appreciated and most prolific of Europe, even of the World. That was especially checked with the assistance of Eurovision 2006 gained by Lordi, group of heavy metal initially noticed for its disguises.

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