Music Video Mania- Finnish Metal

If heavy metal had a Mecca right now I would say it is Finland.  The cold country seems to be the breeding ground of a myriad of high quality metal bands spanning through many genres.  I don’t know what the Finns are drinking (maybe some of that ceremonial thunder brew that was the inspiration for Korpiklaani‘s latest album Ukon Wacka), but if there is one thing that they can do, it’s write some of the best metal that the world has to offer.  According to many statistics, Finland has the most metal bands per person with for every 4 people there’s 1 metal band.  That’s a lot of metal.

This updated repost of a Music Video Mania I did last year will be the first part of a 2 part series.  Next week I will take a look and give my opinion as to why Finland has so much great metal going on in the country.  If any Finnish readers (or any readers) would like to give their opinion why Finland is so rich with metal, I’d really love to hear it!!!  Enjoy the videos!!! Peace Love and Metal!!!

Hevisaurus – Jee Hevisaurus

The Finnish kids favorite dinosaur can eat your kids favorite purple dinosaur.  Seriously, this is what I call great music for kids.  No wonder the Finns grow up loving metal when they grow up loving stuff like this.  And it’s presented in such a positive manner that no one can say that it’s warping kids minds.  This band is huge in Finland topping Finnish record sales charts.  It’s great that there’s something out there that both kids and parents can both genuinely like.  Producers of the other dinosaur kids shows, start taking notes, parents will love you.

Children of Bodom- Lookin’ Out My Backdoor

Children of Bodom are one of the biggest success stories out of Finland going on huge worldwide tours and topping sales charts in multiple countries.  I have to admit I didn’t care for them when I first heard them when I caught them in concert quite a few years back.  Must have been an off night for them, it happens, so whatever.  I’m happy I gave them another chance, I dig their balance of extreme metal and power metal.  For the video I had to go with the cover of “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” originally by CCR because, well if you haven’t noticed, I kinda have a thing for anything that slightly has to do with The Big Lebowski.

Finntroll- Under Bergets Rot(Under the Root of the Mountain)

In Finnish folklore there exists a troll that eats the Christian invaders that came to Finland to violently force their beliefs upon the peaceful pagan people of the country. Finntroll take those folklore stories and songs and just go wild with them adding elements of extreme metal and Finnish huumpa music(it’s kinda like polka music).  Finntroll is most certainly one of the most tongue in cheek bands out there taking themselves just serious enough to make their music not a complete joke.  Actually their most recent album “Nifelvind” was quite a mature album but still contained parts that made me laugh out loud.  I love the animation in this video.  Remind me, if I end up in a troll bar, don’t overdo it on the Flaming Moes, I could end up with a troll-a-plasty.  On a side note, Henri “Trollhorn” Sorvalli, a main songwriter and keyboard player in Finntroll also masterminds with his cousin Valle Sorvalli Moonsorrow, boy does that dude have some skill.

Ensiferum- From Afar

In Finland there is no shortage of epic metal bands.  Ensiferum (translated to Sword Bearer, more direct Iron Bearer) are one of the best that epic metal has to offer.  Their songs make me want to grab a sword and shield and storm the gates of Mordor.  They write catchy, beautiful, and brutal battle hymns mainly about the history of their country and also stories that they create themselves.  This is one band you may have never heard that I highly recommend.

Moonsorrow- Tyven+Sankarihauta(Serene+A Warriors Grave)

I have a certain affinity for this band.  There are very few bands that stimulate and inspire my imagination like Moonsorrow does.  Even though all the lyrics are sung in Finnish and I can’t understand what they are saying (the lyrics are wonderfully translated in the liner notes in the CDs), the music paints glorious pictures of whatever feeling or landscape they are portraying.  Every album that these guys have put forth is pure gold.  Very few bands can write songs at the length Moonsorrow does (average about 10 min, and they have a few that run over 30 min) and hold my attention so well.

Stratovarius- Hunting High and Low

Stratovarius are one of the pioneering bands in the European power metal scene.  High-flying vocals and fun and technical instrumentation make these Finns one of the best in the genre.  And after 20 years of music making their still flying high with their latest album, the excellent Elysium.  “Hunting High and Low” off of the album Infinite is my favorite song from Stratovarius, I dig the upbeat music and uplifting vocals.

Turisas- Battle Metal

Turisas pretty much created their own genre of ‘Battle Metal’ when they hit the scene with their album, ummm, Battle Metal.  Making use of great storytelling, great orchestration, and killer live shows, Turisas blood pumping battle hymns took the world by storm making them one of the most loved and respected bands from Finland.  In 2008 they gave back to their fans by releasing an official video for their iconic song “Battle Metal” composed of almost all fan footage.

Korpiklaani- Metsämies(Forest Man)

Beer, alcohol, the forest, trees, nature, and history are all things that Korpiklaani loves and loves to sing about.  These guys are just a party in a can, once you open it up you can’t stop listening.  “Metsämies” is a song about the hard life of a lumberjack in Finland.  I love the happy nature of this song, it makes me want to swill gallons of beer and dance arm in arm with my buddies.  Great fun.

Amorphis- Silver Bride

Amorphis is a band where the name fits the band perfectly.  There is no shape or structure to how they sound as with each album they are constantly evolving.  Some songs are hardcore death metal, some are power metal, some are ballads, and some just rock, like my video selection for them “Silver Bride”.  And is it just me, or does the singer remind you of Capt. Jack Sparrow in this video.

Ghost Brigade- Clawmaster

Part crushing metal, part haunting mellow and acoustic music, Ghost Brigade finds a wonderful medium where they find perfect balance between the two extremes.  One thing that is a whole within the two counterparts is that their songs are always introspective and honest dealing with both dark and light topics.  The video for “Clawmaster” wonderful and I love the use of the black and white which creates a contrasting atmosphere that is in harmony, much like their music.

Nightwish- Storytime

Being able to be insanely cheesy and have it work for you in a positive is a feat that is near impossible to pull off.  Other than Italy’s Rhapsody there is only one other band that I know of that can pull it off flawlessly, and that is Nightwish.  Harboring one of the biggest cult followings in metal these guys (and gals) have achieved international stardom.  The video for “Storytime” off their newly released album Imaginarium shows the band at some of their cheesiest with some backstage scenes of the Nightwish movie the album is the ‘soundtrack’ to.  And it’s one hell of a catchy and fun tune!

Kivimetsän Druidi- Desolation: White Wolf

While the Finns are quite adept at creating metal of all the different styles out there, the one that seems come to them the most naturally is Epic/Folk Metal.  Kivimetsän Druidi continue in the path of their contemporaries like Moonsorrow and Ensiferum and put forth some huge and awesome metal.  I love the use of female vocals in this song which give it a whimsical ‘fantasy’ feel and the counterbalancing harsh male vocals adding ferocity.  The music is also quite valorous.