Playlists

New Rock and Metal from Finland

Words by Music Finland

Published 4.1.2019

The first groundbreaking Finnish rock bands paved the way for future success already back in the 1970’s, with bands like Hanoi Rocks and Wigwam inspiring numerous Finnish artists with their success.

Ever since the late 1990’s Finnish rock and heavy metal bands have been household names all over the world. From stadium sized acts like HIM, Nightwish and Children of Bodom, to cult favorites such as Beherit and Terveet Kädet, the list could go on endlessly. Mind you, even Barack Obama knows that Finland has the most heavy metal bands in the world per capita!

On the New rock and Metal from Finland playlist we take a look at the most exciting new releases Finland has to offer. Listen to the playlist on Spotify or Apple Music and read more about the artists below! The playlist is updated regularly.

New Rock and Metal from Finland

Mercury Circle

“Think Sisters Of Mercy and The Cult shaking hands with Depeche Mode and Cathedral”. Mercury Circle, born as a brainchild in 2018 by Iconcrash’s and Swallow the Sun’s Jaani Peuhu, offers dark rock infused with electrifying synth wave and slow, epic doom. After their debut ep Vitriol (2020) Mercury Circle’s first full-length is set for release in 2021 on the Noble Demon label. The band’s musicians are previously known from established bands such as Hallatar, Hanging Garden, To/Die/For, Sleep of Monsters, Rytmihäiriö and Children of Bodom.

Awake Again

Awake Again is a four piece alternative metal outfit from Turku. In 2018, they won the international Wacken Metal Battle band competition. Later that year performed at Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany and signed an international record deal with Spinefarm Records. Their music is a mixture of metal, post-hardcore and pop. Awake Again has made a steady rise in the Finnish metal scene with their catchy songs and energetic live performances.

Barbe-Q-Barbies

Helsinki-based hard rock group Barbe-Q-Barbies was formed in 2002, releasing their debut album "All Over You" in 2010. Citing bands such as Kiss, Queens of the Stone Age, AC/DC and Motörhead as influences, the Barbies have toured across the world both on their own and as a support act for the likes of W.A.S.P. and New York Dolls. In 2019 the quintet consisting of Niki, Heidi, Ekkis, Minttu and Niina released their 4th album "Borrowed Time".

Swallow the Sun

Swallow the Sun return released their latest album "When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light" by Century Media Records in 2019. Fueled by personal loss (the album title has its origins in Trees of Eternity's “Broken Mirror”) and powered by the will to continue, “When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light” showcases the group’s ability to maintain its signature sound while expanding upon horizons and diving deeper into the crevasse of doom-death metal. In 2021 the band has released single "Woven into Sorrow".

Skepticism

Skepticism, sometimes even stated as pioneers of funeral doom metal, celebrates its thirty-year anniversary in 2021. Their sound has been described as atmospheric world of suppressive and immersive doom. Skepticism is about release their next album by the end of 2021 and has released the first singles from the upcoming album.

Memoremains

This fresh quintet fronted by singer Johanna Ahonen, throws in a combination of catchy pop hooks, hard metal riffs, groovy uptempo beats and symphonic elements. After releasing over a dozen singles and the ep "Louder" between 2017 and 2019, Memoremains came out with their full-length debut "The Cost Of Greatness" in 2020. Despite having just a few years of service, Memoremains has already toured around Europe, as well as their home country.

Lordi

Finland’s number one monster rock band Lordi rose to global fame after the Eurovision victory in 2006, with their catchy hard rock hit ”Hard Rock Hallelujah”. Since then, the group has toured in Europe, US and Asia several times and released a steady string of albums. Currently the band is planning to release a massive entity of seven different albums called Lordiversity.

Omnium Gatherum

Six-piece band Omnium Gatherum are known for their innovative combination of melodic death and progressive metal. The band has released eight albums – their latest, The Burning Cold, was released by Century Media in 2018.

Insomnium

Insomnium is a melodic death metal band, founded in 1997, in a remote town of Joensuu, beyond the great vast forests of eastern Finland. Two decades later they would be saluted as one of the spearheads of their genre, having released 8 studio albums such as "Shadows of the Dying Sun" (2014) and "Winter’s Gate" (2016) which elevated the band to the headliner status all over the globe. After 2019's "Heart Like a Grave" Insomnium returned with new single releases in 2021.

Circle

After over 30 albums under the belt, the prolific collective Circle from Pori release their debut for the acclaimed US label Southern Lord. With Terminal, Circle continue to boldly explore sonic soundscapes, venturing curiously into terrains of Stooges-esque swagger, trance-inducing kraut rock mantras, beautiful electronic ambience, psychedelic rock noodling, arena storming AOR weirdness, 70s prog rock extravagance, glam pop pomp, and of course their core sound, heavy metal.

Bloodred Hourglass

The sound of metal quintet Bloodred Hourglass is mainly inspired by metal, but never disregarding the influences from various other musical genres. With three albums already under their belt and well known for their relentless live performances around the world, the band has established their own signature sound. Bloodred Hourglass will release their fourth full-length "Godsend" in June 2019.

Beast in Black

A five-piece Helsinki based heavy metal band Beast in Black was founded by Anton Kabanen soon after he had parted ways with Battle Beast in 2015. Their second album is From Hell With Love, released by Nuclear Blast.

The Rasmus

One of Finland's biggest music exports in the past decades, The Rasmus' (founded in 1994 in Helsinki) big triumph came with the international smash hit "In The Shadows" (2002) and subsequent albums "Dead Letters" (2003), "Hide from the Sun" (2005) and "Black Roses" (2007). The Rasmus has sold 5 million albums worldwide, and about 350,000 albums in Finland alone. They have won numerous awards, both domestic and international. In 2021 The Rasmus are planning to release their 10th album and have released a single together with Finnish symphonic metal band Apocalyptica.

Auri

Auri is a three-piece band consisting of Tuomas Holopainen (Nightwish), singer Johanna Kurkela, and Troy Donockley (Nightwish). Their music draws inspiration from metal, folk music, Celtic traditional music and soundtracks. Their first album was released in 2018.

Sami Yaffa

Bass guitarist Sami Yaffa, previously known from acts such as Hanoi Rocks, Michael Monroe and The New York Dolls, has released his first solo album in fall 2021. The debut single Last time was released in summer 2021. Yaffa’s music can be described as versatile since it takes influence from different genres, yet he reminds the roots of his music are in rock ‘n’ roll.

Dust Mountain

Dust Mountain was founded in 2016 by siblings Toni Hietamäki (Oranssi Pazuzu) and Henna Hietamäki (Cats of Transnistria), accompanied by an exceptional band: drummer Jukka Rämänen (Hexvessel, Dark Buddha Rising) bassist Riku Pirttiniemi (Death Hawks) and guitarist/backing vocalist Pauliina Lindell (Vuono). In October 2021, Dust Mountain will release their debut album “Hymns For Wilderness”, inspired by 1960’s and 1970’s acts such as Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Jefferson Airplane, Coven and Linda Perhacs, with a soft touch of doom riffs and distortion.

Korpiklaani

Since they formed in 2003, Korpiklaani has become one of the most acclaimed groups in the genre of folk metal, with instruments like fiddles, accordions and hurdy-gurdy in the mix. After their 2018 album "Kulkija", the band has released nearly a dozen versions of their malty anthem "Beer Beer" in different languages, along other drinking songs such as "Jägermeister" and "Land of a Thousand Drinks".

Hooded Menace

Formed in 2007 in the very Eastern part of Finland, in the city of Joensuu, Hooded Menace is known for death metal influenced doom. Their music takes influence from many known acts such as Candlemass, Cathedral and Paradise Lost. On their latest album “The Tritonus Bell” released in 2021, the influence of 80’s heavy metal is strong resulting a more up tempo album compared to the band’s previous work.

Thy Row

Thy Row, formed in 2017, offers a mix of old-school heavy metal and modern hard rock. Their music has been reviewed as refreshingly pure and classic metal with strong solos and powerful vocal performance. Soon after the release of single “The Round” in 2018 and EP “Thy Row” in 2019, the band received international attention and toured in Japan. Thy Row is about to release their debut album in September.

Horte

Horte incorporates psychedelic shoegaze and heavy bass with hazy electronics. The band’s dreamy and intriguing debut album is described as ”built of the connection between concrete and surreal textures”. The eponymous album was released in 2017 by Svart Records, and will be followed with a sophomore full-length "Maa antaa yön vaientaa", co-produced by Juho Vanhanen (Oranssi Pazuzu) in 2021.

Moon Shot

The self-proclaimed "true 21st century rock band" with an anthemic stadium rock sound, Moon Shot released their debut single in November 2020 and are planning to release their first full-length in 2021. Prior to forming Moon Shot, the four members have toured the world as members of Disco Ensemble, Children of Bodom and Lapko.

Playlists

The first groundbreaking Finnish rock bands paved the way for future success already back in the 1970’s, with bands like Hanoi Rocks and Wigwam inspiring numerous Finnish artists with their success.

New Rock and Metal from Finland

Mercury Circle

Awake Again

Barbe-Q-Barbies

Swallow the Sun

Skepticism

Memoremains

Lordi

Omnium Gatherum

Insomnium

Circle

Bloodred Hourglass

Beast in Black

The Rasmus

Auri

Sami Yaffa

Dust Mountain

Korpiklaani

Hooded Menace

Thy Row

Horte

Moon Shot

100 Finnish songs you should hear

New Experimental Music from Finland

New World and Folk Music from Finland