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.

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

Battle Beast

Battle Beast takes all the classical elements of traditional heavy metal – crunching riffs, high screams, blistering solos and strong choruses – without being afraid of adding its own flavor to the recipe. The sextet is signed to Nuclear Blast and their fourth album, Bringer of Pain, was released this spring.

Sunrise Avenue

One of the biggest exports in the history of Finnish rock and pop, Sunrise Avenue, fronted by charismatic singer Samu Haber, has sold out over 2.5 million albums and is known to sell out stadiums in Germany year after year. After 2018's "Heartbreak Century", Sunrise Avenue came back this year with a new single, the title track to the sequel of the hit comedy "Iron Sky".

Palehørse

Palehørse (f.k.a. Amendfoil) combines technical skills, in-your-face attitude, rough energy and catchy vocal harmonies in their music. After relasing two independent albums as Amendfoil, the grungy and progressive metal trio join Norwegian label Indie Recording, which is already home to bands like Kvelertak and Satyricon. The self titled Palehørse debut is scheduled to be released on Indie Recordings in 2019.

Swallow the Sun

Swallow the Sun return with their latest album, When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light , released by Century Media Records. 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.

Wheel

The Helsinki-based foursome is as much inspired by Radiohead’s art rock as they are with heavy metal. This results in “an expansive and mind-melting collage of progressive rock, grunge and film score that twists and turns in ways no band have ever done before”, as Wheel describes themselves. Besides having a knack for time-defying grooves, heavyweight orchestration and dark surrealism, Wheel has also established themselves as a group unafraid to speak out, with songs touching subjects like the Syrian refugee crisis or dystopic visions on media censorship.

NYOS

Instrumental duo NYOS, consisting of guitarist Tom Brooke and drummer Tuomas Kainulainen, have released four albums and toured around Europe with bands like Zeal and Ardor and Esben and the Witch. Their fifth album, Now. is released in February.

Children of Bodom

One of Finland's most successful bands, melodic death metal group Children of Bodom returns with their tenth album, Hexed.

Andy McCoy

Finnish rock’n’roll icon Andy McCoy is best known as the guitarist and songwriter – along Michael Monroe – in seminal 1980’s glam rock band Hanoi Rocks. After Hanoi Rocks’ second round (2001–2009) he has mainly stayed away from the limelight, producing more visual art than sleazy rock’n’roll, but in late 2018 McCoy came out with the surprise ep “Soul Satisfaction”.

Corpsessed

The second full-length from Corpsessed is rooted in the classic death metal sound of the early 90's yet with its own doomy touch. The album's title was inspired by the impression that, indeed, it is "death itself that sets things in motion, be it the fear or lurking presence of your own demise, or the death of a loved one.”

Hexvessel

Since acclaimed debut album “Dawnbearer” (2011), HEXVESSEL have released two further albums of forest folk and bewitching psychedelia. They have played sold out headline tours in their homeland, been nominated for 2 Finnish Grammy awards, toured Europe together with bands like Sabbath Assembly and Alcest, graced the main stage at Roadburn in Holland and performed at SXSW in Texas, seeing their music on the charts and on many critics lists.

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.

Arion

Metal quintet Arion was formed in 2011, while the members were still in high school. Two years later the band was already signed to Ranka Recordings and performing on Finnish television’s UMK song competition, to be a Eurovision finalist. That Arion did not become, but instead their symphonic power metal quickly found fans in Japan and Finland, where the band has toured relentlessly. Arion’s second album “Life Is Not Beautiful” was released in late 2018.

Wolfheart

Melodic death metal band Wolfheart returns with Tyhjyys, their third album. The frontman of the band, Tuomas Saukkonen, is also known from his former bands Black Sun Aeon, Before the Dawn and Dawn of Solace.

Black Light Discipline

Since 2006, Black Light Discipline has been making industrial metal tinged with elements of electronic dance and gothic influences. To date the band has released three albums and toured in Finland, Russia, Germany, Croatia and Spain.

Flat Earth

Flat Earth consists of former Amorphis bassist Niclas Etelävuori, singer Anthony Pikkarainen and ex-members of HIM, guitarist Linde and drummer Mika Karppinen. Their debut album None for One point to the heydays of alternative rock with a pinch of wistful psychedelia.

Tomb of Finland

Tomb of Finland has been shoveling their slow and mean death and doom metal sounds for a decade. Following their debut, ”Below the Green”, the band released their second full-length ”Frozen Beneath” in 2018.

Medeia

Medeia has stuck to one clear objective since its founding in 2002: creating a fresh, brutal sound rich in content and uncompromising in nature. Medeia has toured relentlessly and played shows alongside such notable acts as Ozzy Osbourne, As I Lay Dying, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Between the Buried and Me, Entombed, Animals as Leaders, Decapitated, Raised Fist, Terror and Insomnium.

Blind Channel

Blind Channel combines electronic pop influences with hard rock. Despite of the band’s young age, Blind Channel has already played hundreds of shows and toured in Europe with bands like Simple Plan, Amaranthe and Enter Shikari. Blind Channel’s second album will be released in 2018.

Korpiklaani

Since they formed in 2003, Korpiklaani has become one of the most acclaimed groups in the genre of folk metal. The band returns on September 7 with their latest album (which is their 10th), Kulkija. Following the release of Kulkija, which is released by Nuclear Blast, the group heads for a tour in Russia.

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

Battle Beast

Sunrise Avenue

Palehørse

Swallow the Sun

Wheel

NYOS

Children of Bodom

Andy McCoy

Corpsessed

Hexvessel

Beast in Black

Arion

Wolfheart

Black Light Discipline

Flat Earth

Tomb of Finland

Medeia

Blind Channel

Korpiklaani

100 Finnish songs you should hear

New Experimental Music from Finland

New World and Folk Music from Finland