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

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 will be released by Nuclear Blast in spring 2018.

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.

Brother Firetribe

Brother Firetribe is an AOR-inspired hard rock band, formed in 2002 by Nightwish guitarist Emppu Vuorinen. They have released four albums on Spinefarm and Universal Records, and their fifth "Diamond in the Firepit" in 2020 – without Emppu Vuorinen playing, who was concentrating on Nightwish, but still remained a member in Brother Firetribe. They followed the album with a new single "Thunder Rising" in June 2021.

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.

Laurenne/Louhimo

In November 2020, metal vocalists Netta Laurenne (Smackbound) and Noora Louhimo (Battle Beast) announced their new project Laurenne/Louhimo, which had been incubating in their heads for a couple of years, but finally came to fruition with all the free time caused by the pandemic. The dymanic duo released their debut single "Bitch Fire" via Frontiers Records Srl in May 2021, and an album will follow later in the year.

Blame Me!

Blame Me! is a fresh, melodic female fronted alternative rock band blending anthemic choruses and huge walls of guitars and synths. Drawing influences equally from punk pop and melodic metal, Blame Me! first gained attention through Tuska Festival's band contest, after which the foursome started touring both locally and abroad in countries like Estonia and Russia. Blame Me!'s single releases through 2019 and 2020 have been playlisted on domestic radio stations and streaming services alike.

Luna Kills

Melodic but hard hitting alternative rock trio Luna Kills has a great number of gigs under their belt, varying from clubs to festival stages. They have also played small tours in Russia and Sweden and shared stages with bigger cats like Thundermother (SWE), Reckless Love (FIN), etc. Preceded by singles such as "Liar, liar", Luna Kills are coming out with their second album ”not to be bitter, but it helps” in summer 2021.

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.

Fear of Domination

Industrial metal band Fear of Domination are known for their massive and highly theatrical shows which have left audiences in total awe. Their shows incorporate pyros, UV-light, face paint, featured artists, theatrical acts and fire breathing. The band has toured around Europe together with bands like Deathstars, Turmion Kätilöt, Velcra, Shade Empire, and Hanzel and Gretyl.

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.

Silver Lake by Esa Holopainen

In 2021, Amorphis guitarist and co-founder Esa Holopainen presented his debut solo album "Silver Lake by Esa Holopainen". Unwilling to neither sing himself nor make an instrumental record, Holopainen invited an all-star cast of singers to feature on the album: vocalists known from bands such as from Katatonia, Nordman, The Gathering, Leprous, Soilwork and naturally Amorphis all make an appearance – along with domestic legend Vesa-Matti Loiri!

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.

FireProven

FireProven is a progressive metal band from Finland. The band is known for their long, imagery songs as well as their energetic live shows. Fireproven’s first album Future Diary got great scores in multiple reviews, and International Music Video Contest rewarded their music video Shine for the best director of photography. The band’s unique sound has already inspired people in Europe and overseas.

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.

Jess and the Ancient Ones

Jess and the Ancient Ones is a psychedelic rock band formed in Kuopio in 2010. Some of the members of the band were co-musicians in the metal band Deathchain. Jess and the Ancient Ones' music draws heavily from the 70's psychedelic and occult rock, and they are frequently getting comparisons to bands like Jefferson Airplane, Black Sabath and The Doors in the media. The band has released three albums: The self-titled debut in 2012, "Second Psychedelic Coming: The Aquarius Tapes" in 2015, and 2017's "The Horse and Other Weird Tales".

Hanging Garden

Hanging Garden was formed in 2004, playing heavy, doom-oriented metal music. Over a decade, three albums and numerous line-up changes later, the bands style has evolved to a more melodic, contemporary sound. While still retaining strong roots in metal music, Hanging Garden now possesses a versatile, many-layered style of playing, drawing influence and inspiration from music and art far and wide.

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.

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.

Throat

Throat came into flesh in 2009 in the southwest coast city of Turku. Frustrated by the lack of bands playing the kind of rock that was 20 years past its expiration date, J Mattila and A Juhakoski decided to start a band of their own, recruiting J Laakko and T Lahtinen to complete the line-up. Considering how small the crowd in Finland is for noise rock, Throat managed to actively play shows and keep a steady pace of short run releases coming. The first release receiving wider attention being the “Licked Inch Fur” 12” mini album in 2011. Their debut album “Manhole” was released in 2013, gaining Throat praise and attention in the worldwide noise rock scene.

Olli Vänskä

The violinist Olli Vänskä, known from the internationally succeeded folk metal act Turisas, has released his first solo single Deadline in June 2021. Being influenced by host of genres, his music can be described as catchy, melodic metal. Vänskä himself describes Deadline as a song with meaningful lyrics and implies that more solo production from him is likely to be heard in the future.

Timo Tolkki's Avalon

Timo Tolkki, the composer, guitar virtuoso and founder or power metal giants Stratovarius returns with the third installment of his metal opera "Return to Eden". Along with the band Avalon, a slew of heavyweight guest singers such as Anneke Van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering ) and Zak Stevens (ex-Savatage) appear on the album. Previously Avalon's line-up has featured members from bands like Yngwie Malmsteen, Cain's Offering and Dream Theater.

Wake Up Frankie

Wake Up Frankie appeared in the Finnish metal scene with their 90s-leaning groove metal with occasional nods to nu-metal in 2019. The neon-green addicted fivesome has released over half-a-dozen singles between 2019 and 2021 and which will be followed by a full-length in late 2021.

Cosmo Jones Beat Machine

Cosmo Jones Beat Machine is a rock/blues band, founded in Varpaisjärvi in 1998. The band's hallmarks are guitar riffs, a forward rhythm and the throat sound of singer Pekka "Faarao" Pirttikangas. During their long career, the band has achieved a cult reputation, performing all over Finland and Central Europe.

Oceanhoarse

Oceanhoarse is a heavy metal group formed by former members of Amoral, For the Imperium and Mygrain in 2018. The foursome released their debut ep "Voluntary Bends" in 2019 and played shows together with Beast in Black. Their debut album, a live offering named "The Damage is Done – Live!" saw the light of day in June 2020.

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

Auri

Moon Shot

Brother Firetribe

Mercury Circle

Laurenne/Louhimo

Blame Me!

Luna Kills

Bloodred Hourglass

Fear of Domination

Dust Mountain

Silver Lake by Esa Holopainen

Horte

FireProven

Insomnium

Jess and the Ancient Ones

Hanging Garden

Awake Again

The Rasmus

Throat

Olli Vänskä

Timo Tolkki's Avalon

Wake Up Frankie

Cosmo Jones Beat Machine

Oceanhoarse

100 Finnish songs you should hear

New Experimental Music from Finland

New World and Folk Music from Finland