Playlists

New Rock and Metal from Finland

Words by Music Finland

Published 3.2.2023

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 The Rasmus, Nightwish and Amorphis, to cult favorites such as Beherit and Terveet Kädet, to fresh newcomers like Blind Channel and Cyan Kicks, 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 Apple Music or Spotify and read more about the artists below! The playlist is updated regularly.

New Rock and Metal from Finland on Apple Music

New Rock and Metal from Finland on Spotify

Battle Beast

Battle Beast takes all the classical elements of 1980s melodic, traditional heavy metal – crunching riffs, high screams, blistering solos and huge choruses – without being afraid of adding its own flavor to their "party power metal" recipe. The sextet is signed to Nuclear Blast and their seventh full-length album "Circus of Doom" was released in early 2022.

Turmion Kätilöt

Turmion Kätilöt is an industrial metal band from Finland, formed in 2003 by MC Raaka Pee and Dj Vastapallo. They are known for their live show full of energy and dedication – as they do not hesitate to throw in scenes of self-mutilation or whatever comes into their minds.

Split Iris

Progressive metalcore band Split Iris, formed in 2020, spices their music with elements of djent, deathcore, thall and several other styles of modern metal. They rely on ambience and massive soundscapes as much as their dark and driving down-tuned riffs and big breakdowns, with soaring vocal melodies as the proverbial cherry on top. Split Iris is signed to the Seek & Strike label, who will be releasing their debut album in 2024.

Ginger Evil

“From Foo Fighters to Fleetwood Mac” is how Ginger Evil describes their sound. Born from the ashes of Moonshine Inc., the band's founding members are Tomi Julkunen and Veli Palevaara (guitars & bass) with the addiction of Toni Mustonen on drums and the powerhouse vocalist Ella Tepponen. The quartet's debut album “The Way It Burns”, due out later in 2024, is produced and mixed by Teemu Aalto (Insomnium) and mastered by Grammy-nominated Svante Forsbäck of Chartmakers (Rammstein, Volbeat, Sunrise Avenue, Apocalyptica).

Cemetery Skyline

The lineup of goth rock/metal ensemble Cemetery Skyline is made up of quite well known musicians: singer Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity, The Halo Effect), guitarist Markus Vanhala (Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum), keyboardist Santeri Kallio (Amorphis), bass player Victor Brandt (Dimmu Borgir, Witchery, Entombed) and drummer Vesa Ranta (Sentenced, The Abbey). The self-described "Nordic Gothic" quintet is signed to Century Media and should be recommended to anyone with i.e. Type O Negative, The Cult or Sisters of Mercy albums in their collection.

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 and was followed by studio debut "Dead Reckoning" in 2021 and 2nd long player "Heads Will Roll" in 2023.

Octoploid

Octoploid is the solo band of Olli-Pekka Laine (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, of Amorphis fame) formed in 2022. The act's debut album “Beyond The Aeons” is due to be released in July 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music. Combining elements from 90s death and black metal, 70s prog rock and 90s psychedelic rock, their music has its own place on the map. In one phrase, Octoploid's sound has been described as "classic death prog." Built around Laine, the core band includes four musicians: drummer Mikko Pietinen, guitarist Peter Salonen, keyboardist Kim Rantala and vocalist Mikko Kotamäki.

Shiraz Lane

Melodic and 80s-leaning hard rock quintet Shiraz Lane was founded in 2011. Their debut album "For Crying Out Loud" was released in 2016 by Italian label Frontiers Music Srl. Between 2016 and 2017 the group toured across Europe with likes of Lordi and Brother Firetribe, and 2018 saw the release of their sophomore album "Carnival Days". Now signed to Ranka Kustannus, Shiraz Lane will come out with a third album in 2022.

Apocalyptica

Since they formed in 1993 as a "Metallica by four cellos" student project, Apocalyptica soon grew up to be a proper orchestral rock band, only armed with cellos instead of guitars. Apocalyptica has released nearly a dozen studio albums featuring both cello-based instrumentals along with vocal-based songs, first with featured vocalists and between 2014–15 with singer Franky Perez. Whatever styles they’ve explored – from atmospheric interludes to fast, battering rhythms – their music has been gripping, dynamic and full of melody.

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.

Memoira

The melodic metal band Memoira combines dynamic gothic metal with symphonic orchestrations and strong female vocals. Formed over 10 years ago, their music has been compared to acts like Nightwish and Kamelot. After a long hiatus, Memoira released a new album “Carnival of Creation” in 2020, a dark and atmospheric entity of symphonic gothic metal.

Black Totem

A death rock band based in Turku, Finland, Black Totem are downright lycanthropic, breaking out of their enigmatic origins and taking on a much more unadulterated form. Their catchy, raucous blues songs, with wild, untamed backing vocals and horror-soundtrack keys, give a distinctly Finnish lizard-disco hysteria to their fortified sound, coming across like a blood-bath in a moonshine distillery. Recommended if you're into Danzig, Grave Pleasures and the like!

The Grammers

Keeping the spirit of classic rock alive since 1999, The Grammers is a 7-piece group founded in the small town of Säkylä. The band’s upcoming 8th album was recorded live in Rockfield, Wales, with international top professionals such as Tim Palmer, Jens Bogren and Nick Brine. The Grammers are known as an uncompromising live act, whose sound relies on Hannu Vainionpää's classic hard rock vocals, big and catchy choruses, along with a rough and rolling band sound.

Rock-Criminals

Sleaze/glam rockers Rock-Criminals was formed in 2011 when, according to their own words, "four guys wanted to play rock'n'roll". The band got their first touch of success, when they were seen on national TV as a part of X Factor Finland in 2018. Gigging all over their homeland, they have a reputation as a great live band with vigorous attitude and punk rock spirit. Channelling the style and sound of early Hanoi Rocks, it was only natural that Rock-Criminals would end up working with Michael Monroe – which happened in their 2023 single "Get Yourself Together".

Grain of Pain

Grain of Pain is the solo project of Timo Solonen, known as the guitarist of death doomers Infirmum. On the new project, Solonen is supported by a group of musicians, including guitarist Juho Räihä and drummer Juuso Raatikainen from Swallow the Sun. Grain of Pain's debut full-length “The Moon Lights the Way” was released in May 2024 through the German label Noble Demon.

Mtvkid

Emerging into the Finnish scene in 2023, MTVkid blends elements of punk, alt, and pop rock that feels both nostalgic and new. The Helsinki-based trio features Sebastian Gregg on vocals, Leo Krechmer on guitar, and Kristian Jokilahti on drums. Their music explores a range of emotions and topics, from mental health and social anxiety to love and sexual frustration, always preserving a touch of humour. With a good handful of catchy singles, MTVkid may just prove that the music revolution will be televised.

Rabbit Cult

The duo Rabbit Cult (fka Saruru) calls their music "bunnymetal" – which is quite a timely pigeonhole for their electronic pop metal. On top of it all, Rabbit Cult entwines the roots of Finnish folk epic Kalevala’s mythological matriarchy, and the striking tone of the traditional folk instrument kantele. Conducted by Salla-Marja (vocals, kanteles) and multi-instrumentalist Marianne (drums, percussions, guitar, bass, synth, vocals), Rabbit Cult writes and produces their music together.

Oranssi Pazuzu

Oranssi Pazuzu, formed in 2007, is one of the most idiosyncratic Finnish metal bands and has gained a substantial international following. With their albums such Värähtelijä (2016) and Mestarin kynsi (2020), Oranssi Pazuzu's combination of quirky progressive psychedelia, space rock and Nordic black metal has been met with praise from both fans and critics alike, and earning them nominations for Nordic Music Prize and Teosto Music Prize, as well as praise in media outlets such as Pitchfork, The Quietus, Kerrang and The Needle Drop.

Nightwish

Nightwish was originally formed in Kitee, Finland, in 1997 by keyboardist and songwriter Tuomas Holopainen. During their over two-decade existence, these metal giants have risen to become one of the biggest symphonic metal bands in the world. In April 2020 Nightwish released their ninth studio album "Human. :II: Nature".

Euge Valovirta

Metal guitarist Euge Valovirta has played in numerous domestically praised bands such as Godsplague and Drive. Valovirta stepped in the scene as the guitarist of Suburban Tribe, but soon settled into his role and garnered accolades as a hired gun on albums of metal luminaries like Children of Bodom, Hevisaurus and Ensiferum. Valovirta started to get international fame as the guitarist of Shining (SWE), where he also collaborated in song-writing. Nowadays Valovirta handles lead guitars in Swedish melodic metal band Cyhra and as a solo artist.

Crownshift

Crownshift's members are familiar from the ranks of Finland's finest export titans like Nightwish, Children Of Bodom and Wintersun. Covering seamlessly a diversity of styles, the quartet pair their hypnotizing melodies with ripping riffs. From moody mid-tempo songs to a fierce prog-death-metal opus, Crownshift is a master of many trades. The debut album, released in 2024 via Nuclear Blast, is a showcase of the band's ambition that will take the listener through a wide musical spectrum with no compromises or boundaries.

Wheel

The Helsinki-based foursome Wheel is as much inspired by Radiohead’s art rock as they are with Tool's metallic prog rock. 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.

Memoremains

Memoremains 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, the quintet 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.

Crimson Sun

Modern metal quintet Crimson Sun was originally founded in 2001, but they have been operating with their current line-up since 2011. Fronted by singer Sini Seppälä, the band combines elements from traditional heavy metal, power metal and symphonic metal – and even djent – but flourishes the songs with big, catchy and melodic choruses, as well as synthesizer patterns reminiscent of EDM music.

Balance Breach

Mikkeli based quintet Balance Breach combines the elements of metalcore, post-hardcore and modern rock – along with the Nordic melancholy inherited in their DNA. Since 2019 the band has been signed to a German label Out of Line Music. On their 2nd album "ABYZMAL" , released in May 2023, Balance Breach addresses themes such as mental health problems, loneliness and death as well as violence between family members and intimate partners.

MajBird

Bringing the rock of the 70s back to today, MajBird (formerly Boyar) was founded in Joensuu, but currently operating between Kuopio and Helsinki. The band's singers, keyboardist Petra Immonen and Taavi Kiiskinen draw from their own favorite music: blues, funk and a touch of progressive rock – and write songs the human condition and the world around them. MajBird regularly consists of five musicians, although there is often also a wind section that brings its own additional spice to the band's sound. The band's first EP will be released in the summer of 2024.

Lastout

Lastout (stylized as LASTOUT, with all caps) is a true manifestation of the future of Finnish metal. Still in their teens, the members of Lastout met in kindergarten and formed their first band in elementary school. Honing their skills through the years, Lastout garnered a substantial following with their Youtube videos. In 2024 they inked a deal with Ranka Recordings (home to Blind Channel, Cyan Kicks etc) and Backbone Management (Ville Valo, The Rasmus, Blind Channel etc) and released "Irate", the debut single form their forthcoming album.

One Morning Left

Founded in 2008 in Vaasa, Finland, One Morning Left is well known for their unique blend of electro, hardcore, metalcore and straight-up pop influences as well as their entertaining and energetic live shows where absolutely anything can happen. The band has so far released five albums: "Panda Loves Penguin" (2009), "The Bree-TeenZ" (2011), "Our Sceneration" (2013), "Metalcore Superstars" (2016) and "Hyperactive" (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. Moon Shot's first full-length was released in 2021, and after the pandemic, the foursome hit the road to promote the album, playing numerous shows in Germany and their home country. Prior to forming Moon Shot, the four members have toured the world with their previous bands such as Disco Ensemble, Children of Bodom and Lapko.

Haunted Plasma

Haunted Plasma is introduced as “a powerhouse of futuristic synth in symbiosis with the super violent atmospherics of kosmische Black Metal”. Formed by Juho Vanhanen (Oranssi Pazuzu, Grave Pleasures), Timo Kaukolampi (K-X-P, Op:l Bastards) and Tomi Leppänen (Circle, Aavikko) and with guests like Mat McNerney (Hexvessel, Carpenter Brut, Grave Pleasures), Pauliina Lindell (Dust Mountain) and Ringa Manner (The Hearing), Haunted Plasma is “man meets machine” in a cybernetic wasteland, set to a conceptual backdrop of William Gibson and Phillip K. Dick style mind-melt. The trio cites their sound to be a combo of Terry Riley, Massive Attack, a contemporary take on Krautrock hypnosis, psychedelic Black Metal and 90s Techno.

Free Ride

Free Ride is a power rock trio from northern Finland (Tornio, to be exact), rocking out since 2000. Following the classic rock mythology, Free Ride claims to be "all about free spirits, the open roads and rock'n'roll". Their music is a mix of classic, hard and bluesy rock, with some more modern influences thrown in. Free Ride's third album "Hard Livin'" was released in April 2024.

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 they 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.

Hites

"Anti-everything post-punk from Helsinki", as their slogan says, Hites emerged in the Finnish punk scene with their debut single "Landlord" in 2023, sounding surprisingly accomplished – and authentic enough to land on an "punk from the UK" playlist on Spotify. Falling somewhere between Sleaford Mods and Idles (indeed, as someone on TikTok had named them "20 cent Idles", which the band proudly announces on their bio), Hites' debut EP "Rat King" (2024) shows a quartet with a very 'now' sound, with lyrics and attitude to match.

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