Ajattara (band)
Encyclopedia
Ajattara is a five-piece atmospheric black metal
band from Helsinki
, Finland
. They formed in 1996 and are still active. They are signed to Spinefarm Records
and have released six albums, their most recent being Murhat, which was released in early 2011.
singer Pasi Koskinen
. Their first release was a demo tape entitled Helvetissä On Syntisen Taivas which was released in 1998. The band then signed to Spikefarm Records and went on to release three albums - Itse in 2001, Kuolema in 2003 and Tyhjyys. These albums were met with largely good reviews. Ajattara then went onto release a "Christmas Single" in the Novembers of 2004 and 2005, which is a tradition they have done for the last three years. They were entitled Ilon Juhla (2004) and Joulu (2005). The band then went onto release another album in 2006, entitled Äpäre, which was met with similar reviews as their last three albums. The band continued with the Christmas single tradition of 2004 and 2005 by releasing a single entitled Sika in 2006.
At the end of 2006 Ajattara's long time group broke up, when Pasi Koskinen
made neo-Nazi salutes and other related political statements during a concert. Ajattara then reformed with a new line up some time during 2007. The band entered the studio on June 1, 2007 to begin recording on the album Kalmanto which was released on September 5, 2007. However, this album was not met with such good reviews as Ajattara's other albums, as some critics said the album sounded chaotic and forced. In April 2009 Ajattara released their 6th album entitled Noitumaa, this time being an all-acoustic album, which received clearly better reviews than the previous release.
Ajattara announced their 7th album to be released on February 2, 2011, named Murhat (murders in English).
that play a style of black metal not dissimilar to Celtic Frost
and to a lesser extent Samael
. The combined use of synthesisers and heavy guitar sounds give Ajattara a distinct "grimey" sound. The lyrical themes of Ajattara usually deal with death, sodomy, evil and paganism
.
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band from Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. They formed in 1996 and are still active. They are signed to Spinefarm Records
Spinefarm Records
Spinefarm Records is a Finland-based record label focusing mainly on heavy metal artists. In 1999, a sub-label titled Spikefarm Records was started by Sami Tenetz from Thy Serpent...
and have released six albums, their most recent being Murhat, which was released in early 2011.
Brief history
Ajattara formed in 1996 as a side project of AmorphisAmorphis
Amorphis is a Finnish heavy metal band started by Jan Rechberger, Tomi Koivusaari, and Esa Holopainen in 1990. Initially, the band was a death metal act, but on later albums they evolved into playing other types of genres, which include heavy metal, progressive metal, and folk metal...
singer Pasi Koskinen
Pasi Koskinen
Pasi Koskinen is a Finnish metal vocalist best known for his work with the band Amorphis from 1996 to 2004. Koskinen also played in St.Mucus , which he founded. He is currently the vocalist for three active bands: Mannhai, Ajattara Pasi Koskinen (born 1972) is a Finnish metal vocalist best known...
. Their first release was a demo tape entitled Helvetissä On Syntisen Taivas which was released in 1998. The band then signed to Spikefarm Records and went on to release three albums - Itse in 2001, Kuolema in 2003 and Tyhjyys. These albums were met with largely good reviews. Ajattara then went onto release a "Christmas Single" in the Novembers of 2004 and 2005, which is a tradition they have done for the last three years. They were entitled Ilon Juhla (2004) and Joulu (2005). The band then went onto release another album in 2006, entitled Äpäre, which was met with similar reviews as their last three albums. The band continued with the Christmas single tradition of 2004 and 2005 by releasing a single entitled Sika in 2006.
At the end of 2006 Ajattara's long time group broke up, when Pasi Koskinen
Pasi Koskinen
Pasi Koskinen is a Finnish metal vocalist best known for his work with the band Amorphis from 1996 to 2004. Koskinen also played in St.Mucus , which he founded. He is currently the vocalist for three active bands: Mannhai, Ajattara Pasi Koskinen (born 1972) is a Finnish metal vocalist best known...
made neo-Nazi salutes and other related political statements during a concert. Ajattara then reformed with a new line up some time during 2007. The band entered the studio on June 1, 2007 to begin recording on the album Kalmanto which was released on September 5, 2007. However, this album was not met with such good reviews as Ajattara's other albums, as some critics said the album sounded chaotic and forced. In April 2009 Ajattara released their 6th album entitled Noitumaa, this time being an all-acoustic album, which received clearly better reviews than the previous release.
Ajattara announced their 7th album to be released on February 2, 2011, named Murhat (murders in English).
Musical style
Ajattara combine elements of black metalBlack metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
that play a style of black metal not dissimilar to Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
and to a lesser extent Samael
Samael (band)
Samael is a industrial black metal band formed in 1987 in Sion, Switzerland.-Biography:Although much of their music from the mid-1990s onwards has incorporated electronic sounds which would best define their genre as industrial metal, they are an early 2nd Wave black metal band and an innovator for...
. The combined use of synthesisers and heavy guitar sounds give Ajattara a distinct "grimey" sound. The lyrical themes of Ajattara usually deal with death, sodomy, evil and paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
.
Current members
- Itse Ruoja Suruntuoja (Pasi KoskinenPasi KoskinenPasi Koskinen is a Finnish metal vocalist best known for his work with the band Amorphis from 1996 to 2004. Koskinen also played in St.Mucus , which he founded. He is currently the vocalist for three active bands: Mannhai, Ajattara Pasi Koskinen (born 1972) is a Finnish metal vocalist best known...
) - vocals, guitar, keyboards (1996-) - Kalmos (Vesa Wahlroos) - guitar, backing vocals (2007-)
- Tartunta (Mynni Luukkainen) - guitar (2010-)
- Tohtori Kuolio (Juha HarjuJuha HarjuJuha Harju is a Finnish heavy metal musician. He is the vocalist of the Finnish dark metal/black metal band Shade Empire and dark-metal band Chaosweaver . He also plays bass in Black metal bands Ajattara and Deathchain...
) - bass, backing vocals (2007-) - Malakias VI (Rainer Tuomikanto) - drums (2010-)
Former members
- Samuel Lempo (Tomi KoivusaariTomi KoivusaariTomi Koivusaari is the rhythm guitarist and former vocalist of the Finnish metal band Amorphis.He started playing at the age of 12, his first band was Violent Solution formed in 1987, with him on guitars and vocals, Esa Holopainen on guitars and Jan Rechberger on drums. The band played thrash...
) - guitar - Ismonster (Ismo Liljelund) - guitar
- Akir Kalmo (Aki Räty) - keyboards
- Ikkala (Jarmo Ikala) - keyboards
- Orpo (Pekka Kasari) - drums
- Atoni (Toni Laroma) - bass (1996–2007)
- Malakias I (Pekka Sauvolainen) - drums (1996–2003)
- Malakias II (Jan Rechberger) - drums (2003–2004)
- Malakias III (Atte Sarkima) - drums (2004–2007)
- Irstas (Kalle Sundström) - keyboards (2004–2007)
- Raajat (Janne Immonen) - keyboards (2007–2010)
- Malakias IV (Tonmi LillmanTonmi LillmanTonmi Kristian Lillman is a musician who officially changed his first name from Tommi to Tonmi in 2004.-Career:Lillman’s father was a musician, and as a result he grew up surrounded by a large assortment of instruments. Tonmi received his first drum kit at age nine and started performing live at...
- drums (2007–2010)
Albums
- Itse (March 23, 2001)
- Kuolema (March 24, 2003)
- Tyhjyys (October 13, 2004)
- Äpäre (March 22, 2006)
- Kalmanto (September 5, 2007)
- Noitumaa (April 22, 2009)
- Murhat (February 2, 2011)
Singles
- Ilon Juhla (November 24, 2004)
- Juolu (November 23, 2005)
- Sika (November 15, 2006)
- Tulppaani (November 28, 2007)