A Little Slice of Metal: Korpiklaani

Count the number of songs NOT about alcohol...it's a lot harder than you think...


Tervehdys lukijoille! That is Finnish for ”Greetings readers!” Welcome to another blog post here on Rave Up Music! As usual, I am Barius, and it is time to for some sweet pulla bread as we have ”A Little Slice of Metal.”

So far with ”A Little Slice of Metal,” I have focused on only American metal bands, so I figured it is time to explore some band outside of the continental United States, and travel across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. While metal music has had its fair share of popularity here in the USA, it pales into comparison to the devotion and almost obsession that you will find throughout Europe. In Europe, metal is the ultimate form of expression and rebellion for the youth, with lifelong bonds being formed as you slam right into someone.

This is how they say ”hello” at an European metal festival...

Perhaps one of the best places in Europe to find excellent heavy metal music is in the more Nordic countries like Sweden, Norway, and Finland. The more traditional ideas and means of expressions of the Nordic people makes the raw, energetic power of metal music a natural fit to the region.  I would guarantee that if he were alive today, the famed explorer Leif Ericson would headbanging to some Saxon on his journey to exploring America (suck on that, Christopher Columbus).

When a popular music style becomes a part of a country’s culture, musical elements from other genres tend to creep into the music, which can create some very unique crossovers of music, as well as produce some of the finest music the world has ever heard. This is no exception with metal music. Whether it is Apocalyptica playing a heavy metal style on cellos or Nightwish integrating elements of classical music and opera in their songs, intertwining various musical influences, styles and practices has allowed for a wide of array of new ideas for metal music.

This brings us to our feature band for today’s ”A Little Slice of Metal.” Our group today hails from Finland, and combines heavy metal music with the traditional folk music of Finland. Their music reflects on the Finnish roots, but keeps a lot of the aggression of metasl music. Plus, their song lyrics features a prominent theme of alcohol...lots and lots of alcohol...yep...Today on ”A Little Slice of Metal,” we are featuring the Finnish folk metal band, Korpiklaani!

Korpiklaani means ”Wilderness Clan” in English.

BAND HISTORY:

For a lot of metal bands, adding an outside musical element to their sound, like symphonic or folk instruments, comes later on in their career. However, Korpiklaani actually started out with the folk music sound and added the metal elements later. Before they were known as Korpiklaani, the band was originally a duo called the Shamaani Duo. It was founded in 1993 by long-time member Jonne Järvelä, and would play traditional Sami folk music, a form of musical expression based in more Scandinavian regions. In time, the Shamaani Duo evolved in 1996 into the group Shaman, which started to incorporate more elements of metal, but still had more native Sámic music elements and sung in the Sámi language. In Shaman, it is easy to find instruments like shamanic drum and synths, and songs written in the yoik and humppa song styles.

After two albums, Shaman finally evolved in 2003 to what is now Korpiklaani. The band’s song changes to a more conventional folk metal style, with more of an emphasis on thrash/folk vocals instead of the yoiking style (I will get more into that later on), and lot of the synthesized sounds were replaced with more traditional folk instruments. Ten years later, the band has released eight albums, and has toured extensively through Europe, with no signs of slowing down.

STYLE/GENRE OF METAL:

In the beginning of their development, Korpiklaani utilizied traditional Sámic song style known as yoiking. In yoik, the music is very personal or is spiritual in nature, and the use of improvisation is a common practice. Usually, yoik songs have either short lyrics or no lyrics at all, though there are some lyrics that are epic in sound, as heard here in the song "Eamifámut" by Berit Margrethe Oskal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qA7GDkKZJk
(follow the link)

 

Overtime, the yoik style was less emphasized for more of the fast metal elements, and the improved vocals were replaced with set lyrics. Korpiklaani’s lyrics are usually in Finnish, though there are a few songs in English. However, more traditional Finnish folk instruments were implemented alongside the heavy guitars and drums. In any given Korpiklaani song, you can easily hear a fiddle, a recorder, a tin whistle, a mandolin, and an accordion.

The best way to describe the music of Korpiklaani would be a heavy metal party. Using elements from the Finnish dance style of humppa, Korpiklaani compose music about partying and drinking, and having a good time. They are the kind of songs that make you want to take your mug and swing it proudly as you sing loudly and not in-tune at all.

RECOMMENDED SONGS:

As often the problem with a lot of groups outside of the United States, the music of Korpiklaani is one that it takes a while to get use to listening. Sometimes, it is hard to get pass the Finnish language or the folk instruments. For anyone listening to Korpiklaani for the first time, I recommend the following songs:

“Beer Beer” from Voice of Wilderness

As one of the earliest Korpiklaani songs to be in English, “Beer Beer’ is a song that celebrates beer. Though I am not one for drinking, the song is a feel good party song that demonstrates the musical capabilities of the fiddle in metal music. Plus, after a couple of listening, you will not get that chant of “Beer Beer” out of your head.

“Keep on Galloping” from Korven Kuningas (King of the Woods)

This is a slower song from the group, but truly demonstrates how musical the Finnish language can be. The chorus is in English, and the Finnish verses sing about the singer’s horse and how he must keep riding across the land as they journey on home. The song uses a bit of the elements from the humppa style of folk music, and it gives the feeling of being on a horse as it gallops over mountains and fields. 

“Vodka” from Karkelo

Another little catchy song about alcohol, this time it is about vodka. Anyone else sensing a theme here...?

“Ukon Wacka” from Ukon Wacka

The title track to Korpiklaani’s seventh studio album features Finnish blues-rock singer Tuomari Nurmio. The song demonstrates the compositional style of the band for nice, slow down music that switches up to high energy partying fun.

“Tequila” from Ukon Wacka

Another drinking celebration song, this time the song is in honor of the tequila of Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries. Really, there is not much else to say…?

FINAL COMMENTS/ANALYSIS:

A band like Korpiklaani is more of an acquired taste compared to many other metal bands. Whether it is the Finnish lyrics, the folk instruments mixed with heavy metal guitars, or the constant references to partying and alcohol, there are unique aspects to the music of Korpiklaani. Still, the music has the right amount of raw energy that gets you pumped for a good time of drinks and merriment. The Finnish lyrics flow nicely with the guitars and drums, and the fiddles and other folk instruments adds a little bit of character to their sound. Korpiklaani is a band that I feel will be around for a good long time, for they add something new and exciting to heavy metal music. Thus, I feel comfortable giving Korpiklaani the Metal Horns Seal of Approval!

As usual, if you are interested to learn more about Korpiklaani, visit their website at www.korpiklaani.com, where you will find information about the band members, upcoming tour dates, and even a store for the best Korpiklaani gear.

Well, that is all the time we have for Rave Up Music for this week. Tune in for the next two weeks as we take a trip to the movies for another addition of “Musical Media.” Until then, I am Barius, and I will leave you with a video of The Muppets’ Swedish Chef and Animal rocking out to “Beer Beer.” Enjoy, and keep on rockin.’

*Rave Up Music and its associates ask its readers of legal drinking age to please drink responsibly, and please do not drink and drive*

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