Saturday, May 10th, 2025, was a quite busy night at Bar Loose in Helsinki. Three local acts shared the stage: COUNTING HOURS, THE ABBEY, and SILENTIUM. The latter have not been playing live for a few years now, so I believe it was a special occasion for them to get in touch with their fans and friends again. Founded in 1995, they released six full-length albums so far, the last of which, “Motiva,” came out in 2020, about twelve years after the previous one. Such a big gap did not affect the outcome in a bad way, as the uniqueness of their own sound makes their music recognizable. It was the first time for me to see them play, and being familiar with singer Riina Rinkinen’s undisputable talent and stage presence as a chorister in SLEEP OF MONSTERS and T. JARVA AND THE DARK PLACE piqued my curiosity. The opening band, COUNTING HOURS, is likely to be considered as one of the finest acts in the vast doom/death metal scene in Finland, as for THE ABBEY, their debut album turned two years old in February, soon they will be working on a new release, hence this was the last time one could catch them before a well deserved break.
COUNTING HOURS took the stage on the notes of “Unsung, Forlorn” in the background as an opener, which happens to be the intro on their second release, “The Wishing Tomb.” Exactly as on the album, “Timeless Ones” followed, whose melancholic vibe reminded me of ANATHEMA and early KATATONIA. Guitarist Pekka Loponen provided some backing vocals on it, and I was particularly amazed by singer Ilpo Paasela‘s skills: great control and ability to convey those emotions in a non-cheesy way. “Blank Sunrise,” from their debut album “The Will,” which dates back to 2020, was the next one in line. A nice blend of melancholy and an aggressive sound, I would say, which works well on both of their albums, but works even better in a live setting, when the atmosphere is like the one we had that night: intimate and easy-going. They ended up alternating tunes from the two releases, in a good balance, and I also noticed how supportive the audience was, as many people were singing along and enjoying the moment to the fullest. The singer incited us and showed his gratitude in between songs, and now and then took a well-deserved sip of beer. I have the feeling that I might have seen them play in the past, and I believe their stage presence has improved. The music they play, as emotional as it can be, manages to gain further intensity in a live setting thanks to their expertise and interpretation. I hope to see them again!
It took about twenty minutes for THE ABBEY to take the stage, on the notes of the instrumental part of “Old Ones,” from their album “Word of Sin.” A drastic change in the atmosphere was happening: red lights, and the magnetic presence of singer Natalie Koskinen made the experience quite remarkable on many levels. They all set up their instruments, frontman and guitarist Jesse Heikkinen greeted the audience, after which they played “A Thousand Dead Witches” as an opening tune. Their music blends prog rock from the ‘70s, occult rock, and Finnish doom metal in a balance that literally never fails. Vesa Ranta on drums, known for his role in SENTENCED and more recently in CEMETERY SKYLINE, might be considered the flagship in the lineup, although there is absolutely no weaker member in the band. Former guitarist Janne Markus left the act about one year ago, and he was replaced by Indrek Virronen, known for previously being in MORS SUBITA, among others. I was legitimately curious to see him in action, you know, and in case you were wondering, he absolutely nailed it. “Widow’s Will” was the next one in line, whose closing part, which sees Jesse’s and Natalie’s voices blend together, is always one of the many highlights in their shows. “Queen of Pain” followed, and Natalie gave her best on it. Her stage presence was mesmerizing, both vocally and visually. As CANDLEMASS would say, we were bewitched at that point…
Not having a single weak song on the album makes it quite difficult to select any highlights, especially in a live setting where, such a lineup, definitely shines in a high quality, but tunes such as “Crystallion” and “Starless” do have a special place in my heart, hence, let’s say that those were moments of particular intensity, at least in my book. I even got a bit emotional on “Starless,” I must admit, as Natalie’s interpretation got me on a deeper level, and I am quite sure I was not the only one. A shorter version of “Old Ones” was announced by Jesse as a closing tune, on which he provided an outstanding guitar solo. The song’s solemnity was enhanced by a great bassline, provided by bassist Henri Arvola, and it reached its peak right on the last part. The ritual was done, and the audience surely felt part of it.
SILENTIUM took the stage at 22:35. The singer, Riina, joined her bandmates and greeted the audience. “Truth,” from their latest release “Motiva,” was chosen as the opening track. I wasn’t sure what to expect, since they hadn’t performed live in quite some time, but it immediately became clear that they truly belong on stage. We clapped along to the beat as she encouraged us, while both guitarists, the bassist, and the keyboardist headbanged in perfect synchronicity. It truly felt like a reunion of old friends. Her gentle dance movements enhanced her graceful stage presence, but there was still so much more to discover…
Another song from their latest album followed, “Unchained,” which has an energetic vibe and a great guitar solo that did not go unnoticed: many people in the front row were singing along to the tune, and I believe that the band members enjoyed the moment to the fullest, too.
Riina announced the next song, “Forever Sleep,” from their debut album “Infinita Plango Vulnera,” which dates back to 1999. She invited us by raising her fist, and we reacted accordingly. “Frostnight” followed, released in 2005 as a single and in 2006 on the band’s fourth opus, “Seducia.” Its skillful drum pattern and complex structure make it one of the highlights in their discography, as well as in the setlist as a whole. The vocal line is slightly reminiscent of SENTENCED, thanks to its strong Gothic undertone. Not surprising, but great to hear, I would say.
Riina thanked us, took a sip of her beer, and then announced “Shame” as the next song, from their latest album. The track addresses the theme of domestic violence, a subject powerfully depicted in its music video. The intensity of their performance was deeply moving, and I dare say that conveying such an important message so effectively elevates them beyond mere musicians. A cover version of folk-pop duo EVA + MANU‘s “Empty” followed. The song was published by SILENTIUM as a single in 2019, and they managed to infuse it with their own signature sound while maintaining the original feeling. “The Fall,” from the album “Sufferion – Hamartia of Prudence,” followed. On this track, keyboardist Sami Boman contributed some backing vocals. Its aggressive mood caught me off guard, especially the unexpected harsh vocal section at the end, brilliantly delivered by Riina. In that moment, she transformed into the perfect embodiment of both beauty and the beast, if you catch my drift.
There were a couple of songs left to play, and she was clearly happy to share them with us. She announced “Safer/Easier,” from “Motiva,” as the next tune, whose soft and mellow vibe counterbalanced the aggressiveness of the previous one and proved how versatile SILENTIUM can be as a band. Speaking of, “Empress of the Dark” as a closure added a prominent symphonic and extreme touch to the whole performance. The vocal line was quite demanding, but Riina nailed it gracefully, and even added a growl and an epic mic-drop at the very end. Once again, unexpected and absolutely unforgettable. I will definitely keep an eye on their future releases and live shows.
As a conclusion, I would add that COUNTING HOURS, THE ABBEY, and SILENTIUM cannot be more different from each other, but they all gave their very best on stage, proving that Finnish metal is still ahead of the game in the business, with no intention to back off.
Written by Licia Mapelli
Photos by Mirko L.
Setlist
- Truth
- Unchained
- Forever Sleep
- Frostnight
- Shame
- Empty
- The Fall
- Safer/Easier
- Empress of the Dark
