As I approach my middle years, I find myself a little less impressed by all of the metal out there, especially from the big-name bands, and more and more interested in what the newbies in the scene are doing. From psychedelia to hard rock and even a bit of disco, the Finnish underground is a veritable playground of talent right now. So, I’ll let the others shout-out the big names… most of my picks are from the lesser-known talents that deserve a bit more attention!
Disclaimer: while I do put my favorites in the tops, these are in no real order, because the top few are usually mood-dependent.
Top 10 International albums
10. Between the Buried and Me – “Colors II”
9. Leprous – “Aphelion”
8. Charlotte Wessels – “Tales from Six Feet Under”
7. Dear Mother – “Bulletproof”
6. nervous_testpilot – “thank you for home listening”
5. The Vintage Caravan – “Monuments”
4. The Georgia Thunderbolts – “Can We Get a Witness”
3. Lucifer – “Lucifer IV”
2. The Tea Party – “Blood Moon Rising”
1. The Pretty Reckless – “Death by Rock ‘n’ Roll”
Read more: REVIEW: Leprous – Aphelion | REVIEW: Charlotte Wessels – Tales from Six Feet Under | REVIEW: Dear Mother – Bulletproof | REVIEW: The Vintage Caravan – Monuments | REVIEW: The Georgia Thunderbolts – Can We Get a Witness | REVIEW: Lucifer – Lucifer IV | REVIEW: The Tea Party – Blood Moon Rising | REVIEW: The Pretty Reckless – Death By Rock And Roll
Top 10 Finnish albums
(I had so many for this list that I feel compelled to shout out Thy Row, Lost in Grey, Red Eleven, Laurenne/Louhimo, Blame Me!, and Jess & the Ancient Ones too)
10. Cellomania – “Mania Unleashed”
9. Wheel – “Resident Human”
8. Oceanhoarse – “Dead Reckoning”
7. Bloodred Hourglass – “Your Highness”
6. Astral Bazaar – “A Sudden Realization”
5. Pihka Is My Name – “Everything Is In Between”
4. Auri – “II: Those We Don’t Speak Of”
3. Noora Louhimo Experience – “Eternal Wheel of Time and Space”
2. Luna Kills – “not to be bitter, but it helps”
1. Ember Falls – “Ruins”
Read more: REVIEW: Cellomania – Mania Unleashed | REVIEW: Wheel – Resident Human | PRELISTENING: Oceanhoarse – Dead Reckoning | REVIEW: Bloodred Hourglass – Your Highness | REVIEW: Astral Bazaar – A Sudden Realization | REVIEW: Pihka Is My Name – Everything Is In Between | REVIEW: Auri – Auri II: Those We Don’t Speak Of | REVIEW: Noora Louhimo Experience – Eternal Wheel of Time and Space | REVIEW: Luna Kills – not to be bitter, but it helps | REVIEW: Ember Falls – Ruins
Top 3 EPs
3. Temperance – “Melodies of Green and Blue”
2. Jo Below – “No Control”
1. Volymian – “They Never Come in Peace”
Read more: REVIEW: Temperance – EP: Melodies of Green and Blue | REVIEW: Jo Below – EP: No Control | REVIEW: Volymian – EP: They never come in peace | Interview with Volymian — “One single-celled being showed us that despite all we’ve achieved, we’re not necessarily at the top of the food chain after all.” | PREMIERE: Volymian – War Machines
Best livestream concert
Noora Louhimo Experience @ GLiveLab
Read more: 19.3.2021 NOEX: Noora Louhimo Experience Live Stream @ GLiveLab, Tampere
Most promising act
5. Shereign (alternative/metal)
4. Dirt (local) & Classless Act (international) (rock)
3. Nestruction (metal/game)
2. Vansidian (heavy metal)
1. Modern Day Alien (psytrance)
Read more: FEATURED SINGLE: Shereign – Losing Sight | SONG OF THE DAY: Classless Act – Give it to Me | Interview with Classless Act — “We just want people to be themselves…” | FEATURED SINGLE: Vansidian – Stormweaver | PREMIERE: Vansidian – Code of Shame | FEATURED SINGLE: Vansidian – Suppressed with Light
Top 5 music videos
5. Kuolemanlaakso – “Katkeruuden malja” ft. Lotta Ruutiainen
4. Classless Act – “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
3. Iron Maiden – “The Writing on the Wall”
2. Vansidian – “Code of Shame”
1. Imagine Dragons – “My Enemy” ft. JID
Read more: SONG OF THE DAY: Iron Maiden – The Writing On the Wall | PREMIERE: Vansidian – Code of Shame
Top 5 lyric videos
5. The Cog is Dead – “Can You Help Me”
4. Star One – “Lost Children of the Universe”
3. Auri – “Pearl Diving
2. Ember Falls – “The Wall”
1. Machinae Supremacy – “Empire of Steel” (Essenger & Scandroid cover)
Read more: SONG OF THE DAY: The Cog is Dead – Can You Help Me | FEATURED SINGLE: Ember Falls – The Wall; FEATURED SINGLE: Machinae Supremacy – Empire of Steel (Essenger & Scandroid cover)
Top 5 international songs
5. Iron Maiden – “The Writing on the Wall”
4. The Cog is Dead – “Can You Help Me”
3. Imagine Dragons – “My Enemy” ft. JID
2. The Pretty Reckless – “Only Love Can Save Me Now”
1. Machinae Supremacy – “Pendulum”
Read more: SONG OF THE DAY: Iron Maiden – The Writing On the Wall; SONG OF THE DAY: The Cog is Dead – Can You Help Me; FEATURED SINGLE: Machinae Supremacy – Pendulum
Top 5 Finnish songs
5. Pihka Is My Name – “+-“
4. Nestruction – “Cyber Shadow – chapter 1”
3. Luna Kills – “DEAD2ME” and/or “old blood”
2. Noora Louhimo Experience – “Sinner on the Floor” (or anything else off the album)
1. Ember Falls – anything off “Ruins” (esim: “Absinthe Children”)
Read more: REVIEW: Pihka Is My Name – Everything Is In Between | Interview with Pihka is My Name — “Nobody is just a zero or a one.” | 25.3.2021 Pihka is My Name Album Release Stream @ Pihkasound Studio | 28.7.2021 Luna Kills, Blame Me!, & Edge of Haze @ On the Rocks, Helsinki | 27.10.2021 NOEX: Noora Louhimo Experience @ YO-talo, Tampere
Top 5 best last-minute songs
5. Cyan Kicks – “Invincible”
4. Kuolemanlaakso – “Katkeruuden malja”
3. The Halo Effect – “Shadowminds”
2. Eye of Melian – “The Bell”
1. Ember Falls – “Absinthe Children”
Read more: SONG OF THE DAY: The Halo Effect – Shadowminds
Top 5 cover art
5. The Tea Party – “Black River” (single)
4. Bloodred Hourglass – “Your Highness”
3. The Halo Effect – “Shadowminds” (single art)
2. The Vintage Caravan – “Monuments”
1. Astral Bazaar – “A Sudden Realization”
Read more: 17.4.2021 Helsinki Psych Fest (online) @ Tiivistämö, Helsinki | Interview with Bloodred Hourglass — “We wanted to emphasize the importance of sounding modern and fresh.” | Interview with The Vintage Caravan — “We do well under pressure.” | SONG OF THE DAY: The Halo Effect – Shadowminds
Best collaboration
Laurenne/Louhimo
READ MORE: FEATURED SINGLE: Laurenne/Louhimo – Bitch Fire | FEATURED SINGLE: Laurenne/Louhimo – The Reckoning | REVIEW: Laurenne/Louhimo – The Reckoning
Top 5 most anticipated releases of 2022
5. Star One – “Revel in Time”
4. Shaman’s Harvest – “Rebelator”
3. Everfrost – EP
2. Classless Act – debut album
1. The Halo Effect – debut album
Want to share your lists with us? Comment below with your lists.
The whole Tuonela Magazine team wishes you an inspirational 2022 filled with a lot of new music to discover. We hope to see you back next year!