It’s been an uncertain year for festivals, with the corona restrictions coming and going as vaccinations move forward. It seems certain that SaariHelvetti 2021 will go forward this year now, fortunately, which means that Tuonela Magazine and Musicalypse will be attending for the first time as a united media! Read this festival special to see what acts are going to play at SaariHelvetti, and know what to expect from their music. It’s going to be a great edition!
Friday, August 6th
Shereign
Maybe you haven’t heard yet about hard rock/metal act SHEREIGN, but if you’re familiar with the Finnish scene, you must have heard about their lead singer Sara Strömmer (FEAR OF DOMINATION). SHEREIGN is a very fresh act, who will in fact have their legendary first live appearance at Saarihelvetti. So far, the band has released three singles, which will totally rock your socks off with their diversity. If you want to be part of SHEREIGN‘s live history, don’t miss out on them! (LT)
Tyrantti
If you miss the ’80s or like me, you were born in the ’90s, not to worry! TYRANTTI is scheduled to play at Saarihelvetti and these guys (dedicated to mustaches, leather, and heavy metal) will instantly turn back time to the heyday of metal! Having recently released their sophomore album, “Orjaplaneetta,“ which contains their most progressive music to date, the band will surely have enough new material to capture the fans’ attention, but if their music is not enough, these guys know how to put on a great show! (LT)
I Revolt
Founded in 2017, I REVOLT is set to replace DETSET at Saarihelvetti. The death/thrash metal band is no stranger to us, as we’ve seen them already at a bunch of festivals and during their shows. According to the band, they play plays honest, riff-driven, and kickass metal with attitude, which is certainly something you will be able to witness when they play live. Their energetic performances are something not to be missed and if you’re a fan of moshpits, you’ll definitely enjoy yourself during their show!
Finntroll
I say Finland, you say FINNTROLL, a metal act that is perhaps one of the most iconic folk metal bands the land of a thousand lakes has ever produced. Mixing in different styles such as folk metal, black metal, and even humppa, FINNTROLL has been drifting between folky and blackened soundscapes since their inception. After the release of “Blodsvept” in 2013, they’ve been surprisingly quiet, but after a 7 year wait, the trolls finally released their latest album, “Vredesvävd.” If you, like us, have been waiting to see that material played live, you’ll get the chance at Saarihelvetti. (LT)
Spiritus Mortis
If you’re a fan of doom metal, SPIRITUS MORTIS should be your top priority to check out during Saarihelvetti. The band is allegedly the first to ever play doom metal in Finland. With their BLACK SABBATH-esque grim riffs, their music is “as heavy and evil as one can get without slipping away from the world of pure old school heavy metal,” according to label Svart Records. If this strikes you as interesting, the band also has official live footage from a gig in 2019, which you can watch below… (LT)
Swallow the Sun
Finnish doom metal act SWALLOW THE SUN are surely no strangers to live performances, as throughout their 20ish-year career, they’ve played over eight hundred shows. Celebrating the first 20 years of their existence, the band recently released their very first live album, “20 Years of Gloom Beauty and Despair Live in Helsinki,” but for those who prefer the real thing over live albums, can watch the band’s show at Saarihelvetti. (LT)
One Morning Left
Formed in 2008, ONE MORNING LEFT is a metalcore band who have coincidentally just released their new album, “Hyperactive.” According to our reviewer, this is what you can expect from the band’s sound: chugging riffs, pummeling drums, screamed verses, sung choruses, breakdowns, and plenty of synth melodies to boot. If this sounds like a great setting for a moshpit to you, then be sure not to miss out on their show! (LT)
Insomnium
While Finnish melodic death metal act INSOMNIUM were on their way to the United States for their North American tour, the COVID-19 pandemic got progressively worse around the world and it forced the band to cancel and turn back. The band was inspired by the past year, which has replaced hope with fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Recently they have released three new singles about it: “The Conjurer,” “The Reticent,” and “The Antagonist.” On top of that, the band is planning on releasing an EP, “Argent Moon,” on September 17th, 2021. Whether the band will play these songs is not clear, but what is sure is that they’re going to deliver one hell of a performance, because it’s obvious that the band really missed playing in front of a live audience. (LT)
Nicole
Even though progressive metal act NICOLE have been active since ’97, it has been a bit quiet in their camp. After a couple of years of silence, the band released “Illuusio” some months ago, for fans to enjoy. While there is no news yet about a new album, we at least can enjoy their live show at Saarihelvetti with hopefully some new songs for fans. (LT)
Saturday, August 7th
Silver Bullet
Formed in 2008 as DIRGE ETERNAL, power metal act SILVER BULLET have impressed us from their early shows through their 2019 album, “Mooncult.” Their brand of melodic power/speed metal is reminiscent of big European names, such as RUNNING WILD and BLIND GUARDIAN, and has caught the attention of German record label Reaper Entertainment as well. The band recently welcomed a new singer to their ranks named Bruno Proveschi, and thanks to winning a competition, the band is now able to show off his talents during their show at Saarihelvetti. (LT)
Rytmihäiriö
RYTMIHÄIRIÖ is a mandatory part of the Finnish festival summer. That’s why their presence at Saarihelvetti doesn’t come as a surprise. The four-piece started their musical path with hardcore, but found their home in metal and are now moving towards a more groovy sound, conveniently named surmacore (“murdercore”). The band has taken their main inspiration from occultism, worshipping the devil, the Finnish drink Gambina and Finnish crime magazine Alibi, and have recently released their new album, “Gambinapsykoosi,” so let’s see if some of their new material will be part of their crushing setlist! (LT)
Ember Falls
If positive energy and gorgeous modern melodic metal appeal to you, look no further than EMBER FALLS, who are returning once again to their hometown festival. The band’s debut album, “Welcome to Ember Falls,” knocked our socks off in 2016 and in recent months, the band has teased incredible singles like “We Are Become Fire,” “The World is Burning,” and “For All,” on top of the new singles from last year. The band has plenty of new material that’s begging for a chance on the stage, so make sure to catch their set at Saarihelvetti. (BW)
Lähiöbotox
LÄHIÖBOTOX have been staying on the radar ever since we first heart their name. This Finnish-language rap metal band have been around since 2018 and have been gaining a good following in their home country, despite challenging the definition of “metal” to many listeners. “Rikkinäinen Suomi” was released in August 2020, so hopefully they’ll bring a little bit of diversity to Saarihelvetti‘s lineup! (BW)
Satan’s Fall
Formed in 2015, heavy/speed metal band SATAN’S FALL (formerly SATAN’S CROSS) came into being and in 2020, their debut full-length release, “Final Day,” was released through High Roller Records. Our last time seeing them was in 2017, so there is plenty of new material and experience to show off on stage. (BW)
Lost Society
The title of Finland’s newest and hottest thrash metal act easily goes to LOST SOCIETY. While fans may have been been divided on the melodic nature of “No Absolution,” they prove their live chops time and time again, including perhaps the best livestreamed event that 2020 had to offer. It goes without saying that this is a set that you won’t want to miss! (BW)
Vorna
If the Finnish music scene has a favored genre, pagan/folk metal could easily be in the top three. Among this plethora of groups is VORNA, who formed in 2008 and have released three full-length albums in that time. Maybe best known for Vesa Salovaara‘s majestic growls, these guys are always worth checking out even if you wouldn’t play an album, so make sure to at least have a taste of their set, as it’ll surely be great. (BW)
Diablo
It almost feels weird to go a full summer without seeing a DIABLO show, as they are regulars throughout the Finnish summer festival scene. Though the band’s last album was released way back in 2015, 2019 and 2020 brought new singles “Grace Under Pressure” and “The Extinctionist” respectively suggest that the band has new material in the works. Hopefully they’ll tease fans with some of it at Saarihelvetti. (BW)
Atlas
Have you ever heard of the genre northcore? Well, now you have, as this unique sound is what ATLAS have dubbed their music: a mix of heavy-hitting riffs paired with catchy melodies and immersive soundscapes. Being from Finland, it’s no surprise that the band draws inspiration from northern gloom and darkness, which give their music a melancholic sound. The band is joining the Danish progressive metal act VOLA on tour, but before all that, they are luckily making a stop at Saarihelvetti for us to enjoy their music live! (LT)
Mokoma
Another Finnish festival staple is MOKOMA, who you should make sure to see at least once if you want to have a full festival experience in this country. These local thrashers release albums steadily every few years, with their most recent, “Ihmissokkelo,” out during the 2020 pandemic. As such, the band always has a nice mixture of new and old material to keep their sets alive during their regular summer sets. Surely Saarihelvetti will be no different. (BW)
Arion
Since their inception in 2011, power metal act ARION have released three excellent albums, of which the latest “Vultures Die Alone,” was released only recently. A new album also means a new setlist, which means that you perhaps get to see hit singles from their latest studio effort, such as “Bloodline,” “In The Name of Love,” or in case you like something heavier “I Love to Be Your Enemy.” And if you’re not familiar with their latest album, you can still sing along to songs like “Unforgivable” and “At the Break of Dawn.” In short, there are many reasons to go check out ARION‘s show. (LT)
READ MORE: SaariHelvetti 2020 (gallery); TalviHelvetti 2020 (gallery); SaariHelvetti 2019 (report); SaariHelvetti 2017 (report | gallery)
