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Ajattara: Kuolema
02/03/04 || Statik Majik
Ajattara is a band by ex-Amorphis lead singer, Pasi Koskinen. Well, he goes by the name “Ruoja” on Ajattara albums. So what (if any) is different compared to Amorphis then? Well, I’m glad you asked. Explanation follows…
Where Amorphis’ music these days can be considered more mellower and “listener-friendly”, Ajattara is much more brutal and evil. I find it hard to categorize Ajattara’s music. I think I read somewhere that it was described as somekind of black metal. Well, I don’t quite agree, I think it falls more to the death metal category. Pasi’s vocals is the only thing that might have similarities with black metal. The music is slowtempo death fucken metal. Very heavy shit, you know. What also differs Ajattara from Amorphis is that the lyrics are in Finnish. And Pasi growls… well, more like screams in here. I mean it. Nothing compared to happy clean vocals we’re used to hear in Amorphis.
And last but not least, the most important thing: Ajattara kicks Amorphis’ ass 10-0.
“Kuolema” pretty much continues where their first album “Itse”, released in 2001, left. The sound is very similar, the basic theme of the album is similar. And the production on both albums is damn good. The songs on “Kuolema” feel just abit catchier than on the “Itse” though. Anyway, if you liked “Itse”, you’ll probably like “Kuolema”. If you’re new to Ajattara and want to know which album to buy/download/steal first, I recommend “Kuolema”.
Overall this is a rather interesting experience. Most of the cases when Finnish is used in lyrics, it tends to sound either silly or out of place. Or then it lacks the “full” strength. Fortunatelly there are few bands who don’t fall into that category and manage to create something that’s fucken impressive and good. Ajattara is definatelly one of them. Moonsorrow is another. And so is Kotiteollisuus, although they fall more into hard rock category.
If you’re not from Finland, I’m not so sure how you’ll react to this band though. Finnish language ain’t the most beatiful sounding on earth and that’s enough to make it hard to approach any albums sung in Finnish. Well, if you’re looking for something extreme or “underground”, then this might be for you.
But if you’re from Finland and listen to metal and haven’t heard about Ajattara before, I fucken command you to give this album a listen. It’s fucken worth it.
The best fucken songs: “Kituvan kiitos” and “Rauhassa”.
7,5 /10
—-
And just because I’m so nice, I’ll translate some of the track names for
you: “Surman henki” = “The spirit of death”, “Huoran alla” = “Below the
whore”, “Musta leski” = “Black widow”, “Sielun särkijä” = “The breaker
of souls”, ” Helvetissä on syntisen taivas” = “Sinners heaven is in
hell”.
Oh yeah, almost forgot: the title of the album, “Kuolema”, means “death”.
- Information
- Released: 2003
- Label: Spikefarm
- Website: www.ajattara.com
- Band
- Ruoja: vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Atoni: bass
- Malakias: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Antakaa elää
- 02. Surman henki
- 03. Haureus
- 04. Huoran alla
- 05. Ikiyössä
- 06. Musta leski
- 07. Sielun särkijä
- 08. Kituvan kiitos
- 09. Helvetissä on syntisen taivas
- 10. Rauhassa
