This is a pretty cool story! Finnish metal outfit Mokoma signed with major label EMI and released two albums in 1999 and 2001. One sold close to nothing, the other even less. That didn’t discourage the quintet, however, who decided to take their sound in a thrashier direction. EMI responded by dumping the band like a bad habit.

So what do you do? Well, in Mokoma’s case you just put out albums yourselves - and become one of Finlands most successful metal bands while you’re at it. Mokoma’s fifth studio album ‘Kuoleman Laulukunnaat’ debuted at number one on the Finnish album chart in 2006 and this their latest, ‘Luihin Ja Ytimiin’, did well too.

To be honest Mokoma is not exactly reinventing neither thrash or metal as such, but they sure know their way around electric guitars. And what’s really nifty about them is that vocalist Marko Annala sings in Finnish. Lyrics have never really been the most important part of thrash metal so you are not necessarily missing much if you don’t understand Finnish, but it does give the music a unique touch.

Mokoma’s Finnish’ roots are not just obvious in the language but also in the melodies. Sure the Helsinki boys are loud, aggressive and brutal just as a good thrash/death metal band should be, but the melancholy from Finnish folk music is evident throughout ‘Luihin Ja Ytimiin’. And even if you are not a metal head we dare you not to bang your head just a little bit while hearing the track ‘Marras’’ brilliant guitar riffs and insanely catchy chorus that scores a clean 10 on the Fist-Pump-O-Meter.

Genre: Thrash metal/Death metal
Who: Mokoma
Title: Luihin Ja Ytimiin
Label: Sakara Records
Year: 2007
Country: Finland
Language: Finnish
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Recommended tracks:
Nujerra Ihminen – Sinä Riität – Turvaa Selusta – Marras