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FINNTROLL's music is the truest form of Pagan Folk Metal today. Sinister guitar riffs combined with devil-driven drums, wrap themselves in folkish melodies and traditional Finnish "humppa" (polka) style. Begun by founding fathers guitarist Teemu "Sominum" Raimoranta (ex-Thy Serpent, Impaled Nazarene) and vocalist Katla they added a full complement of black metal regulars when recording FINNTROLL's demo Rivfader. Drummer D. Dominator (Barathrum, Rapture), guitarist Örmy, keyboardist Trollhorn (Moonsorrow), and bassist Tundra crawled forth from the deep woods to lend their strength. Blazing a swath of mayhem and destruction they have devastated those fortunate enough to witness the bedlam live, appearing at numerous European festivals including Wacken, Graspop, Vienna Metal Fest, and Sweden Rock.
In 2002 the band replaced vocalist Katla with Wilska (ex-Wizzard, ex-Nattvindens Gråt) due to throat problems. Successfully moving forward FINNTROLL barricaded themselves in a cabin outside Helsinki with a mobile studio, sauna, and large quantities of alcohol. What came out of these trollish sessions was a long planned acoustic/experimental project CD, Visor Om Slutet, with both vocalists sharing recording duties. Just before its release, March 2003, founding father "Sominum" died in a fatal fall. The band, choosing to honor their fallen comrade the best way they knew, kept the commitment it had made to Katatonia, and honoring his memory played his music on a two-week European tour.
Fall 2003 saw the icecold trollblood spill forth at Sundicoop Studios where FINNTROLL recorded and mixed 14 new tracks, here presented in Nattfödd (trans. Nightborn). Nattfödd's compelling production can be credited to engineer Tuomo Valtonen, produced by keyboardist Trollhorn himself, and the album was mastered by Mika Jussila (Nightwish, Amorphis, Avantasia, Stratovarius) at Helsinki's legendary Finnvox Studios (Moonspell, Sentenced, Impaled Nazarene).
The cataclysm begins with the reverberating windswept sounds of manmade machine noise, frosty atonal electronic guitar feedback layered over blistering slides and B. Dominator's devastating blows. Traditional "humppa" rhythms are passed from drums to keyboards and mark FINNTROLL's distinctive style. Wave after wave or blistering arctic savagery hammer away consciousness until even the hottest climates are snowed under. FINNTROLL's captivating rhythms and warlike anthems pour forth, each note painting a scene reminiscent of the battle-hewn northland. Trollhammaren, the repeating chorus of the song "Trollhammaren," recalls medieval warriors raising battle-axes in their call to arms. Title track "Nattfödd" fuses wicked black metal growls with atmospheric melodies. "Grottans Barn" is a testament to fellow Finns Amorphis' Tales Of a Thousand Lakes.
Northern darkness coupled with rhythmic majesty, production clarity enshrouding foreboding wonderment, saturated with atmosphere, drenched in black metal and replete with the essence of the cold Norwegian north FINNTROLL have spawned a creation marked for metal greatness.
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