Aarni
Aarni | |
---|---|
Origin | Finland |
Genres | Firedoom |
Members | Master Warjomaa |
Website | Aarni.info |
Aarni is an avant-garde metal band from Finland, which consists primarily of Master Warjomaa and, occasionally, some session musicians. Although many sources claim the existence of other band members, these may be fictional characters[2] (probably created by Warjomaa himself) and include a French count born in the 17th century (Count of Saint-Germain), a cartoon character with a T-shirt with Aarni's logo (Doomintroll) and an old woman (Mistress Palm).
Aarni's music bears similarities to
History
Aarni was founded in 1998, in Finland, by Master Warjomaa (occasionally known as Mahatma M. Warjomaa). Master Warjomaa is also an active member of a
Controversy
Band members
On Aarni's official website, the band section contains four members (also referred to as "Responsible Cultists"), as well as information concerning each of them. The four members of the band are Master Warjomaa, Comte de Saint-Germain, Doomintroll and Mistress Palm. Warjomaa commented on this in a 2004 interview:
The number of Aarni is five and five is the number of Aarni. Think a while about this and you will see... because Aarni consists of four personalities plus me. Why four? Because I've chosen to adhere to the (Jungian) concept of quaternity - four personality types, four seasons, four equinoxes, four elements, four stations of the sun, four stages of the human life, four cardinal directions, four Qabbalistic worlds, four limbs of the human body, four main themes in Aarni's songs, four basic human brain circuits of Timothy Leary's theory etc. Visualize the pentagram representing human existence: there's four points combined in/ruled by the fifth. It's all of course symbolic. Or is it?[5]
Master Warjomaa
Master Warjomaa is the alias of the band's most stable member. According to the band's official website, Warjomaa was born in 1974.[6] It is stated that he is influenced by Joe Satriani, Taoism, Camel, and H. P. Lovecraft, that he belongs to the Homo Superior species, and that his favorite place is Cydonia. Along with many other artists, Warjomaa has named Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Hawkwind, King Crimson and Van der Graaf Generator as his musical influences.[7] In a fan interview in June 2006, Warjomaa stated:
"While I prefer a female unicorn deity to a gaseous alpha male vertebrate of cosmic heft anytime, I'd rather choose no deity or deities at all. I think it's high time we stopped worshiping gods and started to aim at becoming gods."[8]
Comte de Saint Germain
Le Comte de Saint Germain (translated from French: "The Count of Saint Germain") is one of the members of Aarni. His role in the band has been stated as "Sensation, alchemical processes and keys to secrets".
Doomintroll & Mistress Palm
Doomintroll has been represented by a cartoon-style drawing of a person with a very prominent nose, a pipe in the mouth, the Aarni logo on the T-shirt, and a hand sticking up the
Mistress Palm (also referred to as Mrs. Palm) is the fourth claimed band member. She is depicted as a rather elderly woman in an apron holding a dish brush and opening her mouth in dismay. She has been thought to be a computer program or artificial, phlogiston-driven rectoplasm.[12]
Website
At the top of the band page is written "4=1".[13] The motive of this equation is maybe to consider the situation of the 4 declared members and one actual member and/or can be a reference to the Jungian concept of quaternity. On the news page (also referred to as the "Unspeakable Tidings"), the news are listed chronologically. However the dates are said to be written in the form corresponding to these in the Discordian calendar. These dates follow the "DD/SS/YYYY" form, as stated on the official website.[14] Therefore, e.g. the year 2007 CE is noted as 3173 AM.
Lyrics
The lyrics have been sung in English,
In "Squaring The Circle", the lyrics say "zero equals two". This may be a reference to the ideas of Aleister Crowley and similar to the "4=1" statement on top of the band page of the official website. In "The Thunder, Perfect Mindfuck", it is said "I am the shameless and I am ashamed" as well as "I am falsehood and I am truth". These could be considered paradoxical and controversial as the Gnostic poem the lyrics seem to be based upon, The Thunder, Perfect Mind.
Line-up
- Master Warjomaa - Creating, playing, and producing most of the lyrics and music.
- Rhesus Christ - Session drums for Bathos.[16]
- Albert Frankenstein - Session vocalist for Bathos.[16]
Discography
Demo 2001
Demo 2001 was released independently by Aarni in 2001. It was the first CD release of Aarni. Its cover features a picture of the Conte de Saint-Germain.
- Track listing:
- 1. "Myrrys" - 5:00
- 2. "The Black Keyes (of R'lyeh)" - 5:53
- 3. "Metsänpeitto" - 0:58
- 4. "Persona Mortuae Cutis" - 5:52
"Persona Mortuae Cutis" appears as a cover version of the
Aarni / Umbra Nihil Split
Aarni / Umbra Nihil Split was released through Firebox Records in 2002.
- Track listing:
- Aarni
- 1. "Ubbo-Sathla" - 3:37
- 2. "Myrrys" - 5:00
- 3. "Transcend Humanity" - 12:00
- 4. "Liber Umbrarum vel Coniunctio" - 6:18
- 5. "Reaching Azathoth" - 11:55
- 6. "Anima" - 4:14
- Umbra Nihil
- 7. "Follow and Believe / Fall Without Relief" - 9:12
- 8. "A Mere Shell" - 8:25
- 9. "My Way to the Lakeshore" - 2:04
- 10. "Determination" - 7:09
- 11. "Water in Lungs" - 8:31
Duumipeikon paluu
Duumipeikon paluu was released independently by Aarni in 2002.
- Track listing:
- 1. "Myrrys" - 5:00
- 2. "Lampaan Vaatteissa" - 6:03
- 3. "The Weird of Vipunen" - 7:22
- 4. "Transcend Humanity" - 12:00
- 5. "Reaching Azathoth" - 11:55
Duumipeikon paluu and Demo 2001 were re-released together in 2003, and re-re-released as a remaster in late 2008. "Duumipeikon paluu" translated from Finnish means "The Return of Doomintroll".
Bathos
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metal Temple | [17] |
Bathos was released through
- Track listing:
- "Ονειροσκόπος (Oneiroskopos)" - 1:31
- "Squaring The Circle" - 7:50
- "Quinotaurus (Twelve Stars In Sight)" - 3:48
- "Kivijumala" - 11:45
- "V.I.T.R.I.O.L." - 6:33
- "The Thunder, Perfect Mindfuck" - 8:32
- "Mental Fugue" - 6:49
- "Niut Net Meru" - 9:20
- "Kesäyö" - 8:59
VV from Umbra Nihil played session drums on the album. Oneiroscope means 'an instrument for watching dreams'. V.I.T.R.I.O.L. is an acronym for "Visita interiora terrae rectificandoque invenies occultum lapidem" in Latin, meaning "Visit the innermost of the earth and by rectifying what is there, you will find the hidden stone." The Thunder, Perfect Mindfuck refers to the gnostic poem The Thunder, Perfect Mind.
The Bathos cover was painted by Tuomas M. Mäkelä (of the ambient band Jääportit) based partially on an earlier artwork he had done. Magister Warjomaa said about it: "We wanted a colourful cover, because I feel very bored with the usual dark-hued album art most metal bands choose for some pathetic reason. But mainly we wanted that cover because to us it has a spaced-out, candlylike and pleasing feeling. THC green feels such a beautiful color..."
Tohcoth
Tohcoth was released through
The Tohcoth cover artwork was realized by Genius Albert Frankenstein & Master Warjomaa.
- Track listing:
- Coniuratio Sadoquae
- The Hieroglyph
- Riding Down the Miskatonic on a Dead Thing
- Arouse Coiled Splendour
- Λογος
- All Along The Watchtowers
- Chapel Perilous
- The Sound of One I Opening
- The Battle Hymn of The Eristocracy
- Barbelith
- Iku-Turso
Omnimantia
Omnimantia was self-released as a CD-R by Aarni in November 2008. The title means "divination from everything".[20]
- Track listing:
- Rat King
- Dimwa Depenga
- This Is Not A Mask
- Hypnagogia
- "Untitled"
- Verivaikerrus / Hurmehanki
- Lovecraft Knew
Aarni / Persistence in Mourning Split
Aarni / Persistence in Mourning Split was released through Witch Sermon Productions on April 1, 2012. The album's artwork was realized by Conte di San Pietro.
- Track listing:
- Aarni
- 1. 49 Angeli Boni
- 2. Emuu
- 3. Land Beyond the Night
- 4. Lemminkäinens Tempel
- 5. Goetia
- Persistence in Mourning
- 6. The Passage
- 7. Tangled Mess of Veins
- 8. Through Hellfire
- 9. Purification
- 10. Poking Holes in the Sky
Deliria - Odds and Ends and Beginnings 2000-2012
The album is a collection of 32 tracks, some of which have been only unofficially released as digital downloads.
Lovecraftian
Lovecraftian (TBA, 2017)
References
- ^ a b Aarni Official Website (News, Page 4) Accessed on August 27, 2007
- ^ [1][permanent dead link]
- ^ "Levyarvostelut". Noise.fi. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ News section of the Official Online Dwelling
- ^ "Aarni interview (11/2004) - Metal Storm". Metalstorm.net. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ Master Warjomaa's profile on the Official Online Dwelling
- ^ "Lamentations of the Flame Princess - Interview with Aarni". Archived from the original on 3 November 2006. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ "Fan interview! (Jun 2006 ev)". Aarni.info. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ "Aarni Band". Aarni.info. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ Doomintroll's profile on the Official Online Dwelling
- ^ "Imperiumi.net". Impe.fi. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ "Tämä domain on varattu | firebox.fi". Firebox.fi. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ Band section on the Official Online Dwelling
- ^ News section of the Official Online Dwelling
- ^ Information on Aarni on the Official Online Dwelling
- ^ a b "Aarni FAQ". Aarni.info. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ Evi Tsitsi (January 3, 2005). "Album: Aarni, Bathos, (Firedoom Music)". Metal-temple.com. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ AllMusic - Bathos
- ISBN 9781578632541. Retrieved 10 October 2020 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Aarni Discography". Aarni.info. Retrieved 10 October 2020.