Moonsorrow
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Moonsorrow | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Helsinki, Finland |
Genres | Folk metal, pagan metal, black metal, progressive metal |
Years active | 1995–present |
Labels | Sagittarius Productions, Plasmatica Records, Spinefarm, Century Media |
Members | Ville Sorvali Henri Sorvali Mitja Harvilahti Markus Eurén Marko Tarvonen |
Website | www.moonsorrow.com |
Moonsorrow is a Finnish
History
The group's earliest formation consisted of cousins
Their debut album,
In January 2006 the band played their first
An
In Fall 2010, Moonsorrow entered the studio to record their sixth full-length studio album, Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa ("As Shadows We Walk In The Land of The Dead"). The album was released on 21 February 2011 through Spinefarm Records.
In April 2012 Moonsorrow announced on their official website that they have signed a deal with Century Media Records. The band commented: "We are thrilled to start working with Century Media, a label that is home to many fellow artists already! We never make our music half way or with compromises and we know our art is in good hands with people who have the same mentality in running a record label. Now, after a year since the release of our last album we are ready to begin creating something new. The new chapter in this epic journey of Moonsorrow!"
In June 2013, the band announced a vinyl box set of its collected works to be released through Blood Music. Given its planned size of thirteen LPs, it was advertised as the largest metal box set in history.[7] Entitled Heritage: 1995-2008 - The Collected Works, the box set was released in 2014, and ended up consisting of fourteen LPs. (The same label's forthcoming box set for the Norwegian black metal band Emperor is intended to outstrip it in size.)
The band's seventh album, Jumalten aika, was released on 1 April 2016 through Century Media.
Lyrics
Moonsorrow's lyrics draw inspiration from
Relationships with right-wing extremism
Over the years, Moonsorrow has been accused a number of times of having ties to right-wing extremism. Moonsorrow side project Lakupaavi has used homophobic lyrics in their music.[9]
In April 2008, Moonsorrow and other performers on the folk metal festival Paganfest were accused of being Nazis, racists and fascists by the BIFF (Berliner Institut für Faschismusforschung). Ville Sorvali of Moonsorrow and Heri Joensen of Týr issued a joint video statement to refute these accusations, noting that the bands are in no way connected to fascist groups and actually are against fascism.[10]
After the incident with Paganfest 2008, the band has said in several interviews that they are not racist.[11][12][13] Guitarists Harvilahti and Perttilä also took part in the "Blackout Tuesday" action on 2 June 2020, which supported Black Lives Matter.[14][15]
Members
- lead vocals, keyboards
- Ville Sorvali – bass, lead vocals
- Mitja Harvilahti – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals
- Markus Eurén – keyboards, backing vocals
- Marko Tarvonen – drums, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
Guests
- Thomas Väänänen (Thyrfing) – guest vocals on Viides Luku - Hävitetty
- Hittavainen (Korpiklaani) – fiddle, jouhikko, recorder
- Janne Perttilä (Barren Earth, Rytmihäiriö) – guitar (live), backing vocals
Timeline
Discography
- Studio albums
- Suden uni (2001)
- Voimasta ja kunniasta (2001)
- Kivenkantaja (2003)
- Verisäkeet (2005)
- Viides luku – Hävitetty (2007)
- Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa (2011)
- Jumalten aika (2016)
- Extended plays
- Tulimyrsky (2008)
- Demo albums
- Thorns of Ice (1996, unreleased)
- Metsä (1997)
- Promo (1997, unreleased)
- Tämä ikuinen talvi (1999) [16]
Side project: Lakupaavi
Lakupaavi (Liquorice Pope in Finnish) is a grindcore side project of the band.[17] The project started as a joke: when Moonsorrow were recording their 2005 album Verisäkeet, they said in an interview that the album would be named Raah Raah Blääh and it would be very different stylistically than their previous releases. Although this was just a joke, many people took it to heart. Later they stated that it had been a joke, but they then decided to actually record one of the songs, called "Kuolema Taidehomoille... Ja Muille" (engl. "Death to Art Faggots... and Others"). It didn't end there, however: the band ended up actually recording the whole Raah Raah Blääh album and released it on the internet under the new moniker Lakupaavi.
References
- ^ "Moonsorrow". www.moonsorrow.com. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008.
- ^ Roth, Rachel (2012). "Interview with Ville Sorvali of Moonsorrow". Metalunderground.com. Retrieved 2015-04-01.
- ^ "Interviews: Moonsorrow". Spirit of Metal. February 2005. Retrieved 2015-04-01.
- ^ Angle, Brad (November 13, 2009). "Pagan Metal Roundup: Moonsorrow". Guitar World. Retrieved 2015-04-01.
- ^ www.moonsorrow.com https://web.archive.org/web/20080330234454/http://www.moonsorrow.com/moonsorrowcom/cdtulimyrsky.html. Archived from the original on March 30, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Drakkar Entertainment GmbH | | MOONSORROW | DISCOGRAPHY". Drakkar.de. Retrieved 2015-04-01.
- ^ "Moonsorrow - Timeline Photos". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2015-04-01.
- ^ www.moonsorrow.com https://web.archive.org/web/20070513041311/http://www.moonsorrow.com/moonsorrowcom/lyricsvoimasta.html. Archived from the original on May 13, 2007.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Moonsorrow's Troublesome Relationship with White Supremacism". 2020-03-05. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
- ^ Ville Sorvali of Moonsorrow and Heri Joensen of Týr (2008). Statement on behalf of Moonsorrow, Týr and Eluveitie. Youtube.com. Retrieved 2008-05-05.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ "MOONSORROW: We Are Not Nazis". 14 April 2008.
- ^ "Moonsorrow: Interview".
- ^ "Moonsorrow – Hardly Blending in". 29 March 2013.
- ^ "Janne Perttilä on Instagram".
- ^ "Instagram".
- ^ "Moonsorrow Official Website". Moonsorrow.com. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
- ^ "Griiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind!!!!!!!". www.moonsorrow.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2009.
External links
- Official Moonsorrow home page
- Moonsorrow discography at MusicBrainz
- Moonsorrow at Encyclopaedia Metallum
- Moonsorrow discography at Discogs