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Demonoid · 03-20-2009, 02:52 AM

(click on the image. The format is ogg though)

Höyry-kone - Huono Parturi
Release date: 1997

What do they play?
Some sort of creepy, chaotic, confused(?) rock with klezmer elements thrown in.

Accessibility:
From a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the least, I'd give them a 2.5 - 3.

So, coming from Finland, what was this team thinking of?! They play an eclectic mix of Jazz, blues, eastern european & klezmer music, even metallic riffs from time to time and combine those with the unpredictable arrangements and weird vocals, you get an all-in-all weird album! As for the vocals/lyrics - doesn't matter if you don't understand a word. It's part of the charm and adds to the weirdness even more.

The album opens up with Beata Viscera, a 7-minute song with nothing but chants. Sounds like a soundtrack for a movie, but anyways, this sets the tone nicely and gives you an idea on what to expect regarding the vocals. Terva-Antti Ku Häihin Lähti follows, an instrumental song with creepy violins/cellos and unpredictable tempo changes. This really is how their music is - unpredictable, with weird melodies. Sometimes it's dissonant and can be harsh on the ears, but that happens rarely. Track 3, Karhunkaato, brings those ridiculous vocals into effect (in a good way that is). Sounds like a Finnish chant and again, those violins/cellos add a nice touch to it.

And if the first half wasn't weird enough, the second half is even worse. It begins with the title track, which is surprisingly more accessible and even a bit catchy(?!). It's also the the high point of their vocal ridiculousness. It does follow a similar formula (if there is any) but at no point does this album feel repetitive. There are no highlights either, as each song could be an highlight. Ullakon Lelut is an instrumental which abandons the chaos and brings in much needed calm. Tottele, Kala & Laahustaja brings back the distortion and even features some growling vocals at times. These tracks are a bit more on the inaccessible side, compared to the first half. Sometimes these sound like king crimson on their most experimental days, and sometimes it can get a bit harsh on the ears, but you should get used to it after a listen or two. The album ends with Laina-Ajalla, which is sort of a final assault before concluding. Starts of calm, but all of a sudden 2~ minutes in, the metallic riffs appear with some other noodling in the background. There are also repetitive violins/cellos that's present throughout the track and this is how they create this "dark/creepy" atmosphere.

Overall, I think they are one of the most original bands to come from the country. They don't screw around just for the sake of sounding different - it's all so natural and knowing about their influences, I'm not surprised either. This album is much more accessible and refined compared to their debut, but if you could endure this, their debut should prove more challenging and interesting. It's certainly not for everyone, but hey, just give this a try. Who knows...you might end up liking it

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03-20-2009, 02:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
Demonoid Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 734	(click on the image. The format is ogg though) Höyry-kone - Huono Parturi Release date: 1997 What do they play? Some sort of creepy, chaotic, confused(?) rock with klezmer elements thrown in. Accessibility: From a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the least, I'd give them a 2.5 - 3. So, coming from Finland, what was this team thinking of?! They play an eclectic mix of Jazz, blues, eastern european & klezmer music, even metallic riffs from time to time and combine those with the unpredictable arrangements and weird vocals, you get an all-in-all weird album! As for the vocals/lyrics - doesn't matter if you don't understand a word. It's part of the charm and adds to the weirdness even more. The album opens up with Beata Viscera, a 7-minute song with nothing but chants. Sounds like a soundtrack for a movie, but anyways, this sets the tone nicely and gives you an idea on what to expect regarding the vocals. Terva-Antti Ku Häihin Lähti follows, an instrumental song with creepy violins/cellos and unpredictable tempo changes. This really is how their music is - unpredictable, with weird melodies. Sometimes it's dissonant and can be harsh on the ears, but that happens rarely. Track 3, Karhunkaato, brings those ridiculous vocals into effect (in a good way that is). Sounds like a Finnish chant and again, those violins/cellos add a nice touch to it. And if the first half wasn't weird enough, the second half is even worse. It begins with the title track, which is surprisingly more accessible and even a bit catchy(?!). It's also the the high point of their vocal ridiculousness. It does follow a similar formula (if there is any) but at no point does this album feel repetitive. There are no highlights either, as each song could be an highlight. Ullakon Lelut is an instrumental which abandons the chaos and brings in much needed calm. Tottele, Kala & Laahustaja brings back the distortion and even features some growling vocals at times. These tracks are a bit more on the inaccessible side, compared to the first half. Sometimes these sound like king crimson on their most experimental days, and sometimes it can get a bit harsh on the ears, but you should get used to it after a listen or two. The album ends with Laina-Ajalla, which is sort of a final assault before concluding. Starts of calm, but all of a sudden 2~ minutes in, the metallic riffs appear with some other noodling in the background. There are also repetitive violins/cellos that's present throughout the track and this is how they create this "dark/creepy" atmosphere. Overall, I think they are one of the most original bands to come from the country. They don't screw around just for the sake of sounding different - it's all so natural and knowing about their influences, I'm not surprised either. This album is much more accessible and refined compared to their debut, but if you could endure this, their debut should prove more challenging and interesting. It's certainly not for everyone, but hey, just give this a try. Who knows...you might end up liking it . Last edited by Demonoid; 03-20-2009 at 03:05 AM.