Kalmah

Kalmah
Finnish melodic death metal band Kalmah live at Jalometalli 2008 in Oulu.
Background information
Origin	Oulu, Finland
Genres	Melodic death metal, Power Metal
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Spinefarm, Century Media
Associated acts	Eternal Tears of Sorrow, For My Pain..., Catamenia, Nothnegal, End of You, Poisonblack
Website	www.kalmah.com
Members
Pekka Kokko Antti Kokko Marco Sneck Timo Lehtinen Janne Kusmin
Past members
Altti Veteläinen Petri Sankala Pasi Hiltula Anssi Seppänen

Kalmah is a melodic death metal^[1][2] band from Oulu,^[3][4][5] Finland that formed in 1998.^[6][7] In less than a year after its formation, Kalmah was signed by Spinefarm Records. The word "kalmah" is Karelian and could be translated as "to the grave" or "to the death."^[2]

History

In 1991, Pekka Kokko and Petri Sankala founded the metal band Ancestor. After Ancestor had recorded two demos, Antti Kokko joined the band as lead guitarist. In 1998, after five demos, Ancestor disbanded. Later in the same year, Kalmah formed. The new band consisted of Pekka Kokko performing vocals and guitar, Antti Kokko on lead guitar, Pasi Hiltula on keyboards, Altti Veteläinen on bass, and Petri Sankala on drums.

Kalmah began to write songs for a promotional CD entitled Svieri Obraza. With this demo, they acquired a recording contract with Spinefarm Records and headed to Tico-Tico Studios to record their debut album, Swamplord.

By November 2001, they returned to Tico-Tico Studios to record their second studio album, They Will Return. By this time, Veteläinen and Sankala were replaced by Timo Lehtinen on bass and Janne Kusmin on drums, respectively. In 2002, Kalmah played shows in Finland and at Wacken Open Air. In February 2003, they recorded their third studio album, Swampsong. In 2004, keyboardist Pasi Hiltula left and was replaced by Marco Sneck. The band released The Black Waltz in 2006 and For the Revolution in 2008. Kalmah toured in Canada and Finland to promote the latter album.

12 Gauge

Main article: 12 Gauge (album)

Kalmah's sixth studio album was released in Japan on February 24, 2010, Canada on March 2, Europe on March 3, and North America on April 6.^[8]

Recording and mixing took place from May to August at Tico-Tico Studios in Finland,^[9] and mastering for the disc took place at the Cutting Room in Sweden.^[10]

The track Bullets Are Blind was released in December 2009 on a 2-CD collection included with the 35th anniversary issue of Soundi magazine.^[11]

In March 2010, 12 Gauge became the first Kalmah album to be released on vinyl. The album was mastered for vinyl by Joona Lukala, Noise for Fiction, and released by Svart Records in a limited run of 500 copies.^[12]

Discography

Studio albums Swamplord (2000) They Will Return (2002) Swampsong (2003) The Black Waltz (2006) For the Revolution (2008) 12 Gauge (2010)

Demos and EPs As Ancestor Ethereal Devotion (1992) Material World God (1993) With No Strings Attached (1996) Tomorrow (1997) Under the Burbot's Nest (1998) As Kalmah Svieri Obraza (1999) − promo Demo 2004 (2004) − unreleased Videos Withering Away (2000) The Groan of Wind (2006) 12 Gauge studio diary in seven parts (2009)[13] 12 Gauge (2010) (music video)

Band members

Current members Pekka Kokko – vocals, guitar (1998–present) Antti Kokko – lead guitar (1998–present) Timo Lehtinen – bass guitar (2001–present) Janne Kusmin – drums (2001–present)

Former members Marco Sneck - keyboards (2004-2011) Anssi Seppänen – guitar (1992−1993) Altti Veteläinen – bass guitar (1998–2001) Petri Sankala – drums (1998–2001) Pasi Hiltula – keyboards (1999–2004) Antti-Matti Talala – keyboards (1999)[14]

Timeline

References

1. ^ Sweeney, Brian (April 19, 2008). "Antti Kokko of Kalmah". Metal Review. http://www.metalreview.com/Interviews/30160/Antti-Kokko-of-Kalmah.aspx. Retrieved 2010-01-05. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Renner, Christian (November 3, 2001). "Interview with guitarist Antti Kokko". The Metal Crypt. http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/interviews.php?intid=11. Retrieved 2010-01-05. 
3. ^ "Band biography". Tartarean Desire. http://www.tartareandesire.com/bands/Kalmah/878/. Retrieved 2010-01-05. 
4. ^ Pigeon, Tim (February 22, 2006). ""The Black Waltz" Album Review". Metal Review. http://metalreview.com/2728/Kalmah-The-Black-Waltz.aspx. Retrieved 2010-01-05. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ Metal Underground
6. ^ Kalmah Biography
7. ^ "Kalmah – For the Revolution (Advance)". Releaselog. April 28, 2008. http://www.rlslog.net/kalmah-for-the-revolution-advance-2008/. Retrieved 2010-01-05. 
8. ^ "Kalmah – One of Fail". Last.fm. http://www.last.fm/music/Kalmah/+videos/+1--mrkUIORZDw. Retrieved 23 February 2010. ^{[dead link]}
9. ^ "Kalmah – Web Gauge (studio diary)". Kalmah.com. http://www.kalmah.com/fans_diary12.html. Retrieved 16 February 2010. 
10. ^ Recorded and Mastered
11. ^ Soundi Magazine 2-CD tracklist
12. ^ http://www.svartrecords.com/shoppe/product.php?id_product=76
13. ^ Kalmahik's Channel's channel on YouTube
14. ^ "Antti-Matti "Antza" Talala Biography". Metal from Finland. http://www.metalfromfinland.com/people/209/Antti-Matti+'Antza'+Talala. Retrieved 2010-02-02. 

External links

Media related to Kalmah at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• Kalmah − Spinefarm Records