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CMX (band)
Encyclopedia
CMX, originally Cloaca Maxima, are a Finnish
rock
band. They originally played hardcore punk
, but soon expanded to play a wide variety of rock formats, including progressive rock
, heavy metal
, and mainstream rock n roll. Throughout their career, they have been influenced by progressive rock bands such as Rush
, Yes
and King Crimson
. The progressive influence is most evident on their albums Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
(2000) and Talvikuningas
(2007).
CMX have gradually gained large-scale mainstream following in Finland. They are especially known for the poetic lyrics of A. W. Yrjänä
that often contain references to mythology
and religion
. Finnish rock magazines, particularly Rumba, have named them Best Band of the Year multiple times, and even Best Band of All Time on one occasion.
1985 in Tornio
, Finland
by A. W. Yrjänä
(18 at the time) and Pekka Kanniainen. The band's original name, Cloaca Maxima
, Latin
for the "Greatest Sewer," was taken from a footnote of H. P. Blavatsky's book Isis Unveiled
. Over the next six months Kanniainen became the drummer, Yrjänä the bassist and singer. Kimmo Suomalainen played guitar. The band played mainly fast hardcore punk
with the vocals sung in English; the language, however, soon changed into Finnish. The band shortened its name to CMX in 1986.
The first EP
Johannes Kastaja
was recorded 1987 in Kemi
and released in 1988. The same year CMX performed for the first time outside of Tornio and its neighbouring areas, at Lieto
punk rock festival. In 1989 the EP Raivo was released on a small label Bad Vugum. The band's first appearance at the Tavastia Club
in Helsinki
followed.
The first full-length album Kolmikärki
was released in January 1990. The album received practically no radio airplay and sold less than 2000 copies during the first year. During the spring Pasi Isometsä was brought on as a second guitarist, however he would only stay in the band for less than a year. As the band moved south to Helsinki
in late 1990, guitarists Isometsä and Suomalainen weren't willing to leave Tornio and eventually quit the band. They were replaced by Janne Halmkrona
and, in early 1991, Timo Rasio. This lineup would remain the same for the following six years. In early 1991 they recorded another EP, Tanssitauti
, and later that year the band's second full-length album, Veljeskunta
. The aggressive hardcore approach of the album was generally well received by the press.
, released by the international EMI
record label
, won CMX both the Album of the Year and Band of the Year awards in a poll by Rumba magazine. The album saw CMX largely abandon the hardcore style in favor of more accessible mainstream rock songs.
In 1994, Aura
was released. The album continued the trend towards mainstream audiences, which was criticized by the band's early hardcore fan base. Aura contained some of the band's best known songs to date, including the etheric ballad "Ruoste" and the radio-friendly (though lyrically hardly traditional) love song "Kultanaamio
".
The trend continued with Rautakantele
, released in 1995 and produced by Yrjänä. Essi Wuorela
appeared as a guest artist. "Pelasta maailma
", the only single from the album, received some radio airplay and would later be covered by both Antti Tuisku
and Vesa-Matti Loiri
.
was engineered with Pro Tools
in the studio and made heavy use of sampling
to edit the songs together from a set of short guitar
riff
s. The album received mixed reviews: Allmusic wrote that "friends of the modern music will find Discopolis very attractive", while Tero Valkonen, on his analysis of "Kultanaamio
", expressed his dislike for the album, and called the song "Paha" a "rotten bad joke". Discopolis was the first CMX album to enter the Finnish album charts
, peaking at 3. In 1997, Kanniainen left CMX saying that the band had become too professional for him. Tuomas Peippo was hired to replace him. The band's lineup has remained the same since. The same year CMX released a three-CD compilation album
, Cloaca Maxima
.
, was recorded in a cabin
in Lapland and produced by Faith No More
bassist Billy Gould
. According to the band the deliberately minimalistic sound of the album was largely thanks to Gould. Vainajala was the first CMX album to top the Finnish album charts. At the Provinssirock
festival 1999, CMX announced that they intended to stop playing live in order to concentrate on their studio work.
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
(2000) was CMX's nod toward 1970s progressive rock
bands, such as King Crimson
, Pink Floyd
and Yes
. A two-hour double album
, it contains progressive elements not before associated with CMX: three instrumental
pieces, an emphasis on keyboards
, long solos
, and song lengths exceeding 10 minutes. CMX's first number 1 single, the peaceful and melodic "Myrskyn ratsut" was released before the album and featured strings
and steel guitar
.
By the time Isohaara
(2002) was released, CMX had already abandoned the idea of becoming a full-time studio band and started touring again. The album was considered slightly heavier
than its predecessor, and the guitar riffs of "Minne paha haudattiin" were compared to the music of Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus
and Kotiteollisuus
. The album's lyrics concentrated less on mythology
and religion
and were closer to traditional rock lyrics, albeit keeping a dark, melancholical tone. Although less present than on Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
, progressive influences hadn't been totally abandoned: the band uses a child choir
on the title track and the uptempo rocker "Pohjoista leveyttä" contains a harmonica
solo.
Bad Vugum re-released the first two CMX albums in 2002 as "Gold" versions that also included their early EPs. Kolmikärki
Gold included Johannes Kastaja
and Raivo, and Veljeskunta
Gold contained Tanssitauti
and the original Musiikin ystävälliset kasvot
EP.
A year after Isohaara, Aion
followed. The album was put together around a common theme of the essence and symbol
ism of evil
. It was both a critical and commercial success and was described as a highly experimental
album for such an established band. Guitarist Halmkrona plays trumpet
on the first track of the album, and violin
s and synthesizer
s are heard on several songs. Both "Melankolia" and, four months later, "Palvelemaan konetta" peaked the singles chart.
The band's second compilation Cloaka Maxima II, released in 2004, followed the format of the 1997 Cloaca Maxima
closely. Both consisted of 44 songs on three CDs, the first one concentrationg on faster rock songs, the second on ballads and the third on B-sides. The compilation covered four albums from Vainajala
to Aion
and also featured three previously unreleased songs. The band had originally intended the compilation to only include the B-sides, and indeed the third disc was the one that received some praise from the press.
Pedot
(2005) showed some influences from contemporary rock bands such as Tool
, A Perfect Circle
and System of a Down
, and combined straight rock songs with heavier and lighter elements, such as the minimalistic ballad "Eteläisen tähtitaivaan kartoitus" and the aggressive double bass drum sound of the title track. "Uusi ihmiskunta" was a number one hit, the sixth one for CMX in just over five years.
On the Tuuliajolla 2006 tour on lake Saimaa
, CMX recorded a song in collaboration with fellow rock bands Kotiteollisuus
and 51Koodia. Ambiguosly named "Vapaus johtaa kansaa" ("Liberty Leading the People
") was written by Yrjänä and released in 2006. It reached number one on the Finnish singles chart.
CMX's following album, Talvikuningas
(2007), was a space-themed
rock opera
and contains only one song, divided onto 12 tracks without pauses. Originally, the story about the power and fall of the Winter King (Talvikuningas in Finnish) was going to be the story of a novel
by Yrjänä. The first edition of the album was soon sold out despite being much more expensive than a regular album. The press reviews were largely positive. Helsingin Sanomat
called the album CMX's "third bullseye
" after Aura
and Aion
, while Soundi magazine argued that the album will probably be a mere curiosity in the CMX saga.
CMX's thirteenth studio album, Iäti
, was released by EMI
on 29 September 2010.
of Faith No More
produced their 1998 album Vainajala
. In Finland, CMX has won the Rumba magazine "Band of the Year" reader poll ten times. In 2005, the band was even voted the "Best Band of All Time" by the magazine's readers, in favour of such bands as The Beatles
, Metallica
, Led Zeppelin
and Iron Maiden
. In a City magazine poll, they were voted the best Finnish band of all time. In a Helsingin Sanomat
reader poll in 2007, the readers voted both "Ruoste" and "Kultanaamio
" into the top 10 of Finnish rock songs. CMX were the only band to have two songs in the top 10.
Ten CMX albums, including their both compilations, have been certified
gold, each having sold approximately 20 000 copies. CMX DVD
has also reached the gold record threshold for DVD
s, which is 5 000 copies. The platinum record threshold for albums in Finland, which none of the band's albums have achieved, is 30 000 copies sold.
, punk rock
and progressive rock
. During their career, they have explored several different genres of rock music
. Their early EPs and albums up until Veljeskunta
have been mainly hardcore
, although combining a variety of styles. From Aurinko
(1992) onwards, the band has been playing mainstream Finnish language rock. Progressive rock elements are always present in the band's music, most evidently on Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
and Talvikuningas
. Many of the band's best known songs are ballad
s, such as "Ruoste" and "Pelasta maailma
".
, symbol
ic and intertextual
, and contain themes of mythology
, religion
and philosophy
. Many CMX fans are attracted to the band particularly for Yrjänä's texts, although there are also people who can't stand the band because of them.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band. They originally played hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
, but soon expanded to play a wide variety of rock formats, including progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, and mainstream rock n roll. Throughout their career, they have been influenced by progressive rock bands such as Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
. The progressive influence is most evident on their albums Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus is the eighth album by the Finnish rock group CMX, released in 2000. It was recorded after the band had decided to stop touring and become a full-time studio band. The decision only lasted till 2002....
(2000) and Talvikuningas
Talvikuningas
Talvikuningas is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The title is Finnish and translates to "The Winter King".Talvikuningas is CMX's first concept album...
(2007).
CMX have gradually gained large-scale mainstream following in Finland. They are especially known for the poetic lyrics of A. W. Yrjänä
A. W. Yrjänä
Aki Ville Yrjänä , better known by the stage name, A. W. Yrjänä , is a poet and the singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the Finnish rock band CMX. In addition to his musical work he has published four collections of poems.- Music :Yrjänä has studied theology and comparative religion,...
that often contain references to mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
. Finnish rock magazines, particularly Rumba, have named them Best Band of the Year multiple times, and even Best Band of All Time on one occasion.
Early years 1985-1990
CMX was founded on Good FridayGood Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
1985 in Tornio
Tornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
by A. W. Yrjänä
A. W. Yrjänä
Aki Ville Yrjänä , better known by the stage name, A. W. Yrjänä , is a poet and the singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the Finnish rock band CMX. In addition to his musical work he has published four collections of poems.- Music :Yrjänä has studied theology and comparative religion,...
(18 at the time) and Pekka Kanniainen. The band's original name, Cloaca Maxima
Cloaca Maxima
The Cloaca Maxima is one of the world's earliest sewage systems. Constructed in Ancient Rome in order to drain local marshes and remove the waste of one of the world's most populous cities, it carried an effluent to the River Tiber, which ran beside the city....
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for the "Greatest Sewer," was taken from a footnote of H. P. Blavatsky's book Isis Unveiled
Isis Unveiled
Isis Unveiled, published in 1877, is a book of esoteric philosophy, and was Helena Petrovna Blavatsky's first major work.The book discusses or quotes, among others, Plato, Plotinus, the Chaldean Oracles, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Bible, Pythagoras, Ammonius Saccas, Porphyry, Iamblichus,...
. Over the next six months Kanniainen became the drummer, Yrjänä the bassist and singer. Kimmo Suomalainen played guitar. The band played mainly fast hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
with the vocals sung in English; the language, however, soon changed into Finnish. The band shortened its name to CMX in 1986.
The first EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Johannes Kastaja
Johannes Kastaja
Johannes Kastaja is the first EP by CMX. It, with Raivo, is included on Kolmikärki Gold, the 2002 re-release of the band's debut album. "Lapsi" became something of a cult song, with controversial lyrics about child sexual abuse.- Personnel :...
was recorded 1987 in Kemi
Kemi
Kemi is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located very near the city of Tornio. It was founded in 1869 by royal decree, because of its proximity to a deep water harbour....
and released in 1988. The same year CMX performed for the first time outside of Tornio and its neighbouring areas, at Lieto
Lieto
Lieto is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
punk rock festival. In 1989 the EP Raivo was released on a small label Bad Vugum. The band's first appearance at the Tavastia Club
Tavastia Club
The Tavastia Club is a popular rock music club in Helsinki, Finland. The house is owned by Hämäläis-Osakunta, one of the student nations at the University of Helsinki, but since 1991 the club has been operated by a private enterprise renting the house from the nation. It is located in central...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
followed.
The first full-length album Kolmikärki
Kolmikärki
Kolmikärki is CMX's 1990 debut album. Despite the punk roots of the early CMX, the musical style of the album varies greatly. There's hardcore, heavy metal, acid rock, some jazz, ballads and even a waltz. A. W. Yrjänä's lyrics on the album contain a lot of religious imagery the band is still known...
was released in January 1990. The album received practically no radio airplay and sold less than 2000 copies during the first year. During the spring Pasi Isometsä was brought on as a second guitarist, however he would only stay in the band for less than a year. As the band moved south to Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
in late 1990, guitarists Isometsä and Suomalainen weren't willing to leave Tornio and eventually quit the band. They were replaced by Janne Halmkrona
Janne Halmkrona
Janne Halmkrona is a Finnish musician. He is best known for playing in CMX, a band he joined in 1990, replacing Kimmo Suomalainen. He has also released two albums with Sapattivuosi, a Black Sabbath tribute band. Halmkrona also works as a production manager for Sony BMG Finland.Halmkrona holds a...
and, in early 1991, Timo Rasio. This lineup would remain the same for the following six years. In early 1991 they recorded another EP, Tanssitauti
Tanssitauti
Tanssitauti is an EP by CMX released in 1990. The band had released their debut album Kolmikärki earlier the same year with a different lineup. Tanssitauti is the first CMX recording to feature guitarist Janne Halmkrona, who appears on all of the band's albums from this point on...
, and later that year the band's second full-length album, Veljeskunta
Veljeskunta
Veljeskunta is an album by Finnish rock band CMX. Its name means "The Brotherhood" in Finnish.The CD version of Veljeskunta also contains the Tanssitauti EP originally published in 1990. The gold version of the album, released in 2002 also contains CMX's earlier EP, Musiikin ystävälliset...
. The aggressive hardcore approach of the album was generally well received by the press.
Mainstream success
1992's AurinkoAurinko
Aurinko is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The word "Aurinko" means "The Sun" in Finnish. The album cover depicts a cross section of a pineapple....
, released by the international EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, won CMX both the Album of the Year and Band of the Year awards in a poll by Rumba magazine. The album saw CMX largely abandon the hardcore style in favor of more accessible mainstream rock songs.
In 1994, Aura
Aura (CMX album)
Aura is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The album gained the band its first near-hit single and some commercial airplay with "Ruoste"...
was released. The album continued the trend towards mainstream audiences, which was criticized by the band's early hardcore fan base. Aura contained some of the band's best known songs to date, including the etheric ballad "Ruoste" and the radio-friendly (though lyrically hardly traditional) love song "Kultanaamio
Kultanaamio
"Kultanaamio" is the second single from CMX's 1994 album Aura. It also appears on the group's first compilation album Cloaca Maxima. "Kultanaamio" means "Golden Mask" in Finnish....
".
The trend continued with Rautakantele
Rautakantele
Rautakantele is a 1995 album by the Finnish rock group CMX. "Rautakantele" is Finnish and means "The Iron Kantele".Rautakantele is the most stylistically eclectic of CMX's albums...
, released in 1995 and produced by Yrjänä. Essi Wuorela
Essi Wuorela
Essi Wuorela is a Finnish soprano. She is an original member of the ensemble Rajaton since 1997, but also began a solo career in 1994. She studied music at Sibelius High School and later Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory, from which she graduated as a music teacher in 1999...
appeared as a guest artist. "Pelasta maailma
Pelasta maailma
"Pelasta maailma" is the first single from the CMX album Rautakantele. It also appears on the compilation album Cloaca Maxima. The chorus contains a quote from a poem by L. Onerva. "Pelasta maailma" means "Save the World" in Finnish.- Cover versions :...
", the only single from the album, received some radio airplay and would later be covered by both Antti Tuisku
Antti Tuisku
Antti Tapani Tuisku is a Finnish pop singer, made famous by the 2003 Idols talent show, the Finnish version of Pop Idol. Although Tuisku finished third in the show, he has easily become the most popular artist of the three. Currently Tuisku lives in Helsinki.Tuisku has sold over 200,000 records in...
and Vesa-Matti Loiri
Vesa-Matti Loiri
Vesa-Matti "Vesku" Loiri is a Finnish actor, musician and comedian, best known for his role as Uuno Turhapuro, whom he portrayed in a total of 20 movies between the years 1973 and 2004....
.
Changes
For their next album, the band changed radically their approach to recording. DiscopolisDiscopolis
Discopolis is the sixth studio album by the Finnish rock group CMX.With Discopolis, CMX took a different approach on recording with the goal of making the first entirely Pro Tools-based album in Finland. The basic concept was to build the songs from small pieces, emphasizing editing and production...
was engineered with Pro Tools
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
in the studio and made heavy use of sampling
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
to edit the songs together from a set of short guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
s. The album received mixed reviews: Allmusic wrote that "friends of the modern music will find Discopolis very attractive", while Tero Valkonen, on his analysis of "Kultanaamio
Kultanaamio
"Kultanaamio" is the second single from CMX's 1994 album Aura. It also appears on the group's first compilation album Cloaca Maxima. "Kultanaamio" means "Golden Mask" in Finnish....
", expressed his dislike for the album, and called the song "Paha" a "rotten bad joke". Discopolis was the first CMX album to enter the Finnish album charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, peaking at 3. In 1997, Kanniainen left CMX saying that the band had become too professional for him. Tuomas Peippo was hired to replace him. The band's lineup has remained the same since. The same year CMX released a three-CD compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Cloaca Maxima
Cloaca Maxima (album)
Cloaca Maxima is the first compilation album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The name Cloaca Maxima means "Great Sewer" in Latin, and was also an early name of the band before it was shortened to CMX. The compilation contains three CDs named Physis, Aetheris and Astralis respectively...
.
1998-2003
The first album with Peippo, VainajalaVainajala
Vainajala is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. Vainaja is Finnish for a dead person, Vainajala meaning a name of a place inhabited by the dead....
, was recorded in a cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
in Lapland and produced by Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
bassist Billy Gould
Billy Gould
Billy Gould is an American musician and producer. He is noted for playing bass in the band Faith No More.- Faith No More :...
. According to the band the deliberately minimalistic sound of the album was largely thanks to Gould. Vainajala was the first CMX album to top the Finnish album charts. At the Provinssirock
Provinssirock
Provinssirock is one of the biggest rock festivals in Finland. It takes place in the city of Seinäjoki in Southern Ostrobothnia, Western Finland. The 3-day festival, which starts the busy Finnish rock festival season, has been held every June since 1979.The 2007 festival enjoyed a combined three...
festival 1999, CMX announced that they intended to stop playing live in order to concentrate on their studio work.
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus is the eighth album by the Finnish rock group CMX, released in 2000. It was recorded after the band had decided to stop touring and become a full-time studio band. The decision only lasted till 2002....
(2000) was CMX's nod toward 1970s progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
bands, such as King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
and Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
. A two-hour double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
, it contains progressive elements not before associated with CMX: three instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
pieces, an emphasis on keyboards
Musical keyboard
A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
, long solos
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
, and song lengths exceeding 10 minutes. CMX's first number 1 single, the peaceful and melodic "Myrskyn ratsut" was released before the album and featured strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
and steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
.
By the time Isohaara
Isohaara
Isohaara is the ninth studio album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The album is named after Isohaara power plant in Keminmaa. The band spent six months in the studio because of the chosen songwriting method: the songs were written and rehearsed at the studio under constant perfecting and re-arranging...
(2002) was released, CMX had already abandoned the idea of becoming a full-time studio band and started touring again. The album was considered slightly heavier
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
than its predecessor, and the guitar riffs of "Minne paha haudattiin" were compared to the music of Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus
Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus
Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus was a metal music band from Finland, formed in 1997. The band was led by Timo Rautiainen, leading member of Finnish metallers Lyijykomppania, a band which still has an underground cult following in the scene. The musical influence of the band ranges from Black...
and Kotiteollisuus
Kotiteollisuus
Kotiteollisuus is a Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band that was formed in 1991 in Lappeenranta. The band released its first demo tape in 1993 under the name "Hullu ukko ja Kotiteollisuus" . The shortened name and current line-up was established in 1997.Kotiteollisuus is said to combine "furious...
. The album's lyrics concentrated less on mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and were closer to traditional rock lyrics, albeit keeping a dark, melancholical tone. Although less present than on Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus is the eighth album by the Finnish rock group CMX, released in 2000. It was recorded after the band had decided to stop touring and become a full-time studio band. The decision only lasted till 2002....
, progressive influences hadn't been totally abandoned: the band uses a child choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
on the title track and the uptempo rocker "Pohjoista leveyttä" contains a harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
solo.
Bad Vugum re-released the first two CMX albums in 2002 as "Gold" versions that also included their early EPs. Kolmikärki
Kolmikärki
Kolmikärki is CMX's 1990 debut album. Despite the punk roots of the early CMX, the musical style of the album varies greatly. There's hardcore, heavy metal, acid rock, some jazz, ballads and even a waltz. A. W. Yrjänä's lyrics on the album contain a lot of religious imagery the band is still known...
Gold included Johannes Kastaja
Johannes Kastaja
Johannes Kastaja is the first EP by CMX. It, with Raivo, is included on Kolmikärki Gold, the 2002 re-release of the band's debut album. "Lapsi" became something of a cult song, with controversial lyrics about child sexual abuse.- Personnel :...
and Raivo, and Veljeskunta
Veljeskunta
Veljeskunta is an album by Finnish rock band CMX. Its name means "The Brotherhood" in Finnish.The CD version of Veljeskunta also contains the Tanssitauti EP originally published in 1990. The gold version of the album, released in 2002 also contains CMX's earlier EP, Musiikin ystävälliset...
Gold contained Tanssitauti
Tanssitauti
Tanssitauti is an EP by CMX released in 1990. The band had released their debut album Kolmikärki earlier the same year with a different lineup. Tanssitauti is the first CMX recording to feature guitarist Janne Halmkrona, who appears on all of the band's albums from this point on...
and the original Musiikin ystävälliset kasvot
Musiikin ystävälliset kasvot
Musiikin ystävälliset kasvot is an EP by CMX. It was recorded in 1991 to be released as a four song EP, but instead the title track was released as a single. The EP was finally released in 1998 under the name Musiikin ystävälliset kasvot + 5 and included six songs...
EP.
A year after Isohaara, Aion
Aion (CMX album)
Aion is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The word Aion is Ancient Greek for "age, life-force" and also a Finnish verb form meaning "I intend "....
followed. The album was put together around a common theme of the essence and symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
ism of evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
. It was both a critical and commercial success and was described as a highly experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
album for such an established band. Guitarist Halmkrona plays trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
on the first track of the album, and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s and synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s are heard on several songs. Both "Melankolia" and, four months later, "Palvelemaan konetta" peaked the singles chart.
2004-present
Cloaca Maxima
The Cloaca Maxima is one of the world's earliest sewage systems. Constructed in Ancient Rome in order to drain local marshes and remove the waste of one of the world's most populous cities, it carried an effluent to the River Tiber, which ran beside the city....
closely. Both consisted of 44 songs on three CDs, the first one concentrationg on faster rock songs, the second on ballads and the third on B-sides. The compilation covered four albums from Vainajala
Vainajala
Vainajala is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. Vainaja is Finnish for a dead person, Vainajala meaning a name of a place inhabited by the dead....
to Aion
Aion (CMX album)
Aion is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The word Aion is Ancient Greek for "age, life-force" and also a Finnish verb form meaning "I intend "....
and also featured three previously unreleased songs. The band had originally intended the compilation to only include the B-sides, and indeed the third disc was the one that received some praise from the press.
Pedot
Pedot
Pedot is the eleventh album of the Finnish rock band CMX. "Pedot" means "Beasts" in Finnish.The opening track "Eteläisen tähtitaivaan kartoitus" breaks a CMX tradition of starting their albums with powerful rock songs. It is a minimalistic piano-based ballad with no drums...
(2005) showed some influences from contemporary rock bands such as Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
, A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...
and System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
, and combined straight rock songs with heavier and lighter elements, such as the minimalistic ballad "Eteläisen tähtitaivaan kartoitus" and the aggressive double bass drum sound of the title track. "Uusi ihmiskunta" was a number one hit, the sixth one for CMX in just over five years.
On the Tuuliajolla 2006 tour on lake Saimaa
Saimaa
Saimaa is a lake in southeastern Finland. At approximately , it is the largest lake in Finland, and the fourth largest in Europe. It was formed by glacial melting at the end of the Ice Age. Major towns on the lakeshore include Lappeenranta, Imatra, Savonlinna, Mikkeli, Varkaus, and Joensuu. The...
, CMX recorded a song in collaboration with fellow rock bands Kotiteollisuus
Kotiteollisuus
Kotiteollisuus is a Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band that was formed in 1991 in Lappeenranta. The band released its first demo tape in 1993 under the name "Hullu ukko ja Kotiteollisuus" . The shortened name and current line-up was established in 1997.Kotiteollisuus is said to combine "furious...
and 51Koodia. Ambiguosly named "Vapaus johtaa kansaa" ("Liberty Leading the People
Liberty Leading the People
Liberty Leading the People is a painting by Eugène Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution of 1830, which toppled Charles X of France. A woman personifying Liberty leads the people forward over the bodies of the fallen, holding the tricouleur flag of the French Revolution in one hand and...
") was written by Yrjänä and released in 2006. It reached number one on the Finnish singles chart.
CMX's following album, Talvikuningas
Talvikuningas
Talvikuningas is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The title is Finnish and translates to "The Winter King".Talvikuningas is CMX's first concept album...
(2007), was a space-themed
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
and contains only one song, divided onto 12 tracks without pauses. Originally, the story about the power and fall of the Winter King (Talvikuningas in Finnish) was going to be the story of a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Yrjänä. The first edition of the album was soon sold out despite being much more expensive than a regular album. The press reviews were largely positive. Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. In 2008, its daily circulation was 412,421 on weekdays and 468,505 on Sundays...
called the album CMX's "third bullseye
Bullseye (target)
The bullseye, or bull's-eye, is the centre of a target , and by extension the name given to any shot that hits the bullseye...
" after Aura
Aura (CMX album)
Aura is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The album gained the band its first near-hit single and some commercial airplay with "Ruoste"...
and Aion
Aion (CMX album)
Aion is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The word Aion is Ancient Greek for "age, life-force" and also a Finnish verb form meaning "I intend "....
, while Soundi magazine argued that the album will probably be a mere curiosity in the CMX saga.
CMX's thirteenth studio album, Iäti
IATI
Accounting Technicians Ireland is the leading professional body for Accounting Technicians on the island of Ireland. They have over 10,000 members and students both in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland....
, was released by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
on 29 September 2010.
Popularity
CMX are practically unknown outside Finland. However, Billy GouldBilly Gould
Billy Gould is an American musician and producer. He is noted for playing bass in the band Faith No More.- Faith No More :...
of Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
produced their 1998 album Vainajala
Vainajala
Vainajala is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. Vainaja is Finnish for a dead person, Vainajala meaning a name of a place inhabited by the dead....
. In Finland, CMX has won the Rumba magazine "Band of the Year" reader poll ten times. In 2005, the band was even voted the "Best Band of All Time" by the magazine's readers, in favour of such bands as The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
. In a City magazine poll, they were voted the best Finnish band of all time. In a Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. In 2008, its daily circulation was 412,421 on weekdays and 468,505 on Sundays...
reader poll in 2007, the readers voted both "Ruoste" and "Kultanaamio
Kultanaamio
"Kultanaamio" is the second single from CMX's 1994 album Aura. It also appears on the group's first compilation album Cloaca Maxima. "Kultanaamio" means "Golden Mask" in Finnish....
" into the top 10 of Finnish rock songs. CMX were the only band to have two songs in the top 10.
Ten CMX albums, including their both compilations, have been certified
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
gold, each having sold approximately 20 000 copies. CMX DVD
CMX DVD
CMX DVD is the first DVD by Finnish rock band CMX. It was released in 2001 and contains 15 music videos, three documentaries and four live performances. It covers the band's entire career until 2001, starting with 1985...
has also reached the gold record threshold for DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s, which is 5 000 copies. The platinum record threshold for albums in Finland, which none of the band's albums have achieved, is 30 000 copies sold.
Musical style
Early CMX was influenced by heavy metalHeavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
. During their career, they have explored several different genres of rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. Their early EPs and albums up until Veljeskunta
Veljeskunta
Veljeskunta is an album by Finnish rock band CMX. Its name means "The Brotherhood" in Finnish.The CD version of Veljeskunta also contains the Tanssitauti EP originally published in 1990. The gold version of the album, released in 2002 also contains CMX's earlier EP, Musiikin ystävälliset...
have been mainly hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
, although combining a variety of styles. From Aurinko
Aurinko
Aurinko is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The word "Aurinko" means "The Sun" in Finnish. The album cover depicts a cross section of a pineapple....
(1992) onwards, the band has been playing mainstream Finnish language rock. Progressive rock elements are always present in the band's music, most evidently on Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus
Dinosaurus Stereophonicus is the eighth album by the Finnish rock group CMX, released in 2000. It was recorded after the band had decided to stop touring and become a full-time studio band. The decision only lasted till 2002....
and Talvikuningas
Talvikuningas
Talvikuningas is an album by the Finnish rock group CMX. The title is Finnish and translates to "The Winter King".Talvikuningas is CMX's first concept album...
. Many of the band's best known songs are ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s, such as "Ruoste" and "Pelasta maailma
Pelasta maailma
"Pelasta maailma" is the first single from the CMX album Rautakantele. It also appears on the compilation album Cloaca Maxima. The chorus contains a quote from a poem by L. Onerva. "Pelasta maailma" means "Save the World" in Finnish.- Cover versions :...
".
Lyrics
All the band's lyrics are written by vocalist Yrjänä. His texts are often poeticPoetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
ic and intertextual
Intertextuality
Intertextuality is the shaping of texts' meanings by other texts. It can include an author’s borrowing and transformation of a prior text or to a reader’s referencing of one text in reading another. The term “intertextuality” has, itself, been borrowed and transformed many times since it was coined...
, and contain themes of mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. Many CMX fans are attracted to the band particularly for Yrjänä's texts, although there are also people who can't stand the band because of them.
Lineup
During the early years of the band, the lineup changed several times. Since 1991, the only change has occurred in 1997, when drummer Pekka Kanniainen was replaced by Tuomas Peippo. A. W. Yrjänä is the only remaining original member.Current lineup
- A. W. YrjänäA. W. YrjänäAki Ville Yrjänä , better known by the stage name, A. W. Yrjänä , is a poet and the singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the Finnish rock band CMX. In addition to his musical work he has published four collections of poems.- Music :Yrjänä has studied theology and comparative religion,...
-- vocals, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Janne HalmkronaJanne HalmkronaJanne Halmkrona is a Finnish musician. He is best known for playing in CMX, a band he joined in 1990, replacing Kimmo Suomalainen. He has also released two albums with Sapattivuosi, a Black Sabbath tribute band. Halmkrona also works as a production manager for Sony BMG Finland.Halmkrona holds a...
-- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1990-) - Timo Rasio—guitar (1991-)
- Tuomas Peippo -- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1997-)
Past members
- Kimmo Suomalainen—guitar (1985–1990)
- Pekka Kanniainen—drums (1985–1997)
- Pasi Isometsä—guitar (1990)
External links
- Official site
- http://www.myspace.com/cloacamaxima