Finntroll – Rivfader
Country: Finland
Genre: Folk Metal
Track List:
1. Haterop - 3:18
2. Rivfader - 4:08
3. Vätteanda - 4:35
4. Den Svarta Älgens Blod - 2:35
5. Midnattens Widunder - 4:39
6. Stigen - 1:39
Total Play Time – 20:54
I suggest not using this as the first Finntroll release to listen to. Although it shows great promise of what Finntroll was to become over the next bunch of years, it seems like exactly what it is, the first attempt that landed on the wrong side of perfection. Most of the songs on this demo were reworked and released on later albums. Nothing amazing but none the less a beautiful sign of things to come. Recorded by only Katla, Somnium, and a drum machine and released in 1998.
Download: Finntroll – Rivfader
Finntroll – Midnattens Widunder (The Monster of Midnight)
Country: Finland
Genre: Folk Metal
Track List:
1. Intro – 1:56
2. Svartberg (Black Mountain) – 4:07
3. Rivfader – 4:09
4. Vätteanda (Goblin Spirit) – 4:36
5. Bastuvisan (Sauna Song) – 1:18
6. Blodnatt (Blood Night) – 5:12
7. Midnattens Widunder (The Monsters of Midnight) – 4:40
8. Segersång (Victory Song) – 1:58
9. Svampfest (Mushroom Feast) – 2:04
Total Play Time – 30:00
The next release is the bands first full-length, Midnattens Widunder. This is a good place to start if listening to Finntroll for the first time. Although it isn’t their greatest work, you won’t notice unless you’ve listened to any of their other stuff. The humppa influence is instantly noticeable as the album has numerous ‘polkaish’ themes in the songs. Extremely enjoyable for me, this is by far my favourite genre of metal though. I find every release by Finntroll to be extremely easy to listen to, and extremely fun. Recorded with a full band this time, the same lineup as they have now but with ‘Somnium’ on lead guitar instead of ‘Routa.’ They release this album in 1999.
Download: Finntroll – Midnattens Widunder
Finntroll – Jaktens Tid (Hunting Season)
Country: Finland
Genre: Folk Metal
Track List:
1. Krig (Intro) (War) – 2:09
2. Födosagan (The Tale of Birth) – 5:03
3. Slaget Vid Blodsälv (The Battle of Bloodriver) – 3:17
4. Skogens Hämnd (The Revenge of the Forest) – 4:06
5. Jaktens Tid (The Time of the Hunt) – 3:34
6. Bakom Varje Fura (Behind Every Fir-Tree) – 2:15
7. Kitteldags (Cauldrontime) – 2:05
8. Krigsmjöd (War Mead) – 3:10
9. Vargtimmen (Hour of Wolf) – 3:31
10. Kyrkovisan (Church Song) – 1:22
11. Den Hornkrönte Konungen (The Horn-Crowned King) – 3:45
12. Aldhissla (Aldhissla) – 6:28
13. Tomhet och Tystnad Härska (Emptiness and Silence Reigns) – 4:35
Total Play Time – 45:20
Listening to all these Finntroll albums again, I really wish I knew Swedish. I can only imagine what they are singing about with music like this. Jaktens Tid follows in the same direction that Midnattens Widunder was going, but it is just further along. An instant classic, mixing the dark brooding intensity of black metal with the strangely upbeat and enjoyable humppa styles, Finntroll makes something that is fun without being artistically empty. According to some, although the music on this album sounds so happy and fun, the lyrics are actually full of death, gore, and trolls taking over the world. I think this is a perfect parallel with the band itself, the mixing of two completely different things to make something wonderful. Using the same lineup as used in Midnattens Widunder,they released this in 2001.
Download: Finntroll – Jaktens Tid
Finntroll – Visor Om Slutet (Songs About the End)
Country: Finland
Genre: Folk Metal
Track List:
Suohengen Sija (The Place of the Swamp Spirit) – 2:58
2. Asfågelns Död (The Death of the Carrion Bird) – 3:47
3. Försvinn Du Som Lyser (Begone, You Who Shine) – 2:38
4. Veripuu (Blood Tree) – 1:16
5. Under Varje Rot och Sten (Under Every Root and Stone) – 3:17
6. När Allt Blir Is (When Everything Turns to Ice) – 2:37
7. Den Sista Runans Dans (The Dance of the Last Rune) – 3:44
8. Rov (Prey) – 2:05
9. Madon Laulu (The Worm's Song) – 4:01
10. Svart Djup (Black Depth) – 3:57
11. Avgrunden Öppnas (The Abyss Opens) – 2:20
Total Play Time – 32:41
Next Visor Om Slutet, an unexpected change for Finntroll. Just an EP, Finntroll decides that they want to try something a little different. Atmospheric Troll Folk is about all I can think about calling this album, other than amazing. In this release even though it’s not black metal, they capture everything that I believe black metal is about. It’s not about blood, gore, growls, and hate, as some people seem to think. It’s about remembering, respecting, and embracing the pagan roots of the Nordic countries, somehow capturing the atmosphere and landscapes of the Viking homeworld. This is exactly what Finntroll does with this album, the completely acoustic release captures everything that it’s meant to while still having that ‘Finntrollish’ touch to it. The last release that includes the two founder, both of which this is their last recording, was released in 2003.
Download: Finntroll – Visor Om Slutet
Finntroll – Trollhammaren (The Trollhammer)
Country: Finland
Genre: Folk Metal
Track List:
1. Trollhammaren (The Trollhammer) – 3:28
2. Hemkomst (Homecoming) – 3:46
3. Skog (Forest) – 3:24
4. Försvinn Du Som Lyser (Metal Version) (Begone, You Who Shine) – 2:17
5. Hel Vete (Whole Wheat) – 4:15
Total Play Time – 17:10
Trollhammaren is the second EP from Finntroll. Exactly what you would expect from the northern trolls but nothing that seems exceptional. A place holder in between the two full lengths. The songs have the patented Finntroll style of a band that is almost comedic if they weren’t so good. This is not to say that this release isn’t good, it is, just not above the rest of their releases, and being so short, it doesn’t seem to satisfy that Finntroll urge. Released with the current lineup in 2004.
Download: Finntroll – Trollhammaren
Finntroll – Nattfodd (Nightborn)
Country: Finland
Genre: Folk Metal
Track List:
1. Vindfärd / Människopesten (Wind Journey / The Human Plague) – 5:36
2. Eliytres – 3:46
3. Fiskarens Fiende ( Enemy of Fisherman) – 3:47
4. Trollhammaren (The Troll Hammer) – 3:33
5. Nattfödd (Nightborn) – 4:51
6. Ursvamp (Ancient Mushroom) – 2:03
7. Marknadsvisan (The Market Song) – 2:00
8. Det Iskalla Trollblod (The Ice-cold Troll Blood) – 3:54
9. Grottans Barn (Children of the Cave) – 4:37
10. Rök (Smoke) – 2:23
Total Play Time – 36:30
Now this is the album that really showed me how great they were. Nattfodd. Seriously, I would say that this is my favourite release by them. When I listen to it, I can’t help but think that if Trolls had a nightclub, this would be the music playing in the background. I can see big ass trolls dancing around and singing along to these tunes, just like the good old days. All I can think when listening to this album is, oh my god, why does it have to end? The mixing of the two genres is absolutely amazing. Just when you think that it’s going to be a little bit more metal then the other releases, they attack you with a beautiful folk/humppa interlude. Simply amazing stuff recorded with the current lineup, in 2004.
Download: Finntroll – Nattfodd
Finntroll – Ur Jordens Djup (From the Depths of the Earth)
Country: Finland
Genre: Folk Metal
Track List:
1. Gryning (Dawn) – 3:33
2. Sång (Song) – 4:40
3. Korpens Saga (The Raven's Tale) – 3:26
4. Nedgång (Downfall) – 3:44
5. Ur Djupet (Out of the Depths) – 4:59
6. Slagbröder (War-brothers) – 4:31
7. En Mäktig Här (A Mighty Horde) – 4:19
8. Ormhäxan (The Serpent Witch) – 4:39
9. Maktens Spira (The Scepter of Might) – 3:28
10. Under Två Runor (Under Two Runes) – 5:36
11. Kvällning/Trollvisan (Dusk/The Troll Song) – 13:01
Total Play Time – 55:56
I will finish with the latest release, Ur Jordens Djup. Another classic from the Finnish troll band. Definitely not their best release, but nothing short of entertaining. This album is still enjoyable, I find the trick is to not compare it to older Finntroll releases. Hopefully not the beginning of a slippery slide down to mediocrity is all I can say. Although still miles above the rest of the genre, well of any genre close to this, not up to Finntroll’s standards. Maybe I’m being to harsh, maybe it’s just because I’m to used to their old stuff, I’ll let you be the judge. Released by the current lineup in 2007.
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