Laakso’s Photography Exhibition “Gods, Heroes and Fragile Stars” Is Up and Running in Kuopio, Finland

Posted in News on August 20, 2014 by kuolemanlaakso

Kuolemanlaakso’s founder, guitarist/keyboardist Laakso has been shooting rock stars for a decade for music magazines as well as for personal pleasure. “Gods, Heroes and Fragile Stars” is his first solo exhibition. It features live shots from clubs and festivals as well as portraits from backstages, bars, hotels and tour busses. Some of the pictures have been previously published in magazines, but many of them have never before seen the light of day.

The facade of Laakso's "Gods, Heroes and Fragile Stars" photo exhibition. Kauppakeskus Apaja, Kuopio, Finland.

The facade of Laakso’s “Gods, Heroes and Fragile Stars” photo exhibition. Kauppakeskus Apaja, Kuopio, Finland.

“Music is channeling different emotions to the listener through artistic expression. This is what I aim to achive with my pictures, too. I try to reflect the artist’s music through my photographs, as well as capture something real about his or her persona: strenght, sauciness, vulnerability. Same as in music, capturing the emotion is the key element“, states Laakso.

“Gods, Heroes and Fragile Stars” features shots of KISS, Dimmu Borgir, Jeff Hanneman, Ronnie James Dio, Phil Anselmo, Triptykon, Metallica and beyond. The exhibition is held at Kauppakeskus Apaja, Kuopio, from August 19 to September 30, 2014. The pictures are available for purchase, framed and signed by Laakso.

Join the Facebook event. For additional details and inquiries, email Laakso at markus.laakso(at)gmail.com.

Advertisements

Kuolemanlaakso to Spread Doom Over Jalometalli

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , on May 31, 2014 by kuolemanlaakso

Kuolemanlaakso has been confirmed to perform at Jalometalli Metal Music Festival in Oulu on August 8, 2014. The impressive lineup includes acts such as Triptykon (featuring Kuolemanlaakso’s producer V. Santura), King Diamond, Testament, Samael, Sacred Reich, Loudness, Kvelertak, Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Insomnium and Kotamäki’s former band Alghazanth.

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to spread doom over Jalometalli, one of our favorite festivals. This year’s lineup is probably the best ever, and we’ve always wanted to play in Oulu, one of Finland’s most metal cities. This will be an event to remember“, states guitarist-keyboardist Laakso.

As previously announced, Kuolemanlaakso will also hit the stage at Nummirock on June 19, 2014, alongside with W.A.S.P., Behemoth, Iced Earth, Black Dahlia Murder, Stone, Turisas and so forth.

Purchase tickets to Nummirock and Jalometalli.

Finnish Doomsters Kuolemanlaakso Break Into Finland’s Top Ten

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , , , , on March 12, 2014 by kuolemanlaakso

Tulijoutsen_cover

Kuopio-based Kuolemanlaakso, featuring Mikko Kotamäki of Swallow the Sun on vocals, debuted at #10 on Finland’s Official Album Chart with Tulijoutsen, the stunning follow up to their critically-acclaimed 2012 debut, Uljas uusi maailma, and their 2013 EP, Musta aurinko nousee.

“Everybody knows that Finland is a metal country, but it’s still uncommon for a death doom band with seven minute epics to reach the top ten. This proves that not all hope is lost, and people still have good taste in music,” states guitarist-keyboardist Laakso.

With Tulijoutsen (“The Fire Swan”), Kuolemanlaakso continues to create its trademark walls of heavy, down tuned guitars and extreme string-bending, while setting out to explore new, more melodic dimensions. As with previous efforts, all the elements were forged into their final form by renowned producer-guitarist V. Santura (Triptykon, Dark Fortress, Noneuclid, Woodshed Studios), who also guests on the album.

Beginning this Friday, March 14th, Kuolemanlaakso will head on the road with following dates:

March 14th – On the Rocks, Helsinki, w/ Metsatöll (EST) & Soul Thrower (EST)
March 19th –  Henry’s Pub, Kuopio
March 21st – Musta Kynnys, Jyväskylä

Official Website: www.kuolemanlaakso.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kuolemanlaakso
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kuolemanlaakso

Kuolemanlaakso’s Tulijoutsen to be released February 28, 2014

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , , , , on January 10, 2014 by kuolemanlaakso

Read the official press release below, and check out “Tuonen tähtivyö” stream from the forthcoming epic.

PRE-ORDER “TULIJOUTSEN” FROM >>LEVYKAUPPA ÄX <<

The highly acclaimed Finnish death doomsters return with their most ambitious work to date. Produced once again by the Triptykon and Dark Fortress guitarist V. Santura, Kuolemanlaakso’s sophomore album “Tulijoutsen” (“The Fire Swan”) explores unconquered grounds of heaviness, and pushes the band into a new level of melancholy. The 50-minute magnum opus was inspired by the grandeur of the Finnish forests, serene eeriness of the lakes and early 1900s poetry and folklore. Thus it was only natural for the band to live the lyrics, so to speak, and isolate themselves in a secluded location in the middle of the woods, and capture the true essence of the songs on hard disk.

Musically the band has taken giant leaps in new territories, but not forgetting the crushing heaviness and the love for the avant-garde, which define the Kuolemanlaakso sound. “Tulijoutsen” is as versatile and epic as it gets, and it’s got more hooks than a slaughterhouse. The “Musta aurinko nousee” mCD/mLP, released in November 2013 by Svart Records, gave a little taste of things to come, but that was just a preview. Compared to previous material, “Tulijoutsen” offers a fresh variety of vocal acrobatics, bigger choruses, catchier melodies, fuller arrangements, more courageous surprises in the arch of drama – you name it.

The debut “Uljas uusi maailma” (2012) was almost entirely written by guitarist-keyboardist Laakso (Chaosweaver), whereas “Tulijoutsen” is much more of a band effort with other members providing an array of material, too. The Maldivian prodigy Maahy Abdul Muhsin provided the front cover paintings for both albums.

Kuolemanlaakso was founded in 2010 in Kuopio, Finland. “Uljas uusi maailma” peaked at #6 on the Rumba Independent Record Store Chart and #42 on the Official Finnish Album Chart. In support of the debut, the band toured in Finland, hitting some of the biggest and most respected clubs in its native country, as well as performing to an electric crowd at the 2013 Tuska Open Air Festival.

“Tulijoutsen” will be released as a limited digipak CD with an exclusive bonus track “Raadot raunioilla”, digital download and two different limited vinyl editions: red (150 copies) and black (350 copies).

From left to right: Laakso (guitar & keys), Usva (bass), Kotamäki (vox), Kouta (guitar), Tiera (drums).

From left to right: Laakso (guitar & keys), Usva (bass), Kotamäki (vox), Kouta (guitar), Tiera (drums).

“Musta aurinko nousee” EP Streaming on Soundi

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , , , on November 27, 2013 by kuolemanlaakso

Soundi will be streaming Kuolemanlaakso’s critically-acclaimed “Musta aurinko nousee” EP ahead of its November 29th release.  Contained in this release is a cover of Juice Leskinen’s “Musta aurinko nousee”.

It’s head-down, bloody-knuckled heaviness, the riffs barrelling headlong like tanks off a cliff…
-Dave Bowes, The Sleeping Shaman

For the stream, please visit this link.

Track listing:

1. Me vaellamme yössä (edit) (4:50)
2. Tulenväki (5:10)
3. Kalmoskooppi (5:31)
4. Musta aurinko nousee (6:55)

The EP is available for preorder via our partners:

Record Shop X:
– Yellow vinyl (100 copies worldwide, SUPPLIES RUNNING LOW!)
– Digipak CD+T-shirt value package
– Digipak CD

Svart Records:
–Red vinyl, Black vinyl (100 copies each worldwide)
–Digipak CD (free shipping worldwide!)

Kuuntele Kuolemanlaakson “Musta aurinko nousee” EP ennakkoon Soundin verkkosivuilta. Pikkulevy julkaistaan tänä perjantaina, 29.11.2013.

Musta aurinko nousee

Musta aurinko nousee

Kuolemanlaakso “Musta aurinko nousee” EP Available For Preorder

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , , on November 20, 2013 by kuolemanlaakso

Kuolemanlaakso‘s Musta aurinko nousee EP, to be released on November 29th via Svart Records, is  available for preorder.  The EP includes three new Kuolemanlaakso songs, and a captivating cover version of Juice Leskinen’s classic by the same name.

The limited edition EP will be released in the following formats:

  • 1000 x Digipak CD
  • 100 x Yellow vinyl (Record Shop X exclusive)
  • 100 x Red vinyl
  • 100 x Black vinyl
  • CD + T-shirt bundles
Musta aurinko nousee

Musta aurinko nousee

The EP is available for preorder from the following places:

Musta aurinko nousee T-shirt

Musta aurinko nousee T-shirt

 

Listen to a preview here:

Kuolemanlaakso Announce New “Musta aurinko nousee” EP

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , , , on October 15, 2013 by kuolemanlaakso

1388722_10151584819511362_676184299_n

In 2012, the Finnish Doom-Death scene saw newcomer Kuolemanlaakso ascend directly to the ranks of its elite with the critically acclaimed debut Uljas uusi maailma (#42 on the Official Finnish Album Chart and #6 on the Rumba Chart). In support of Uljas uusi maailma, Kuolemanlaakso toured its native country, hitting some of Finland’s biggest and most respected clubs, then adding a performance at the 2013 Tuska Open Air Festival.

Feeding off of this momentum, Kuolemanlaakso planned new material on the road and entered a secret, secluded location in the forests of Finland, once again with acclaimed producer-engineer-guitarist V. Santura (Woodshed Studios, Dark Fortress, Celtic Frost, Triptykon). In the course of writing and recording, it was soon made obvious that Kuolemanlaakso had not only enough material for a full-length album, but for an EP as well.

“Our goal was to create the tightest and most balanced entities for both releases. The EP introduces our current style in a more straightforward and shorter form, whereas the full-length evolved into something more epic,” stated guitarist-keyboardist and main songwriter Laakso.

“The EP tracks are quite different from one other, with each song displaying a different side of the band and what we are capable of.”

The Musta aurinko nousee EP, to be released on November 29th via Svart Records, includes three new Kuolemanlaakso songs, and a captivating cover version of Juice Leskinen’s classic by the same name. The EP will be released as a limited digipak CD and a strictly limited 12” vinyl with three different colors (100 copies/color).

Click on the link to preorder the Musta aurinko nousee EP now:  Preorder Musta aurinko nousee

Listen to a preview of the track here:

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »