Welcome my HeadBangers from Jyväskylä, Finland, the epic, dark, folk band:

FROSTTIDE

“Revenant”

Perkele listen to those growl vocals!!

“From Dusk To Ascend”

Let’s look at some bio on these guys (taken from their site):

FROSTTIDE are a three-piece melodic/folk metal band from Finland formed back in 2009. The band released their first EP  “Dawn of Frost” in 2010 and won the “Year’s underground act 2011” award at the Finnish Metal Awards. The band played shows as a support act with KORPIKLAANI as well as performing at “Nummirock 2012 Metal Festival” together with the likes of SABATON, FEAR FACTORY among other bands. The band released their second EP “Our Journey” – again single-handedly in 2012.

The first full-length album called “Awakening” saw the light of day on August 30, 2013 via NoiseArt Records. At the same time, the band joined the booking agency Rock the Nation. Soon after the release of Awakening, FROSTTIDE embarked to play in the mighty HEIDENFEST 2013 tour together with ENSIFERUM, TURISAS, EQUILIBRIUM & SUIDAKRA. In the beginning of 2014, the band was back on the road supporting ENSIFERUM on their Unsung Heroes Tour France. After a successful tour in France, FROSTTIDE played few shows in their home country Finland along with KORPIKLAANI & FINNTROLL.

FROSTTIDE’s 2nd album “Blood Oath” saw the daylight on February 27, 2015 via NoiseArt Records!

Straight after Blood Oath’s release FROSTTIDE joined the ONE MAN ARMY TOUR FINLAND with ENSIFERUM and later on the spring the band embarked on the PAGANFEST TOUR 2015 with WINTERSUN, TURISAS, HEIDEVOLK & OBSCURITY. After a successful tour in Europe, the band focused on playing live shows in Finland in cooperation with the booking agency Northern Solitude Entertainment for the rest of 2015 with exception of their first show as headliner abroad at the Bridge Blast Metal Festival in Herisau, Switzerland on September 26, 2015. Later that year FROSTTIDE played as a support act for CRADLE OF FILTH and NE OBLIVISCARIS at their show in Nosturi, Helsinki on November 21st.

In 2016, the band continued supporting their second album “Blood Oath” with live shows in Finland. Being no longer part of Rock the Nation and NoiseArt Records, FROSTTIDE became part of NEM agency’s roster for the booking of shows in Finland. The continuous touring within Finland led the band to play for the first time at the legendary TUSKA festival together with CHILDREN OF BODOM, TESTAMENT, BEHEMOTH & GHOST among other bands. In the fall of 2016, due to personal differences, the band parted ways with singer/guitarist Joni Snoro and bass player Lauri Myllylä.

FROSTTIDE is currently working on their new album as a three-piece with guitarist and main composer Juho Patinen on lead vocals. The band is supported by two session musicians on the live shows.

Frosttide is made up of these three members:

 

“Tranquility”

My Thoughts:

Well my HeadBangers, listen to this last song, it is a true masterpiece.  I already have bought the music just to listen to it all day.  Hear that music, no words are needed as you close your eyes and let yourself slip into another realm, the centuries fly past and you find yourself in another world.  One of myths and folklore.  Here are some I found interesting,

“Tuonela Land of the Dead”

Tuonela was the land of dead. It was an underground home or city for all the dead people, not only the good or the bad ones. It was a dark and lifeless place, where everybody slept forever. Still a brave shaman could travel to Tuonela in trance to ask for the forefathers’ guidance. To travel to Tuonela, the soul had to cross the dark river of Tuonela. If the shaman had a proper reason, then a boat would come to take them over. Many times a shaman’s soul had to trick the guards of Tuonela into believing that they were actually dead.

And another, it’s so interesting.  Can you feel it in the music?  I can it crawls all over me and dances across the runes on my neck and arm:

Ukko, the God of Sky and Thunder:

Ukko (“old man”) was a god of the sky, weather, and the crops. The Finnish word for thunder, “ukkonen” (little Ukko) or “ukonilma” (Ukko’s weather), is derived from his name. In the Kalevala he is also called “ylijumala” (overgod, Supreme God), as he is the god of things of the sky. He makes all his appearances in myths solely by natural effects when invoked.

Ukko’s origins are probably in Baltic Perkons and the older Finnish sky god Ilmarinen. While Ukko took Ilmarinen’s position as the Sky God, Ilmarinen’s destiny was to turn into a smith-hero, or the god of the rock. In the epic poetry of the Kalevala, Ilmarinen is credited with forging the stars on the dome of the sky and the magic mill of plenty, the Sampo.

Ukko’s weapon was a hammer, axe  or sword, by which he struck Lightning. While Ukko and his wife Akka (“old woman”) mated, there was a thunderstorm. He created thunderstorms also by driving with his chariot in clouds. The original weapon of Ukko was probably the boat-shaped stone-axe of battle axe culture. Ukko’s hammer, the Vasara (means merely “hammer”), probably meant originally the same thing as the boat-shaped stone axe. While stone tools were abandoned in the metal ages, the origins of stone-weapons became a mystery. They were believed to be weapons of Ukko, stone-heads of striking lightnings. Shamans collected and held stone-axes because they were believed to hold many powers to heal and to damage.

The viper with the saw-figure on its skin has been seen as a symbol of thunder.

My HeadBangers this music speaks to me on so many levels, I am left at a loss for words as to all the emotion I feel listening to their songs.  If I can say anything to Frosttide, it is thank you guys for introducing me to melodic folk metal, it has taken me eons away from this planet and all it’s troubles and brought me to a place of peace and wonder and a calm that I have been searching for these past 6 months.  You have showed me where I belong and I will begin my journey back there as soon as the birds in the sky take flight, to return to my home and the spirit that calls to me,  never to roam again…..

That’s it for this week my HeadBangers.  Join me next week for another band and another song.  In the meantime don’t stand to close to the fire if you can’t handle the burn…..