Finntroll

Finntroll
Finntroll at Rockharz Open Air 2016 in Germany
Background information
Origin	Helsinki, Finland
Genres	Folk metal Black metal
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Spinefarm, Century Media
Associated acts	Korpiklaani, Shape of Despair, Moonsorrow, Barathrum, Turisas
Website	www.finntroll-music.com
Members	Samuli Ponsimaa Henri Sorvali Sami Uusitalo Mikael Karlbom Aleksi Virta Mathias Lillmåns Heikki Saari
Past members	Teemu Raimoranta Jan Jämsen Mikael Harju Tomi Ullgren Rauno Raimoranta Tapio Wilska Samu Ruotsalainen

Finntroll is a folk metal band from Helsinki, Finland. They combine elements of black metal and folk metal. Finntroll's lyrics are mostly in Swedish, the only exception being the song "Madon Laulu" on Visor Om Slutet. Finntroll's original singer, Katla, decided to use Swedish over Finnish since he was part of a Swedish-speaking minority in Finland and the sound of the language seemed to better suit the band's "trollish" outfit. Despite several vocalist changes, this tradition has continued.

According to bandmembers Vreth and Skrymer, they took their name from an old Finnish legend where Swedish priests coming to Finland had an encounter with a wild-looking man who killed most of their party. The survivors came back bearing the tale of the Finn-Troll.

Finntroll's lyrics mainly deal with legends and tales revolving around the fictional Troll-King "Rivfader" and the trolls fighting against the Christians who entered their lands and spread their beliefs. A recurring theme is the story of two priests named "Aamund" and "Kettil". The first three full-length albums feature a rather short but fierce song about the two men who constantly get themselves into trouble with the trolls, only to get beaten up and mutilated over and over again by the wrathful followers of Rivfader.

To date, the band's discography includes six full-length albums, a live album and two EPs. Their newest studio album Blodsvept was released on March 22, 2013. In 2014, the band released the live album Natten Med De Levande Finntroll ("Night of the Living Finntroll").

Finntroll was founded in 1997 with a line-up which included guitarist Teemu "Somnium" Raimoranta and vocalist/lyricist Jan "Katla" Jämsen. A year later they were joined by guitarist Samuli "Skrymer" Ponsimaa, drummer Samu "Beast Dominator" Ruotsalainen, keyboardist Henri "Trollhorn" Sorvali and bassist Sami "Tundra" Uusitalo, creating the first stable line-up of the band. The band's first demo, Rivfader, released the same year.