Kiuas

Kiuas
Kiuas performing at Myötätuulirock 2011
Background information
Origin	Espoo, Finland
Genres	Power metal Thrash metal Folk metal Progressive metal
Years active	2000–2013
Labels	Spinefarm
Associated acts	Iconofear
Website	www.kiuas.net
Members	Mikko Salovaara Rainer "Raikku" Tuomikanto Jari Pailamo Teemu Tuominen
Past members	Asim Searah Ilja Jalkanen Markku Näreneva Atte Tanskanen

Kiuas were a heavy metal band from Espoo, Finland. Their music included influences from power metal, folk metal and different styles of extreme metal. Influences from progressive metal can also be heard in some songs.

Before the formation of Kiuas, three musicians (Markku Näreneva, Teemu Tuominen and Ilja Jalkanen) played in a band known as Iconofear, which plays a genre of music known as dark heavy metal. Iconofear had formed after the break-up of a blackened death metal band known as Agonia. They released a single EP before those three musicians left the band to concentrate on Kiuas. Kiuas was formed in 2000 when the four original members (Mikko Salovaara, Markku Näreneva, Teemu Tuominen and Atte Tanskanen) found a lead singer, Ilja Jalkanen.

In 2002, funded only by themselves, they released their first demo known as The Discipline of Steel, that featured four songs, and was rooted deep in the mysticism and importance of steel, and its effect on Finnish culture.

In 2003, they successfully released Born Under the Northern Lights, and soon had many offers for record deals. With fans on their side, and a deal from Rage of Achilles, they signed the contract.

In 2004, Kiuas's first label-aided release was completed. Winter in June (MCD EP) was released in Finland and was well received in the metal and hard rock community. Their ability to combine extreme subgenres of metal with hard rock and classical guitar have led them to become a recognizable force.

Later that year, Rage of Achilles reported that they were going out of business due to the fact they could not support themselves due to belonging to so many record deals in such short amount of time. For this reason, Kiuas, and their co-workers, and associated acts; Amoral, Elenium, Omnium Gatherum, Manitou were cast out without a label, and some without any official release. A few months later, an offer came from the major-label Spinefarm Records.