Noita

In May 2015, the energetic workaholics that make up KORPIKLAANI return with their ninth studio album »Noita«, which promises to get you dancing on feet, banging your fists and most importantly, having a good time. It will also be the first album to feature new accordion player Sami Perttula, who has had a remarkable influence on the traditional folk arrangements, along with Fiddler Tuomas Rounakari, making a perfect balance between Folk and Metal as frontman Jonne always envisioned. »Noita« was recorded at Petrax Studio with Aksu Hanttu handling production, recording and mixing once again. The album artwork done by Jan Yrlund.

The literal translation of the new release’s title may be misleading with regards to the album themes but Jarkko Aaltonen is on hand to give a correct summary of the storyline: “»Noita« in the traditional Finnish meaning is different than what people associate it with nowadays. “Noita” is a person with wider knowledge and understanding of nature and who also was believed to possess paranormal or unnatural abilities. These people were often also referred to as “Tietäjä”, which translates as someone with wider knowledge and understanding of pretty much everything. The Native American medicine man and all the different types of Shamans of the primitive people are other examples. “Noita” is someone that you turn to when you need help of some kind. Finnish “Noita” had the ability to heal, just like their North American counterparts. They were very respected members of the society. Only later Christianity changed the word to mean something negative since those people were considered rivals by the church. Even in Finland this turned into a Witchhunt (=noitavainot) every now and then. Anyway, most people using Google Translate or similar will find the word “Witch” and will probably get the wrong idea of the meaning, since most will probably connect it with the black sabbaths, devil marks and such, when a way more correct translation would probably be medicine man or Shaman.”

New accordionist Sami Perttula comments on his first album with the band: “Previously the KORPIKLAANI albums were played with a piano-accordion and now I play with a traditional button-accordion which was more widely used in Finland anyways. In the arrangements you can hear more tonal harmonies and folky accompaniments combined to the power-chords than before. It actually boosts up the uplifting feel of our music.”

Violinist Tuomas Rounakari adds: “This album has more violin solos than ever before. Violin is more in the role of a lead-guitar now just as Jonne had originally intended it to be.”

And vocalist Jonne Järvelä concludes: “We have finally managed to create the balance between folk and metal in the way I’ve always dreamt it to be. Thanks to Sami’s arrangements and Tuomas’s crazy shredding of the violin.”

Ever since the release of their debut album “Spirit Of The Forest” in 2003, Finnish traditional folk metal pioneers KORPIKLAANI have continuously made their way to the top of the scene. Whether you take their early works such as “Voice Of Wilderness” (2005), “Tales Along This Road” (2006) and “Tervaskanto” (2007) or listen to the records of their Nuclear Blast era – namely “Korven Kuningas” (2008), “Karkelo” (2009), “Ukon Wacka” (2011) and “Manala” (2012) – you’ll always conclude: KORPIKLAANI have established their very own style. It is this unique mixture of time-honoured folk tunes mixed with classic metal and rock and roll attitude that makes it impossible for every connoisseur of high-class handmade music to elude their almost magnetic attraction. There are not many metal bands that have the ability to get people dancing at a metal show or festival, yet Korpiklaani manage this on their journeys around the world. “»Noita« is a continuation of this positive, fun, energetic tradition that is Korpiklaani.