Dec 172011
 

Gee whiz, it’s been almost 24 hours since we last talked about a Finnish band here at NCS, and even though Andy Synn listed two of them yesterday as his top 2 picks for favorite albums of 2011, the loris horde at the NCS Compound is starting to get restless, so we’d better do something about that.

Bone5 is a band from Jyväskylä who released their debut album in 2010 — Dead City Tales. Earlier this month, they released their second album, From the Ashes. What caught my eye was the news announced in late November that Pasi Pasanen had joined the band as its new drummer. Pasi Passanen was the drummer for Swallow the Sun for almost the first decade of that fine band’s existence (2000 – 2009). In addition, along with Bone5’s vocalist Tony Kaikkonen (Code of Silence) and a couple of dudes from Ghost Brigade (among others), he’s also a member of a fairly new band called Sons of Aeon, who we featured with high praise in this post last spring.

When I saw the news about Pasanen joining Bone5, the band had just released a music video for a track off From the Ashes called “Rain”. I liked the song a lot, but deferred writing about it until I could try to learn a bit more about the band. With the help of fireangel, who’s a Finland-based creator of the Night Elves site and whose year-end list of songs we published recently (here), I was able to get in touch with Pasi Pasanen, and he was nice enough to answer a few of my questions.

After the jump, check out the cool video for “Rain”, and you can also read our mini-interview with Pasi Pasanen.

First, the music and the video for “Rain”. The song is an example of that Finnish breed of metal that effectively combines heavy riffing with hook-laden melody and harsh vocals with cleans. It’s just a lot of fun to listen to, and the kind of song that I’m prone to replay as soon as it’s finished. The video is also well-done, professionally filmed and edited, with an interesting use of colors. You’ll see what I mean.

I haven’t yet got my hands on the album, but I do intend to. To learn more about Bone5 and follow their news, you can find their official site HERE. Now, here’s that mini-interview:

MINI-INTERVIEW OF PASI PASANEN

When did you join Bone5?

I joined the band sometime around july 2011.

Why did you decide to become a member of this band?

Well, basically because I liked the new songs. I’ve also been working as their drum tech a few times and knew the guys already, especially Tony, with whom we also have a band called Sons Of Aeon. At first I was supposed to replace their drummer for some gigs, but suddenly I got a call saying “you’re in the band!”.

Were you involved in recording the songs on the new album?

Actually I joined the band when they were already mixing the album. So I learned the songs and went on stage a couple of weeks later with a very tight schedule. They recorded the album in spring 2011, I think, with Teemu Liekkala on the drums. Teemu also produced the album.

It appears that the new album was released on December 7.  Was it released by the band or by a record label?

The album is financed by the band, but released through Cosmos Group.

How would fans in North America get the new music, either as a physical CD or as a download?

You can order the album for example from here:
http://www.recordshopx.com/artist/bone5/from_the_ashes/
At this point I don’t know about any possible licensing or if any label is going to release it in the US. Hope so!

Does Bone5 have plans to put more songs on the internet for streaming, in addition to the “Rain” video?

We do have plans for another video too, and also some live footage was shot at the release party. It’s gonna take a while though. As for the other promo video, we’ll have to wait ’til the long winter is over to shoot it.

Is the rest of the music on the album similar in style to “Rain”? If not, how would you say it is different?

There are some similar type of songs, but also some faster and heavier stuff too. It’s quite a diverse package.

I want to include a link to the Bone5 facebook page in my post.  Is this the official page?
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bone5/225602740830319

Yes, that’s the one.

I know you are very busy with plans for releasing and promoting the new album, so that’s really all I wanted to ask at the moment. Thanks for your time.

No problem dude!

  35 Responses to “BONE5”

  1. First HYPNO5E, now BONE5…it’s like the metal world just discovered l33t. What’s next, D1553CT10N?

  2. Yet another Finnish band treading the melodic landscape. People seem to think it’s “cool” and “hip” that metal is mainstream in Finland and accepted in the musical culture.

    I think it has caused a HUGE detriment as everyone and their mother thinks it’s cool to be in a metal band. So you naturally end up with eons of nonsense that shouldn’t exist. Now we get band after band using the word AEON in their name.

    Besides, Sweden has always pissed all over Finland and Norway when it comes to metal. I’d rather hear tons of bands mimic early Entombed than anything else from Scandanavia

    • Spoken like a true Kvrmvdgeon. But I agree, to some extent…I say “to some extent” because let’s face it, most of the bands I like are Finnish…but mainstream metal can never be a good thing. Either you get a market glut of shitty derivative bands (lest we forget the “nu-metal” explosion) or the music becomes ‘tamed’ to appeal to a broader audience. I’m sure Finnish grandmas are cool and everything but not everyone wants to hear “Necrotic Coprophagy” on the radio. And that is as it should be. Once it comes out of the darkness and into the sunlight, it begins to lose its power.

    • To be somewhat more serious than my last reply: This condemnation sweeps way too broadly. As in every genre of metal, “melodic metal” includes music that’s good, mediocre, and bad. Unless a listener simply wants nothing to do with metal if it isn’t ugly and vicious, it comes down to separating the wheat from the chaff. At least for me, the fact that a song includes the kind of melody that makes it more “accessible” to people who don’t dwell in the underground 100% of the time doesn’t automatically make it bad or detrimental to metal as a movement/artform.

      • “Unless a listener simply wants nothing to do with metal if it isn’t ugly and vicious” = Kevin P

        • LOL, you peeps are killing me. I listen to a broad range of stuff. I’m just (probably) much older than most of you and don’t get wet in the loins over every band that comes out these days. I still seek out and enjoy plenty of new(er) stuff, but I was picky in 1990 and still am today.

          Being picky (just my nature) heightens the impact for the stuff I enjoy. If I listened to 706 melo death bands from Finland, who unique, imapctful or interesting would that be for me?

          Then again, I’m not the type who can listen to a band or album over and over and over for days/weeks on end. That bores me to years.

          (and if you don’t believe me, I’ve recommended plenty of stuff to Islander in the short time I’ve been around here. I’m USUALLY a “love it” or “hate it” type of guy)

          • For my part I’m just yanking your chain. I make it a personal rule not to condemn ANYONE for the music they listen to. I’ll make fun of the music, sure, and I might even give someone a hard time about it (jokingly) in the same way I get a hard time for my love of folk metal (ahem). While you and I might not agree, it’s my impression that you’ve been clear about your feelings without being disrespectful or insulting to anyone on this site, which makes you okay in my book for what that’s worth.

            And I bet I can give you a run for the money in the age department.

            • I didn’t take offense to it, no worries. Just figured I’d give a little insight to the method behind my madness. I’m brutally honest with my opinions to a fault and that comes across weird to some people sometimes.

              And it’s music, there is no right or wrong in this, all just a matter of opinion.

              Granted my opinion is better. But that’s besides the point. LOL (I couldn’t resist)

      • Melody is cool and I appreciate it, but to a point. I’m not a fan of stuff like Dying Fetus or Origin as it bores the piss out of me. So I’m not sitting in a cave full of grindcore albums. 🙂

        But metal to me needs to have bite, an egde, heavy, want to make you pumped up, excited. Melodic things can be this way, it doesn’t have to sound like some fruity power metal band.

        • Whoa trigger..While I agree that too many bands trying the same thing creates oversaturation and ultimately boredom (I.e. the melodic death metal genre is getting pretty crowded). Im nearly as curmudgeonly as you are, and there is no way that Sweden pisses all over Finland as far as metal..especially death metal. While they didnt get as much exposure in the 90’s, I’ll put “World Without God” and “Slumber of Sullen Eyes” up against “Left Hand Path” and “Like an Everflowing Stream” anytime

          • Also could someone tell em when Finland started = melodeath. Outside of Insomnium and Omnium Gathering I cant think of too many major Finnish melodeath bands

            • When I think of MDM, I think of Sweden before I think of Finland, for sure. But depending on how expansive your definition of MDM is, don’t forget about earlier Amorphis, Norther, Wintersun, Swallow the Sun, Kalmah, Children of Bodom, Mors Principium Est, and one of my strong current favorites, Before the Dawn. I’m sure I’m forgetting others at the moment.

              • Oh Im sure there’s a bunch, but like youve said…. When I think melodeath I think Sweden first. Somewhere along the line Finland started getting lumped in there as well.
                I guess its just a matter of what type of music you listen to the most, but when I think Finland I think death/doom

          • Really? That sounds like crazy talk to me as you are talking 2 of the greatest albums of all time in my book. That Convulse album was cool, but it doesn’t scream “timeless classic” for me. Demigod were overrated to me. It was cool, but not “uber awesome”. Karelian Isthmus was the best and most timeless early Finnish death metal album, but it still doesn’t hold a candle to LHP or LAEFS.

            The only real bands from Finland I care about these days are: Hooded Menace and Black Sun Aeon/Before the Dawn/Routaselui (anything Tuomas puts out basically)

            Sweden has/had:

            Entombed (early)
            Dismember (all)
            Edge of Sanity (all)
            At the Gates (all)
            Afflicted – Prodigal Sun (f/u was weird and trippy)
            General Surgery – Necrology
            Necrophobic – first few albums

            Even the retro bands of today that are just aping the sound of 1990 are cool (Bastard Priest, Entrails, etc.)

            that’s just off the top of my head. Sure Finland had Convulse, Demigod and Amorphis. But it just doesn’t stack up. Those bands put out 1 good album each before getting all weird/emo on us. LOL

            • Youre arguing personal preference and man I completely disagree. That Demigod was considered one of the best death metal releases ever. Convulse’s first album is one of the most copied styles in all of death metal.

              While I agree that the bands generally had one good release before breaking up, that had more to do with Finland getting far less exposure than because the bands didnt measure up.

              Finland has/had

              Amorphis (early)
              Convulse (early)
              Demigod (all, but only the first is a classic)
              Demilich
              Adramelech
              Purtenance
              Disgrace (early)
              Funebre
              Depravity
              Rippikoulu

              Just off the top of my head, and all of these are considered just as classic as the better know Swedish bands. The current crop of bands they’ve inluenced are pretty good too (Krypts, Stench of Decay, Corpsessed..just to name a few)

              If Finnish death metal dosnt impress you, thats fine, I know plenty of people who feel that way about Swedish metal as well (personally I like them both, and cant really choose) This is still a style thats plenty deep and has influenced almost as many bands

  3. After listening to the song I have to say I was a little disappointed. I think the name combined with the skull-paint was making me expect something more thrashy, maybe crusty, possibly grindy….and then it was all doodly doo, la la laaa.

  4. Do we have our first resident NoCleanSinging troll here?

    Boo, if it’s melodic it’s not metal. Bah humbug, if it gets any mainstream attention it’s sold-out.

    Etc, etc, ad infinitum.

    • Don’t misconstrue strong opinions that differ from your’s as “trolling”. I simply don’t go GAGA over every Tom, Dick and Harry new jack band on the block. 🙂

      • Interesting, as I didn’t suggest that you did that at all. No need for the hyperbole.

        I have however found your recent glut of comments to be almost entirely of the “this is crap, I know better” type.

        They come across as you saying “guys, you have disappointed me and you need to do more to post things that fit my narrow conception of what this site should cover”.

        • Not at all, I appreciate the glut of new stuff that is posted as I’m always on the lookout for new stuff that wets my willie. I’m just honest as all hell as to what I like or don’t.

          I can see how it comes across as maybe being elitist or snobby, I’m used to hearing that. I don’t mean it that way, but such is life.

          I’m just a loveable opinionated asswipe 🙂

  5. Really like seeing that music can still elicit interesting debate. (that was my try to sound smart comment)
    But really- I like that there are bands changing things up a bit. I count on NCS to throw out new music. (thats my “kiss-ass” comment)
    That much thinking wore me out. Now I need a shot of Gorgoroth.

  6. It`s not doing much for me…I don`t mind clean singing (I still love Dream Evil, etc.), but this just reminds me too much of grunge. I, too, was expecting something more grindy.

    I do see KevinP`s point about mainstream acceptance having possible (I really want to emphasize possible) problems in that it could create a glut of bands who are just trying to cash in on a trend`s success. I don`t think lots of people liking a band is bad, though. Or a genre. The popularity of something is not related to the quality of that…something. But I can appreciate that increased popularity could lower the standards.

    • Very true, a popularity of a band or the type of people who are fans should have no bearing on the quality of their music. Hence why Slayer get alot of shit (unwarranted) because they have a mainstream acceptence in the metal community.

      My point is, that when ANYTHING gets popular, you get too much of it, and that waters down the overall product by a combination of: too much useless crap that’s not genuine & just the glut of stuff lessens the impact of the quality stuff.

      It’s what happened to AT THE GATES in my eyes. I loved them on every album, remember driving to the record store 45 minutes each way just to get The Red in the Sky is Ours on import.

      After Slaughter came out, everyone mimiced that album til you wanted to shoot yourself. I still love that record, but just the fact that I’ve heard so many things similar to it over the years, my ears have “tired” of the sound a it. So it make a record that was special to me and knocked it down a few pegs. Not something I want to feel, I just do.

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