page_title: Culture of Finland
section_title: Rock and heavy metal music
hierarchical_section_title: Culture of Finland / Music / Rock and heavy metal music
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Perttu Kivilaakso of Apocalyptica bei einem Konzert bei dem Festival Mera Luna in Hildesheim 2003.
context_page_description: The culture of Finland combines indigenous heritage, as represented for example by the country's national languages Finnish and Swedish, the sauna, with common Nordic and European cultural aspects. Because of its history and geographic location, Finland has been influenced by the adjacent areas, various Finnic and Baltic peoples as well as the former dominant powers of Sweden and Russia. Finnish culture is built upon the relatively ascetic environmental realities, traditional livelihoods, and heritage of egalitarianism and the traditionally widespread ideal of self-sufficiency.
  There are cultural differences among various regions of Finland, especially minor differences in dialect. Minorities, some of which have a status recognised by the state, such as the Sami, Swedish-speaking Finns, Romani, Jews, and Tatar, maintain their cultural identities within Finland. Many Finns are emotionally connected to the countryside and nature, as large-scale urbanisation is a relatively recent phenomenon.
context_section_description: The Finnish rock music scene emerged in the 1960s, pioneered by artists such as Blues Section and Kirka. In the 1970s Finnish rock musicians started to write their own music instead of translating international hits into Finnish. During the decade some progressive rock groups, such as Tasavallan Presidentti and Wigwam, gained respect abroad but failed to make a commercial breakthrough outside Finland. This was also the fate of the rock and roll group, Hurriganes. The Finnish punk scene produced some internationally respected names including Terveet Kädet in the 1980s. Hanoi Rocks was a pioneering 1980s glam rock act that left perhaps a deeper mark in the history of popular music than any other Finnish group by being an influence for groups such as Guns N' Roses.
  In 1990s Finnish rock and metal music started to gain international fame with such bands as The 69 Eyes, Amorphis, Children of Bodom, Ensiferum, Norther, Wintersun, HIM, Impaled Nazarene, Lordi, Negative, Nightwish, The Rasmus, Sentenced, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, and Tarja Turunen, a solo artist, who is popular for mixing classical music with Metal/Rock. In the late 1990s the cello metal group Apocalyptica played Metallica cover versions as cello quartettos and sold half a million records worldwide. Some of the Finland's most domestically popular rock groups are CMX and Eppu Normaali. Finland also helped bring Folk Metal music more popularity, through bands such as Turisas and Finntroll.
  In the 2000s Finnish rock bands started to sell well internationally. The Rasmus finally captured Europe (and other places, like South America) in the 2000s. Their 2003 album Dead Letters sold 1.5 million units worldwide and garnered them eight gold and five platinum albums designations. But so far the most successful Finnish band in the United States has been HIM; they were the first band from Finland to ever sell an album that was certified gold by the RIAA. Most recently, the Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band Lordi won the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest with a record 292 points, giving Finland its first ever victory. Rock bands such as The 69 Eyes, Indica and Reflexion enjoy cult following abroad.
  Tuska Open Air Metal Festival, one of the largest open-air heavy metal music festivals in the world, is held annually in Kaisaniemi, Helsinki. Ruisrock and Provinssirock are the most famous rock festivals held in Finland.
caption: Apocalyptica's Perttu Kivilaakso playing metal music live.
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "Apocalyptica, Perttu Kivilaakso, live in concert (M'era Luna Festival) in Hildesheim (Germany) 2003", "Image DateTime": "2006:01:09 00:13:11", "Image Artist": "b'Stefan F\\xfcsers - Lichtj\\xe4ger'", "Image Copyright": "b'Stefan F\\xfcsers - Lich, ... ]", "Image ExifOffset": "273"}