left to right: Tomi Mykkänen - Vocals Maria - Keyboards Henri Vahvanen - Drums Jussi Rautio - Guitar Timo Honkanen - Bass Jyri Vahvanen - Guitar Kaisa Jouhki - Vocals
Influences
Bolt Thrower, Emperor, theGathering, Kyuss, Black Sabbath, Morbid Angel, Katatonia, Anathema, My Dying Bride, Iron Maiden, WASP, Zakk Wylde, Dissection, Theatre of Tragedy, ...
J. Vahvanen and M. Kokkola founded Battlelore in 1999. Their first promo CD “Warrior’s Tale” was released that same year. “Warrior’s Tale” was praised and liked, but the band caught the attention of Napalm Records after the release of their second demo “Dark Fantasy” in 2000. “Dark Fantasy” also introduced the at the time new Battlelore members; Kaisa Jouhki as the new female vocalist, Henri Vahvanen as the drummer and Maria as the keyboard player. At the request of the label, Battlelore recorded an untitled three-track promo CD and soon thereafter the deal was finalized.
In autumn 2001 Battlelore recorded their debut “…Where the Shadows Lie” at Music Bros Studios with producer Miitri Aaltonen. Shortly thereafter due to personal reasons, T. Havo left Battlelore. He was replaced by J. Rautio on lead guitar. “…Where the Shadows Lie” got great response worldwide and Battlelore roamed onwards with full steam.
The second album “Sword’s Song” was released in spring 2003 and took Battlelore to a totally new level in their music. “Sword’s Song” was also recorded at Music Bros Studios under the guidance of Miitri Aaltonen. The response was huge and thus, Battlelore did their first tour around Europe. This tour led to even more followers and a steady fan base.
Battlelore’s first DVD “The Journey” - featuring the energetic live show at Tavastia club - saw the light of day in early 2004. In August 2004 Battlelore endured another line-up change. Patrik Mennander left the band to follow another career path, leaving his scepter and crown as Battlelore’s vocalist behind. His last performance with Battlelore took place at the spectacular headlining show at RingCon, the official Lord of the Rings Festival in Bonn, Germany.
After the successful European tour with two session musicians (the low-growling vocalist Tomi Mykkänen and raging bass player Timo Honkanen, who filled in for a temporarily absent Miika Kokkola), Battlelore began searching for Patrik’s replacement. Furthermore, Miika Kokkola announced that he too, for personal reasons, would be leaving the band. Luckily, Timo and Tomi’s showing on tour convinced Battlelore that they could not find better men for the job.
Battlelore’s third album “Third Age of the Sun” was recorded at Sound Suite Studios in spring 2005. With producer Terje Refsnes at the helm, Battlelore found a new sound for their journey through Middle Earth. The band decided to leave out all the overdone computer programming that would result in an inorganic sound. “Third Age of the Sun” was a lively creation where the joy of playing is continually present. The response again overwhelmed everyone as Battlelore found their way to the top 40 album chart in Finland right after the release.
The fourth Battlelore album, “Evernight”, was recorded in the autumn of 2006 and released in the early 2007. Once again, Battlelore chose to work with Miitri Aaltonen at Music Bros Studios. The results can be heard in the even more bombastic, more epic and heavier soundscapes. “Evernight”, as the darkest and strongest Battlelore album so far, continues to remain loyal to the heritage of J. R. R. Tolkien, but the band’s sound has evolved to deliver true atmosphere and a fantastic end result.
Battlelore recorded their fifth album, “The Last Alliance”, at Sound Supreme Studios in Hämeenlinna, Finland in April-May of 2008. They chose to work with the ingenious producer Janne Saksa for the recordings and the legendary metal god Dan Swanö for the mixing and mastering of the album, which proved to be perfect choices. The album consists of big, epic and atmospheric songs full of feeling and raging battles, which will lead the listener back to Middle-earth in an unforgettable way. Battlelore has created the perfect, epic masterpiece, and Tomi’s clean vocals are the final touch to make “The Last Alliance” an album of a lifetime. “The Last Alliance” includes also a bonus DVD featuring the massive live show at Metal Female Voices Festival in Wieze, Belgium 2007.
Let Battlelore show you flashes from the smoky tavern at Umbar, through the green fields of Rohan and finally to the deepest dungeons of Moria. Gather your belongings, clean up your weapons and prepare for WAR!
£leTriKa sounds completely different from any Metal band you have ever heard. The Brazilian rhythms and the Portuguese language added to the songs makes its style unique, giving birth to a new kind of Metal. If you are really looking for something new about Metal, you should check £leTriKa out!
Hugs from Brazil, Claudio David
{|(|[(NEW+TUNE=v3.1beta)]|)|}
[BrazilianM£TAL]
Valeu demais a força! Quando rolaumtempinho, me fala o que achou da £leTriKa. Agente junta Metal com umasparada Brasileira. Tamutendumbom feed nas rádios gringas nos quatrocontos. Mantenha contato, blz?
Hi guys..at the moment back from your gig in ingolstadt-paradox. it was great and wonderful and i am happy, that i could hear your superb music. poor, that there were so less people! i wish you all the best for the rest of the northern crown tour! cheers!
Wyrd Ways Rock Show is now up. Bit of a remembrance vibe to this one. Not only for fallen military, but also for Mike Alexander. The show features an interview with two members of Evile, conducted by Alexander Milas of Metal Hammer. In Shock Of The New this week, you'll be hearing from Shudderwall, Francis Soto, Daisy Cutter, Thaurorod and Morphine Killer.
Here’s where you need to be: http://www.wyrdwaysrs.com or PureRockRadio.net every Friday from 10pm GMT.
As usual, if you want to get in touch with me to ask for a song, contribute a Lie Back And Enjoy It, suggest a band for Shock Of The New (including your own!) or start a new round of The Connection, click on the Contact Form link on the homepage. Remember I also want photos of you to go in the Listeners Gallery and Miss Wyrd Ways Rock Show. Send your shots to mail@wyrdwaysrs.com.
Hey... That was a really great gig yesterday in Siegen. Very good playlist with old and new songs. But as I said to Tomi one song I've really missed...The Swordmaster ;-)
Big thanks to you for making the photos with us after the show. But if you look at them it seems that you (Kaisa, Tomi and Timo) had a lot of fun, too, while posing in front of the camera.
I hope you come back to Germany next year! And Tomi: You stole my beer... ;-)
Thank you very much for the Link Up & Sharing Your Music Nice to meet you through cyberlink! Keep up the Great Work! Wishes you All the Best in 2009! Enjoy your Week
Do you have a metal band? Do you need help and don't have anybody to support you? Einsam Vuk Promotion think in you. We offer international promotion, appearing in our magazine, obtaining interviews and reviews, looking for label or gigs...
We love the music and we will support you totally free. Contact now!