Turisas: Ten More Miles – new video & Turisas2013 – new album

Pillaging and plundering their way through their homeland (unless those content-looking people happen to be Swedes) which, btw, cannot agree on their new record (Inferno Magazine describing it as an “attack from behind” while Sue.fi calls it a “straightforward and less epic”), mad TURISAS are back with a new video ‘Ten More Miles’, produced and directed by Jukka Salo. Back with a vengeance in certain parts of this world, since UK and France submitted to ‘Turisas2013’ infinite charm today, September 2nd, 2013, let me provide the Americans with some unclassified intelligence concerning the album due out in North America on September the 3rd: unlike their previous albums, ‘Turisas2013’ is not a concept album:

“I don’t like a lot of the recent developments in the world, but even less how little people seem to care,” [explained Mathias Nygård, the band’s frontman, lyricist and main songwriter] “More than one of the songs deals with 2013 and the world today, and this is what the title is representing. Some of the songs are more philosophical ponderings on life in general, whereas others – such as ‘Run Bhang-Eater, Run!’ – are just plain-out fun songs inspired by a couple of crazy drug stories out of “One Thousand And One Nights”. All of the lyrics are very personal and some of them even autobiographical this time.”

The album was once again produced by vocalist Mathias Nygård who, alongside guitarist Jussi Wickström, recorded the majority of ‘Turisas2013’ in a secluded location (house) they have rented just outside Helsinki “that worked as the ‘Turisas2013’ command center and headquarters”. Additional recording was done at Atomic Spa Studio (drums) and at 5 by 5 Studio (orchestral), both in Helsinki, and at Sound Supreme Studio (vocals) in Hämeenlinna, Finland. ‘Turisas2013’ was mixed and mastered in London, UK at Orgone Studios by producer Jaime Gomez Arellano. Now, hurry up and get yourselves a copy of the album whose title is defined as “the perfect combination of self-titled with a touch of BLACK SABBATH's ‘Vol.4’ and VAN HALEN's ‘1984’” by some clever person at Century Media Records who has just put out ‘Turisas2013’ in Europe today, August 26th, 2013 and who will unleash the red and black maniacs upon North America on September the 3rd, here (CM Distro Europe), here (CM Distro North America), here (TURISAS official webstore), and on iTunes and Amazon/Amazon MP3.

 

Named after “the eternal Turso” (in Finnish mythology: the god of war, a malevolent sea monster whose appearance, according to some reliable reports, remains unclear, but he is often described as the one who lives on the brink, or alternatively, the bearded one), TURISAS was founded by vocalist Mathias “Warlord” Nygård and guitarist Jussi Wickström in 1997 in Hämeenlinna, Finland. Their blend of pagan/folk metal spiced with bloody war tales finally won over Century Media Records who signed the band in 2003. TURISAS' debut full-length, a collection of songs written over a period of six years, ‘Battle Metal’, was released in 2004 (the player available to you below contains three songs off the album). Nygård, Wickström, drummer Tude Lehtonen, keyboard player Antti Ventola and guitarist Georg Laakso took to the road in support of the album which eventually led to appearances at a number of major European metal festivals. In 2005, guitarist Georg Laakso was badly injured in an auto accident and was forced to leave the band due to the extent of his injuries. AllMusic's James Christopher Monger described TURISAS' music as “over the top everything” when reviewing their second LP, 2007's ‘The Varangian Way’:

“Built around the epic journey of a group of traders, mercenaries, and pirates (“Varangians”) exploring trade routes between their 9th century homeland and Constantinople, ‘The Varangian Way’ is infinitely more cinematic in scope than ‘Battle Metal’, employing narration, accordions, and massive choirs to move the story along. …while some listeners may be put off by all of the Renaissance Fair excess or the concept of grown men in pelts singing “Come with us to the south/write your name on our roll”, they need not worry, as this delicious feast of strong ale, stale bread, and “flesh from the beasts that stalk us in the night” wasn’t made for them.” [More here]

With musicians being continually added and let go, with accordion player Janne Makinen reportedly disappearing in that mysterious city called Amsterdam, TURISAS next managed some extensive tours through the United States, Europe and Asia before returning to the studio. ‘Stand Up And Fight’ followed in 2011; the album was described as “another rousing, invigorating bevy of epic symphonic metal ballads centered on ninth to 11th century Baltic Vikings” by Tim DiGravina, AllMusic. “ Think Andrew Lloyd Webber mashed up with GWAR and a Disney ride,” he added (more here): 

 

TURISAS features: Mathias Nygård – vocals, Jussi Wickström – guitar, Jaakko Jakku – drums, Jesper Anastasiadis – bass, Olli Vänskä – violin and Robert Engstrand – keyboards