Waltari

Biography

Waltari is a Finnish experimental metal band from Helsinki known for combining numerous styles, from different metal subgenres such as progressive metal, alternative metal and extreme metal to non-metal styles such as hip hop, pop, industrial, techno, punk and hard rock.
Most of the band's music is written by Kärtsy Hatakka. Finnish metal musicians who started their international career in Waltari include Kreator's Sami Yli-Sirniö, Roope Latvala of Children of Bodom, and Janne Parviainen of Ensiferum.

History

Waltari was formed in 1986 in Helsinki by Kärtsy Hatakka (vocals and bass), Jariot Lehtinen (guitars) and Sale Suomalainen (drums). Sami Yli-Sirniö joined as second guitarist in 1989, a year after the release of their first EP, Mut Hei ("But hey!").
Their first 2 albums, Monk-Punk and Torcha!×Torcha!1992 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Lights On4:552The Lie of the Zombie4:443I Held You So Long4:414Dedicated to the Flyers2:465Lust of Life4:456Vogue4:187Till the Music Nation3:438Fool’s Gold5:109You Know Better3:5010Dance Electric3:4711Jukolauta2:1012Death Party5:1613I’m a Believer1:2214Fuckadelican Garden6:2415Waltari‐lapio3:21, released in 1991 and 1992 respectively, saw the band begin blending a variety of styles of rock and metal.
After releasing a compilation of early work under the title Pala Leipää ("A Piece of Bread") (1993), the band went on to release So Fine! (1994), a collaboration with Joik group Angelit. Their next album, Big Bang×Big Bang14 September 1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Big Bang (Dream Avenue)4:312Atmosfear4:303Follow Me Inside4:324Sensitive Touch3:145On My Ice5:156Showtime4:287Color TV3:088The Stage5:399Jänkhä4:2010One in the Line (Your Nature Is Wild, Part II)5:5211Feel!4:4512Connection4:5113Real One4:0814Let’s Get Crucified1:3915Slow Thinking Street7:10 (1995), mixes techno with heavy metal.
In 1995, Roope Latvala joined the band, replacing Sami Yli-Sirniö. At this time, Hatakka was working with conductor Riku Niemi on a project combining heavy metal with classical music. This project eventually became known as Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! Death Metal Symphony in Deep C. The show was performed in 1995, and the album was released in 1996.
In 1997, the band released Space Avenue, a more progressive work containing more electronic drums, as well as a collaboration with Apocalyptica. In 1998, to celebrate their ten-year anniversary, the band released a compilation titled Decade×Decade19 October 1998 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Atmosfear4:262Walkin' in the Neon (remix -98)3:583Anybody4:294So Fine4:315Follow Me Inside4:296Far Away4:597The Stage5:388Jungle Rats4:159Astronaut3:4510Misty Man (mix -98)4:1711Move (remix -96)3:5212Vogue4:1713Lights On4:5314The Dawning of Doom (live)4:0215Brats3:4116Rap Your Body Beat (mix -98)4:0217Feel! (live)5:21.
In 1999, Kärtsy Hatakka and Waltari were working on yet another metal/classical collaboration, and this gave rise to the stage show Evangelicum (Evankeliumi). This production differed from Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! in that it contained music, ballet and a light show. It also featured a new opera singer. The guest vocalist was Tarja Turunen, who was the lead vocalist of the still young band Nightwish. The choreographer was Jorma Uotinen. This show was released in 1999 on DVD. A musical album version of Evankeliumi×Evankeliumi2000 · Broadcast · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Lost and Found2Lost (The Journey Begins)3Came from the Prison4Be Seeing You5The Christians6Desert Sun7Trance (In Archduke’s Castle)8Torture9Arrival10Victory11Found was not released.
Waltari's next album, Radium Round×Radium Round1 October 1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Back to the Bottom3:572Every Bad Day3:443Broken Bizarre3:144Power of Thoughts4:355Atom Angel3:506Number None3:487Radium Round3:238Love Rocket4:169The Plan5:1510City Neurotic4:2311Scum4:46124000 Years4:37 (1999), featured a strong pop influence. After Radium Round, the band passed out of the public eye, working on less mainstream releases such as the metal / yoik crossover Channel Nordica (2000) and the punk EP Back to Persepolis×Back to Persepolis2001 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1Guardian Angel3:36A2Living Then Living Now2:35B1New Church3:31B2There's No Tomorrow1:56 (2001). However, these releases were very hard to obtain, and for a while Waltari only survived through its live shows. In 2001, the band's old guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö returned, and Roope Latvala left the band.
In 2004, Waltari released an all-new studio album, Rare Species×Rare Species1 March 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1One Day4:102Life Without Love4:003Megacity Rain4:504Dreamworld4:105What I Really Know4:406My Pain5:207Quick as a Day4:558Dream5:149Alone5:4810Live This!5:2211Wasting My Mind4:3212No Limit / Your Funky Rhythm / Symphony of Destruction6:51.
The Blood Sample album was released in 2005. In 2006, "Early Years×Early Years31 May 2006 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 44 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Good God4:302Rap Your Body Beat3:583Curiosity5:444Ride3:305Hello2:416Sad Song5:067Same Old Story2:488I Was Born in the Wrong Decade2:599Universal Song4:2310Tired (F.U.C.K. Rap)4:2011Help1:3812Isolated3:4113Hevosenkuva2:5314Punk2:1015En ole ihminen2:3316Another Sea2:1417Uusi vallankumous2:1018Bröstvisan3:0419Not to Touch the Earth3:1220Mamammammammammammaa2:5821Tock Tock Rock1:3922Wait for America2:5623Peilin pimeä puoli5:17Disc 21Pois5:202Good God (single version)4:403Aika tuulee5:154Pala leipää2:135Liisterimies1:356Nakki1:247Olen seuraaja2:488Mä haluun elää4:169Hippakaveri1:5310Days of Distress4:3711Sad Song (EP version)5:1012Rap Your Body Beat (single version)3:5413Shout3:4414Mut hei3:5315Rasnavitsnavia2:1416Icebox4:5017F.U.C.K. Rap4:1818Sillanpää3:2819Tuttu juttu2:4520Kinastellaan3:4121Uhoa, ei tuhoa3:24" was released, a double album presenting remastered versions of the first album Monk-Punk and Pala Leipää, containing additional tracks from the 1980s, never released before and recorded in autumn 2005 by the original trio: Jariot, Kärtsy and Sale.
Waltari released the album Release Date×Release Date26 February 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Get Stamped4:442Big Sleep3:553Let’s Puke Together4:074Cityshamaani: Night Flight7:465Cityshamaani: Good Morning3:256Cityshamaani: Colgate County Showdown4:437Cityshamaani: The Incarnation Party7:178Cityshamaani: Sympathy13:019Hype3:2910THD1:5211Sex in the Biergarten4:1312Wish I Could Heal7:3813Spokebone4:45 in 2007. This album includes bonus track "Spokebone", a collaboration with Amorphis singer Tomi Joutsen and Finnish ethnic band Värttinä.
Below Zero was released in 2009.
Covers All, a cover album, was released in 2011.
Their album You are Waltari×You Are Waltari27 February 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1123:432Tranquality4:043Solutions3:344Only the Truth4:035Mountain Top4:006Maailma4:027Strangled2:028Keep It Alive3:529Singular4:1010Not Much to Touch You4:5311Hyväolihyväoli4:4412Drag4:4213Televizor3:2414Diggin the Alien3:38 was released on 27 February 2015. A single, "Digging the Alien", was also released as a music video. There was also a video from the second single, "Only the Truth".
Global Rock was released on 20 March 2020.

Current members

Kärtsy Hatakka — lead vocals, bass, keyboards (1986–present)
Jariot Lehtinen — guitars, backing vocals (1986–present)
Sami Yli-Sirniö — guitars, backing vocals (1989–1995, 2000–present)
Ville Vehviläinen — drums (2004–present)
Kimmo Korhonen — guitars, backing vocals (2009–present)
Jani Hölli — keyboards (2014–present)
Antti Kolehmainen — guitars, backing vocals (2017–present)

Past members

Sale Suomalainen — drums (1986–1990, 2005)
Janne Parviainen — drums (1990–2002)
Roope Latvala — guitars (1995–2001)
Mika Järveläinen — drums (2002–2004)
Janne Immonen — keyboards, programming (2006–2014)
Nino Silvennoinen — guitars, backing vocals (2013–2017)

Albums

Monk-Punk (1991)
Torcha! (1992)
Pala leipää (compilation, 1993)
So Fine! (collaboration with Angelit, 1994)
Big Bang (1995)
Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! Death Metal Symphony in Deep C (1996)
Space Avenue (1997)
Decade (compilation, 1998)
Radium Round (1999)
Channel Nordica (collaboration with Angelit, 2000)
Rare Species (2004)
Blood Sample (2005)
Early Years (double album, remastered + additional tracks; compilation, 2006)
Release Date (2007)
The 2nd Decade – In the Cradle (compilation, 2008)
Below Zero (2009)
Covers All (2011)
You are Waltari (2015)
Global Rock (2020)
3rd Decade - Anniversary edition (re-recording album, 2021)
Nations' Neurosis (2025)

EPs

Waltari (demo) (1988)
Roskia/Avfall EP (1989)
Mut Hei EP (1990)
Aika tuulee EP (1992)
Misty Man EP (1994)
The Stage EP (1995)
Blind Zone EP (1997)
Back to Persepolis EP (2001)
Not Enough EP (2005)