Aarni is an

avant-garde metal Avant-garde metal (also known as avant-metal, experimental metal, and experimental) is a subgenre of heavy metal music loosely defined by use of experimentation and innovative, avant-garde elements, including non-standard and unconventional soun ...

band from Finland, which consists primarily of Master Warjomaa and, occasionally, some

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

s. Although many sources claim the existence of other band members, these may be fictional characters (probably created by Warjomaa himself) and include a French count born in the 17th century (Count of Saint-Germain), a cartoon character with a T-shirt with Aarni's logo (Doomintroll) and an old woman (Mistress Palm). Aarni's music bears similarities to

funeral doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...

(in ''Reaching Azathoth'', for example) and has sometimes similarities to

folk metal Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles (for exampl ...

(''The Weird of Vipunen''). Their style has been described as ''almost orthodox doom metallish Lovecraftian-Jungian

Kalevala The ''Kalevala'' ( fi, Kalevala, ) is a 19th-century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Karelian and Finnish oral folklore and mythology, telling an epic story about the Creation of the Earth, describing the controversies and r ...

avantgarde music''. The band themselves sometimes use the term ''Chthonic Musick''. The lyrics of Aarni include varied themes such as Finnish folklore,

transhumanism Transhumanism is a philosophical and intellectual movement which advocates the enhancement of the human condition by developing and making widely available sophisticated technologies that can greatly enhance longevity and cognition. Transhuma ...

, the works of H. P. Lovecraft, paganism,

parapsychology Parapsychology is the study of alleged psychic phenomena (extrasensory perception, telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance, psychokinesis (also called telekinesis), and psychometry) and other paranormal claims, for example, those related to near ...

psychoanalytical PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: + . is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a body of knowledge. In what might be ...

theories and

mythology Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...

. The lyrics have been sung in English,

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

, and occasionally in

Enochian Enochian ( ) is an occult constructed language — said by its originators to have been received from angels — recorded in the private journals of John Dee and his colleague Edward Kelley in late 16th-century England. Kelley was a scryer who w ...

, Ancient Egyptian, Ouranian Barbaric,

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

, and Glossolalic.

History

Aarni was founded in 1998, in Finland, by Master Warjomaa (occasionally known as Mahatma M. Warjomaa). Master Warjomaa is also an active member of a

doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...

band called

Umbra Nihil The umbra, penumbra and antumbra are three distinct parts of a shadow, created by any light source after impinging on an opaque object. Assuming no diffraction, for a collimated beam (such as a point source) of light, only the umbra is cast. Th ...

, playing lead guitar. Aarni released a demo in 2001, and a

split album A split album (or split) is a music album that includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There are also singles and EPs of the same variety, which are often called "split singles" and "split EPs" respectively. Split albums differ from "var ...

with Umbra Nihil the following year. After a second demo in 2002, Aarni released its first full-length album, ''Bathos'', in 2004. Aarni was signed to

Firebox Records Firebox Records was a Finnish record label based in Seinäjoki, Southern Ostrobothnia. They specialized in doom metal. Firedoom Music was a subsidiary label of Firebox Records specializing in more extreme doom metal and other obscure genres. T ...

's subsidiary label

Firedoom Music Firebox Records was a Finnish record label based in Seinäjoki, Southern Ostrobothnia. They specialized in doom metal. Firedoom Music was a subsidiary label of Firebox Records specializing in more extreme doom metal and other obscure genres. T ...

, but is now signed to Epidemie Records. Aarni released their second album, called '' Tohcoth'', in February 2008. In late 2008 Aarni also released a CD-R EP titled '' Omnimantia''. In April 2012 Aarni released a split album with Persistence in Mourning.

Controversy

Band members

On Aarni's official website, the band section contains four members (also referred to as "Responsible Cultists"), as well as information concerning each of them. The four members of the band are Master Warjomaa, Comte de Saint-Germain, Doomintroll and Mistress Palm. Warjomaa commented on this in a 2004 interview:

The number of Aarni is five and five is the number of Aarni. Think a while about this and you will see... because Aarni consists of four personalities plus me. Why four? Because I've chosen to adhere to the (Jungian) concept of quaternity - four personality types, four seasons, four equinoxes, four elements, four stations of the sun, four stages of the human life, four cardinal directions, four Qabbalistic worlds, four limbs of the human body, four main themes in Aarni's songs, four basic human brain circuits of Timothy Leary's theory etc. Visualize the pentagram representing human existence: there's four points combined in/ruled by the fifth. It's all of course symbolic. Or is it?

Master Warjomaa

Master Warjomaa is the alias of the band's most stable member. According to the band's official website, Warjomaa was born in 1974. It is stated that he is influenced by

Joe Satriani Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956)Prato, Greg"Joe Satriani – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". ''AllMusic''. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 28, 2014. is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and guitar teacher. Early in his ...

Taoism Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of Philosophy, philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of China, Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmo ...

Camel A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. C ...

, and H. P. Lovecraft, that he belongs to the ''Homo Superior'' species, and that his favorite place is

Cydonia Cydonia may refer to: Music * ''Cydonia'' (album), a 2001 album by The Orb * "Cydonia", a track by heavy metal band Crimson Glory from '' Astronomica'' Places and jurisdictions * Kydonia or Cydonia, an ancient city state on Crete, at modern ...

. Along with many other artists, Warjomaa has named

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...

, Candlemass,

Hawkwind Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard ...

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

and

Van der Graaf Generator Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester by singer-songwriters Peter Hammill and Judge Smith, Chris Judge Smith and the first act signed by Charisma Records. They did not experience much commerc ...

as his musical influences. In a fan interview in June 2006, Warjomaa stated:

"While I prefer a female unicorn deity to a gaseous alpha male vertebrate of cosmic heft anytime, I'd rather choose no deity or deities at all. I think it's high time we stopped worshiping gods and started to aim at becoming gods."

Comte de Saint Germain

Le Comte de Saint Germain (translated from French: "The Count of Saint Germain") is one of the members of Aarni. His role in the band has been stated as "Sensation, alchemical processes and keys to secrets". It is written that he was born in 1665 and is an "ex-human". It is not stated whether le Comte de Saint Germain was an actual individual that lived centuries ago or if he is an entirely fictional character. It may be possible that le Comte de Saint Germain has something to do with the

Count of St Germain The Comte de Saint Germain (; – 27 February 1784) was a European adventurer, with an interest in science, alchemy and the arts. He achieved prominence in European high society of the mid-18th century. Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel considere ...

, an actual count living in the 18th century.

Doomintroll & Mistress Palm

Doomintroll has been represented by a cartoon-style drawing of a person with a very prominent nose, a pipe in the mouth, the Aarni logo on the T-shirt, and a hand sticking up the

middle finger The middle finger, long finger, second finger, third finger, toll finger or tall man is the third digit of the human hand, located between the index finger and the ring finger. It is typically the longest digit. In anatomy, it is also called ...

. According to Aarni he "originated" in 1998, (also the date of the formation of Aarni) which would make him 6 years old at the time of the release of the band's first full-length album. It is written that Doomintroll belongs to the "Duumipeikko" species. "Duumipeikko", roughly translated from Finnish, gives "Doomintroll". This is a reference to the popular Finnish cartoon series,

Moomin The Moomins ( sv, Mumintroll) are the central characters in a series of novels, short stories, and a comic strip by Finns, Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson, originally published in Swedish language, Swedish by Schildts in Finland. The ...

, in which ''Muumipeikko'' is one of the main characters. According to Doomintroll, the band wants to ''support the anarcho-shamanistic attitude of moomintrolls''. Mistress Palm (also referred to as Mrs. Palm) is the fourth claimed band member. She is depicted as a rather elderly woman in an apron holding a dish brush and opening her mouth in dismay. She has been thought to be a computer program or ''artificial, phlogiston-driven rectoplasm''.

Website

At the top of the band page is written "4=1". The motive of this equation is maybe to consider the situation of the 4 declared members and one actual member and/or can be a reference to the

Jungian Analytical psychology ( de , Analytische Psychologie, sometimes translated as analytic psychology and referred to as Jungian analysis) is a term coined by Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, to describe research into his new "empirical science" ...

concept of quaternity. On the news page (also referred to as the "Unspeakable Tidings"), the news are listed chronologically. However the dates are said to be written in the form corresponding to these in the

Discordian calendar The Discordian or Erisian calendar is an alternative calendar used by some adherents of Discordianism. It is specified on page 00034 of the ''Principia Discordia''. The Discordian year 1 YOLD is 1166 BC. (Elsewhere in the ''Principia Discordia' ...

. These dates follow the "DD/SS/YYYY" form, as stated on the official website. Therefore, e.g. the year 2007 CE is noted as 3173 AM.

Lyrics

The lyrics have been sung in English,

, and occasionally in

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, Ancient Egyptian, Glossolalic,

, Ouranian Barbaric and

. In several songs, the lyrics refer to the

Cthulhu Mythos The Cthulhu Mythos is a mythopoeia and a shared fictional universe, originating in the works of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. The term was coined by August Derleth August William Derleth (February 24, 1909 – July 4, 1971) was an ...

. In "Squaring The Circle", the lyrics say "zero equals two". This may be a reference to the ideas of

Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley (; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pro ...

and similar to the "4=1" statement on top of the band page of the official website. In "The Thunder, Perfect Mindfuck", it is said "I am the shameless and I am ashamed" as well as "I am falsehood and I am truth". These could be considered paradoxical and controversial as the Gnostic poem the lyrics seem to be based upon,

The Thunder, Perfect Mind "The Thunder, Perfect Mind" is a text originally discovered among the Gnostic manuscripts in the Nag Hammadi library in 1945. It follows a poetic structure, and has received scholarly attention for its gnomic style and unclear subject. Form Th ...

Line-up

* Master Warjomaa - Creating, playing, and producing most of the lyrics and music. * Rhesus Christ - Session drums for ''Bathos''. * Albert Frankenstein - Session vocalist for ''Bathos''.

Discography

Demo 2001

''Demo 2001'' was released independently by Aarni in 2001. It was the first CD release of Aarni. Its cover features a picture of the Conte de Saint-Germain. :Track listing: :1. "Myrrys" - 5:00 :2. "The Black Keyes (of R'lyeh)" - 5:53 :3. "Metsänpeitto" - 0:58 :4. "Persona Mortuae Cutis" - 5:52 "Persona Mortuae Cutis" appears as a cover version of the

Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...

song ''

Dead Skin Mask ''Seasons in the Abyss'' is the fifth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on October 9, 1990, through Def American Records. Recording sessions began in March 1990 at Hit City West and Hollywood Sound, and ended in June 1 ...

'' translated to Latin.

Aarni / Umbra Nihil Split

''Aarni / Umbra Nihil Split'' was released through

in 2002. :Track listing: * Aarni :1. "Ubbo-Sathla" - 3:37 :2. "Myrrys" - 5:00 :3. "Transcend Humanity" - 12:00 :4. "Liber Umbrarum vel Coniunctio" - 6:18 :5. "Reaching Azathoth" - 11:55 :6. "

Anima Anima may refer to: Animation * Ánima (company), a Mexican animation studio founded in 2002 * Córdoba International Animation Festival – ANIMA, in Argentina Religion and philosophy * Animism, the belief that objects, places, and creatures ...

" - 4:14 *Umbra Nihil :7. "Follow and Believe / Fall Without Relief" - 9:12 :8. "A Mere Shell" - 8:25 :9. "My Way to the Lakeshore" - 2:04 :10. "Determination" - 7:09 :11. "Water in Lungs" - 8:31

Duumipeikon paluu

''Duumipeikon paluu'' was released independently by Aarni in 2002. :Track listing: :1. "Myrrys" - 5:00 :2. "Lampaan Vaatteissa" - 6:03 :3. "The Weird of Vipunen" - 7:22 :4. "Transcend Humanity" - 12:00 :5. "Reaching Azathoth" - 11:55 Duumipeikon paluu and Demo 2001 were re-released together in 2003, and re-re-released as a remaster in late 2008. "Duumipeikon paluu" translated from Finnish means "The Return of Doomintroll".

Bathos

''Bathos'' was released through

, a sub-label of

, on November 8, 2004. AllMusic - ''Bathos''/ref> :Track listing: :# "Ονειροσκόπος (Oneiroskopos)" - 1:31 :# "Squaring The Circle" - 7:50 :# "Quinotaurus (Twelve Stars In Sight)" - 3:48 :# "Kivijumala" - 11:45 :# "V.I.T.R.I.O.L." - 6:33 :# "The Thunder, Perfect Mindfuck" - 8:32 :# "Mental Fugue" - 6:49 :# "Niut Net Meru" - 9:20 :# "Kesäyö" - 8:59 VV from Umbra Nihil played session drums on the album. Oneiroscope means 'an instrument for watching dreams'. V.I.T.R.I.O.L. is an acronym for "Visita interiora terrae rectificandoque invenies occultum lapidem" in Latin, meaning "Visit the innermost of the earth and by rectifying what is there, you will find the hidden stone." ''The Thunder, Perfect Mindfuck'' refers to the

gnostic Gnosticism (from grc, γνωστικός, gnōstikós, , 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems which coalesced in the late 1st century AD among Jewish and early Christian sects. These various groups emphasized pe ...

poem ''

''. The Bathos cover was painted by

Tuomas M. Mäkelä Tuomas is a male given name common in Finland. It is the Finnish version of the name Thomas. Common variations of Tuomas in Finland include Tuomo, Toomas, Tomas and Thoma. The nameday is the 21st of December. As of 2013 there are more than 32,000 pe ...

(of the ambient band Jääportit) based partially on an earlier artwork he had done. Magister Warjomaa said about it: "We wanted a colourful cover, because I feel very bored with the usual dark-hued album art most metal bands choose for some pathetic reason. But mainly we wanted that cover because to us it has a spaced-out, candlylike and pleasing feeling. THC green feels such a beautiful color..."

Tohcoth

''Tohcoth'' was released through Epidemie Records on February 19, 2008. The

title was taken from the works of

Dr. John Dee John Dee (13 July 1527 – 1608 or 1609) was an English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, teacher, occultist, and alchemist. He was the court astronomer for, and advisor to, Elizabeth I, and spent much of his time on alchemy, divination, a ...

: "This name comprehendeth the number of all the fayries, who are diuels next to the state and condition of man". This album featured Sampo Marjomaa as a guest vocalist. The Tohcoth cover artwork was realized by Genius Albert Frankenstein & Master Warjomaa. :Track listing: # Coniuratio Sadoquae # The Hieroglyph # Riding Down the Miskatonic on a Dead Thing # Arouse Coiled Splendour # Λογος # All Along The Watchtowers # Chapel Perilous # The Sound of One I Opening # The Battle Hymn of The Eristocracy # Barbelith # Iku-Turso

Omnimantia EP

''Omnimantia'' was self-released as a CD-R by Aarni in November 2008. The title means "

divination Divination (from Latin ''divinare'', 'to foresee, to foretell, to predict, to prophesy') is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Used in various forms throughout histor ...

from everything". :Track listing: :# Rat King :# Dimwa Depenga :# This Is Not A Mask :# Hypnagogia :# "Untitled" :# Verivaikerrus / Hurmehanki :# Lovecraft Knew

Aarni / Persistence in Mourning Split

Aarni / Persistence in Mourning ''Split'' was released through Witch Sermon Productions on April 1, 2012. The album's artwork was realized by

Conte di San Pietro Conte may refer to: * Conte (literature), a literary genre * Conte (surname) * Conté, a drawing medium * Conte, Jura, town in France * Conté royal family, a fictional family in Tamora Pierce's Tortallan world * Conte, the title of Count in Italy ...

. :Track listing: * Aarni :1. 49 Angeli Boni :2. Emuu :3. Land Beyond the Night :4. Lemminkäinens Tempel :5. Goetia * Persistence in Mourning :6. The Passage :7. Tangled Mess of Veins :8. Through Hellfire :9. Purification :10. Poking Holes in the Sky

Deliria - Odds and Ends and Beginnings 2000-2012

The album is a collection of 32 tracks, some of which have been only unofficially released as digital downloads.

Lovecraftian

''Lovecraftian'' (TBA, 2017)

References

External links

Official website

Official Reverbnation entry

Official Facebook page

Official MySpace entry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aarni Avant-garde metal musical groups Experimental musical groups Finnish doom metal musical groups Finnish musical groups Musical groups established in 1998 1998 establishments in Finland