Raskasta Joulua is a music project from Finland in which diverse artists have recorded traditional Christmas carols and Christmas hits in a heavy metal style. "Raskasta joulua" is a term in Finnish which means "heavy Christmas" in English. The concept was founded by guitarist Erkka Korhonen in 2004. Many notable Finnish metal vocalists have appeared on Raskasta Joulua albums and tours, including

Marko Hietala Marko Tapani "Marco" Hietala (born 14 January 1966) is a Finnish heavy metal vocalist, bassist and songwriter. Internationally, he is best known as the former bassist, male vocalist and secondary composer to Tuomas Holopainen, of the symphonic ...

Jarkko Ahola Jarkko Kalevi Ahola (born 24 August 1977, in Toijala) is a performing artist, a composer and a singer. He is the vocalist and bass player and one of the three songwriters of the band Teräsbetoni. He is also a member of a Finnish symphonic met ...

Ari Koivunen Ari Koivunen (born 7 June 1984) is a Finnish heavy metal singer who rose to fame as the winner of the Finnish singing competition '' Idols'' in 2007. He was the vocalist of the Finnish heavy metal band ''Amoral'' from 2008 to 2017. Beside he ...

, Juha-Pekka Leppaluoto and

Tony Kakko Toni Kristian "Tony" Kakko (born 16 May 1975) is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative lead of the band Sonata Arctica since 1996. Biography Kakko was born in Kemi, Finland and ...

. The band's first album, ''Raskasta Joulua'', contained performances by the

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to ...

and was produced by T2 Productions. The album was released in December 2004. The second album was released on the Warner label in 2006 after a promotional 3-concert tour in December 2005 increased the popularity of the project. This led to increased sales of the subsequent releases. Raskasta Joulua have toured every year since 2005 and the 3 concert tour has become an annual tradition. In 2013 the band changed their record label for the second time and signed to Spinefarm Records. They also released their second self-titled album, which achieved platinum status in Finland. In 2014, it was followed by two new albums, Raskasta Joulua 2 and Ragnarok Juletide,�
Raskasta Joulua - Finland's Symphonic Christmas Rock Project Releasing New Album
��metalstorm on 19 October 2014 the latter of which is their first album recorded in the English language. The other albums are in Finnish.

Discography

* Raskasta Joulua (Heavy Christmas) (T2 Productions, 2004) * Raskaampaa Joulua (Heavier Christmas) (Warner, 2006) * Raskasta Joulua (Heavy Christmas) (Spinefarm, 2013) * Raskasta Joulua Kaksi (Heavy Christmas 2) (Spinefarm, 2014) * Ragnarok Juletide (Spinefarm, 2014) * Tulkoon joulu - akustisesti (Spinefarm, 2015) * Raskasta Joulua IV (Spinefarm, 2017) * Viides Adventti (Gramophone Records, 2022)

Members

2016 line-up

* Erkka Korhonen – guitar * Vili Ollila – keyboards *

Mirka Rantanen Mirka Rantanen (born ) is a Finnish musician. He was the drummer for power metal band Thunderstone when it formed in 2000. Rantanen has also drummed for a number of other Finnish bands, including as a session member for the supergroup Northern Ki ...

– drums * Erkki Silvennoinen – bass * Tuomas Wäinölä – guitar *

– vocals * JP Leppäluoto – vocals *

– vocals * Antony Parviainen – vocals * Tommi Salmela – vocals *

Pasi Rantanen Pasi Rantanen (born 30 October 1969, in Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish singer best known for his power metal band Thunderstone, of which he was a member from the band's creation in 2000 until 2007. He rejoined Thunderstone in 2013 as a full-tim ...

– vocals *

Kimmo Blom Kimmo Sakari Blom (31 January 1970 – August 2022) was a Finnish singer and stage artist, known for his work in several rock and metal bands such as Urban Tale, Boys of the Band, and Heartplay. From 2004, he performed in the Finnish Christmas ...

– vocals *

Elize Ryd Hanna Elise Isabell Maj Höstblomma Ryd (born 15 October 1984), known professionally as Elize Ryd, is a Swedish singer, best known as one of the three vocalists and co-lyricist in the metal band Amaranthe. She also gained some popularity prior to ...

– vocals *

Antti Railio (born 1984) is a Finnish rock and pop rock singer and vocalist in a number of Finnish bands, notably the power metal band Celesty, in addition to Diecell and The WildFire. After reaching the semi-finals in Finnish '' Idols'' (2007), and taking ...

– vocals * Ville Tuomi – vocals *

Floor Jansen Floor Jansen (; born 21 February 1981) is a Dutch singer and songwriter. She is the lead vocalist of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. Jansen first became known as a member of symphonic metal band After Forever, standing as their lead voca ...

– vocals *

Tarja Turunen Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen-Cabuli (born 17 August 1977), known professionally as Tarja Turunen or simply Tarja, is a Finnish heavy metal singer, best known as the former lead vocalist of Nightwish. She is a soprano with a three and a half o ...

- vocals

References

External links

* {{Authority control Finnish heavy metal musical groups Musical groups established in 2004 2004 establishments in Finland