Alamaailman Vasarat - Käärmelautakunta (2003)

¿Acoustic death metal? ¿kebab-kosher-jazz-films-traffic-punk-music? ¿R.I.O.? ¿Avant-Prog? ¿etno-prog? Tratar de definir éste grupo es bastante difícil así que no lo trataremos de hacer y sólo los disfrutamos. Les dije que cada disco es mejor que el otro y éste no es la excepciòn, personalmente me gusta aún más que el anterior pero menos de algunos que estàn por venir. Segundo disco de los finlandeses que revolucionaron la forma de combinar los estilos de música en un desafío para la imaginación, musicalidad intrincada que se juega el alma mucho más que en su disco debut. Y el disco tiene un concepto, lo pueden ver en los tres videos que acompañan el disco, dedicado a todos los que se oponen a tanto facho que anda dando vueltas por todos lados.

Artista: Alamaailman Vasarat

Álbum: Käärmelautakunta
Año: 2003
Género: RIO / Avant-Prog
Duración: 43:01
Nacionalidad: Finlandia

Lista de Temas:
1. Kivitetty Saatana (4:48)
2. Vasaraasialainen (5:50)
3. Pelko Antaa Siivet (3:59)
4. Hamarapuolella (5:15)
5. Astiatehdas (3:10)
6. Vanha Lapsuudenystva (6:14)
7. Olisimme Uineet Vielakin Pidemmalle (5:44)
8. Lentava Mato (3:41)
9. Jaa, Hyva Mieli (6:00)

Alineación:
- Jarno Sarkula / Soprano saxophone, Tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
- Tuukka Helminen / cello
- Teemu H?nninen / drums and percussion
- Miikka Huttunen / pump organ, grand piano
- Erno Haukkala / trombone, slide trumpet, tuba
- Marko Manninen / cello

Convengamos que describir el álbum sería incongruente con toda la mixtura de estilos y formas que tiene, en todo caso podemos hablar sobre su intención y la pericia de los músicos para llevarla a cabo. Generar un complejo RIO pero agradable al oído al estilo etno-prog pero con capas violentas y cercanas al punk y al metal pero rítmicamente bailable y movedizo no es para cualquiera, pero sí es la especialidad de estos finlandeses que se llaman Alamaailman Vasarat. Una hazaña que integra a la perfección el lado oscuro de muchos géneros (Klezmer, clásica, metal) y hacer que suenen agradables y casi bailable.

Acá va el texto de la entrada Alamaailman Vasarat (del finés al español "Los martillos del inframundo") es un grupo musical de culto de Finlandia. Su música abarca una gran cantidad de estilos e influencias y por lo tanto es difícil de clasificar. En su página web se refieren en broma a su estilo de música como: "kebab-kosher-jazz-films-traffic-punk-music". Gran parte de su música es una reminiscencia de la música klezmer.
Alamaailman Vasarat fue creada por el baterista Teemu Hänninen y Jarno Sarkula, que tocaba el bajo anteriormente, pero cambió a saxo soprano. La popularidad de la banda fue encendida en parte por las apariciones de Jarno Sarkula en la televisión, en la ya desaparecida MoonTv, un canal de la televisión por cable finlandés. En ese canal también se emitieron los vídeos del álbum de debut de la banda "Vasaraasia".
El álbum de debut Vasaraasia estuvo en el "Europe Top-20" con un pico en el puesto número 7.
Alamaailman Vasarat también ha compuesto música para cine. La última vez fue para una película de animación llamada "Elukka", de Tatu Pohjavirta, y para una próxima película de larga duración sobre el pintor finlandés Kalervo Palsa por Pekka Lehto.

Wikipedia

Si "Vasaraasia" era un discazo quizás todavía el grupo tenía que asentar su estilo y podrían haber estado un poco inseguros acerca de lo que realmente quería hacer, pero "Käärmelautakunta" se tira a la pileta de cabeza y explora su maraña de estilos sin prejuicio alguno, explotando su aspecto de música de film llevándonos a una película fresca y aparentemente ingenua sobre un ejército, su dictador y un pueblo sometido, demuestran que su eclecticismo no cae en una exageración amorfa porque sí tienen una intención y son fieles al acompañamiento musical de esa idea.
Los Alamaailman Vasarat debe ser uno de los más talentosos músicos finlandeses en la música progresiva o cerca al estilo, y ya hemos visto en la escuelita de rock inaugurada por el Mago Alberto que muy buenas bandas salen y salieron de esos parajes nórdicos. Este material es un viaje, no puedo describirlo realmente. Los estados de ánimo varían y realmente todo el disco es mágico, increíble y excelso, en el mismo estilo que tomaron en su disco debut. Con la Intensidad y abrasividad que pueda tener un disco de rock con prevalencia de instrumentos de cámara, es un disco recomendable para todo aquel que dice que le gusta el punk y odia el prog... ¿qué dirán de esta docta salvajada? Música que probablemente nos lleve a algún lugar de los Balcanes, con mucha bebida y fiesta alrededor, pero que también sirve para acompañar la sensación del cine negro en blanco y negro pero dirigido por Emir Kusturica, generan un resutaldo que podría ser muy bizarro pero que en general no llega a ser totalmente absurdo, tal vez por la destreza compositiva o porque simplemente les sale bien. Lo que estoy tratando de decir es que se trata de una música bastante única y adictiva con ingredientes que llevados por otras manos serían absurdos y melódicamente degenerados.

Sigamos con el filme que nos brinda éste disco, aqui la segunda parte...


Aprecien que más allá de la cáscara violenta, el grupo trabaja en base a buenas melodías y armónicos de Europa Oriental, y nunca abandonan la belleza de su sonido. Y aunque resulte increíble que esta música machacante sea creada solamente por clarinetes, saxofones, chelos, pianos y órganos, ya que no hay ninguna mención de las guitarras, aunque también tiene su corazoncito y a veces es emocionantemente melancólico y suave.
Hay que recalcar lo interesante del machaque de los chelos, todos los amantes de Apocalyptica y todas esas bandas de metal que usan chelos quedarán más que satisfechos con estos chelos que a veces están distorcionados y reemplazar la guitarra eléctrica.
Aquí, la última parte de los videos, específicamente el tercero... no voy a hablar de su contenido, pueden verlo ustedes mismos.




La contra de este disco, al compararlo con "Vasaraasia", es que el oyente ya no se sorprenderá por el estilo de la banda. Esa sorpresa se transforma en el acostumbramiento de disfrutar del estilo único de la banda. En la primera escucha de éste disco no podrás obtener una vez más la fuerte sorpresa como en el primer encuentro con un conjunto tan peculiar como Alamaailman Vasarat. No habrá choque, la banda presenta el mismo estilo aunque más consolidado. Si bien el estilo se mantiene intacto, está elaborado de manera más sólida y quizás con un toque menos de su aspecto humorístico, ligeramente más atmósferas ambientales oscuras. Las composiciones de éste disco son melódicamente menos predecibles.
En definitiva, ésta es música extremadamente creativa y que necesita de mentes abiertas. Quizás el verdadero hilo conductor de la banda no sea tanto el aspecto sonoro, en los videos podemos ver que hay bastante del componente ideológico metido aquí: a ésta música no la podés escuchar con la mente cerrada, parece música de libertad, de transpasar fronteras, de romper cercos, y aquí es que dudo de la aparente candidez e inocencia de la porpuesta de Alamaailman Vasarat. Sí bien se puede ver en ella de diversas maneras (como todo en la vida), esta es música nada conservadora, muy abierta y extremandamente desprejuiciada.
Y es así que hablé del disco, pero como dije al principio, no lo hice tanto desde el punto de vista musical sino más bien sobre su (psoible o probable) intención, les dejo ahora algunos comentarios en inglés y ya saben (imagino) sómo pueden conseguir el disco.

Another really intriguing urban landscape artwork cover over a superbly packaged digipack from the Swedish label Silence, announcing a second album from those crazy Finns. In here , AV manage to make their sophomore more worthy and more exciting and more artistically interesting album than the debut. The music is still very much sounding alike to their debut: the line-up is almost the same, but they've added a second cello with Helminen, which is determinant to the group's sound enhanced but still totally acoustic (maybe some pedals effects here and there) sound. Käärmelautakunta is relatively darker and slower than its predecessor, because the group chose to expand on the darker side, rather than the upbeat breakneck-speed polkas. This generally gives fewer but longer tracks (9 instead of 13 in the debut), which are generally more progressive as well.
This double cello-metal was a real novelty here, as they manage sometimes to sound like an all-acoustic death-metal band, and I can tell you that this is still majorly impressive. If I used the past tense, it's because since this album's release, the concept was copied and over-exploited since, so the pioneering dimension of AV might escape to some. Some of those speeded-up rhythms make you believe that there is an evil-doomed axemen accompanying the band but no everything is acoustic except maybe the effects pedals. The way of recording the cello is simply incredible and who knows where exactly they place the micros inside the cello. Elsewhere and throughout the album, the Zappa satire of the debut has segued a bit to more UZ gloom.
The album opens on effect pedal-deformed music, before unleashing Crimson-like crunchy riffs given by the trombone and sax over the now-doubled bass cello drones, while its follow-up is Gypsy/Jewish jazz. I find that the early part of the album is not as interesting as its later half, as the next few tracks retread what's been previously said in their debut album.. Astiatehdas is probably the most impressive cello-metal tune, one played at breakneck speed, but outside the cellos bits, it's little more than a super fast Gypsy jazz track. The slowly crescendoing Lapsuudenystava is again treading on the Gypsy grounds, but its masterful build peaks in the last minute. Olisimme is another cool and constantly evolving track, while the demented Lentava Mato is the fastest track on the album, driven by Hanninen's craziest of drumming, but unfortunately hammers again the Gypsy jazz nail once more, instead of striking a different chord. As they had done in the debut album, they chose again to finish their album with a very dramatic track Hyva Mieli, where the two inferno-cellos are making Metallica sound like a bunch of softies. Excellent track to end the album on.
All together a more inspired album than their debut, this could have been even better if that operatic-voice singer of Hoyry Kone had participated. Indeed I reiterate my wish to have at least one or two tracks sung with this kind of music to break up the monotony - although I don't mean it the way Nurinio would in their future collaboration. Some might be a bit tired at the end of such an album, because on the length, this type of music can be monotonous, no matter how it is played or brilliantly executed, partly because of its complexity, but also this endless revisitation of the same Eastern European Gypsy/Jewish musical realm. Indeed AV is hardly the first (and probably not the last either) in this niche, as there is Miriodor, Interference Sardine, Rouge Ciel in Quebec alone, not even mentioning Belgium or even Sweden/Finland. But AV does have its distinctive traits to avoid sounding like the rest of them and if you want just one album of their, Käärmelautakunta is the one to get, because all you need is one of their albums as so far up to Mahaan, they sound pretty well the same, a bit too much for comfort and owning a second album.

Sean Trane

To this point, their best effort yet. On "Käärmelautakunta" they weren't afraid anymore at going in the most extreme directions, expanding the ways of their previous release. Alamaailman Vasarat at their wildest, really ; now the guitar parts almost dominate the whole sound of the band and doesn't interfere in disparate tracks like they used to before. The album gains on energy but young blood and amplified distorted guitar do not necessarily means strong music. On "Käärmelautakunta" however it is the case ; an album full of twists and turns, and a sonic palette that includes cello, trumpet, trombone, pump organ and so on. If you liked the craziness of Emir Kusturica's movies, you will find entering in Alamaailman Vasarat's world is quite easy. A sense of drama, a sense of fair, a sense of music that likes to tickle the boundaries of contemporary music. Thus, a sense of prog.

Domenico Solazzo

This album is great. The group has a unique sound, made more possible by the instruments they use. Somehow they make acoustic instruments sound very dark and heavy - even distorted. I've been told they are exclusievly acoustic, but I swear some of this stuff sounds like it has added distortion. If they pulled off that sound naturally, I am very impressed. This album shows that Alamaailman Vasarat is a worthy successor to Hoyry Kone. It's still quirky, though the operatic side is gone, ostensibly because they don't have the vocalist from before. The songs can be fun, angry, sad, even melodic. It's very good, but I still see some room for improvement.

Chris

The second Alamaailman Vasarat album diversifies their style a bit. Their core business is still jagged gypsy folk with a punk-energy shot, but the intensity and tempos vary a bit more then on the debut. Strangely enough, the variation doesn't remove the impression that this band remains a one-trick stop.
The great thing about the album, and this type of Kletzmer folk music in general, is how immediate and catchy it is. Alamaailman Vasarat adds a (very) light RIO avant-garde touch to the music, adding some dissonance, sonic experimentations, interesting harmonic arrangements and of course their 'saxophone-metal' trick as evident on the sweeping Astiatehdas and the heavy Jaa, Hyva Mieli, which are, due to the more original approach, the two highlights of the album. But generally I find their music less dynamic and adventurous then the original world music that they were inspired by.
On top of that, Alamaailman Vasarat also let go of an essential feature of this type of music, namely heartfelt intensity. A few vivacious moments not withstanding, this music bears none of the passion and emotional turmoil that usually defines Kletzmer music. I only have to play a couple of minutes from a Turkish artist like Selim Sesler to hear how cold and calculated Käärmelautakunta sounds.
A nice listen but there's little to discover behind the pleasant façade, not from a musical perspective, nor emotionally. Hardly 3/5 stars.

Karl Bonnek

Well, there's honestly not much to say about this one. It's Alamaailman Vasarat, and it's good. Basically, the sound Alamaailman Vasarat encompasses, for those unaware, is one of a heavy, horn-induced drug overdose in the desert (for the Eastern elements of course!), something similar to the sound former band Höyry-Kone encompassed, but not nearly as varied, and missing the operatic vocals that certainly set that band's output well above this one's.
Essentially, the band plays instrumental, slightly jazzy, and typically very catchy music revolving around the heavy use of horns and the Egyptian scale. Käärmelautakunta, the bands' sophomore release, still remains my favorite release (yes, even more so than their newest, Maahan, which has been heavily praised). The album is a collection of similar sounding songs, none of which really stand out other than tracks 1, 2, and a few later tracks. While this may sound bland, it is far from it. They band as a whole manage to create a very involved, very well-performed musical soundscape, and it's one anyone who is a fan of bands like Secret Chiefs 3, Estradasphere, and others in this vein definitely deserves to hear. For first timers to the band, I'd recommend starting with this one, and then picking up their newest Maahan, which for the most part is, technically, a better album, but overall I still enjoy this one more.
Their first and third albums are pretty much skip-able, or only for collectors and fans, as much of their music is very same-same, and not much real development takes place through these albums, or truthfully, throughout this band's career.
Some may think I am discrediting the band and their music, but truthfully I am not. The album remains a fun, well-performed, and interesting array of Egyptian nuances and blare-horned competence (for lack of better way of explaining: this album has MANY Eastern influences throughout its course, in terms of the songwriting at hand). It's worth a listen, hell it's worth many listens, but I'd rather listen to both Estradasphere, Secret Chiefs 3, and especially Höyry-Kone (the most similar bands I can think of) any day, if for no reason other than the fact that so much more variety is showcased in those bands as opposed to on Alamaailman Vasarat's Käärmelautakunta.
In short, don't let the sample song on this site get you too excited, as it's likely that if you've heard it, you've essentially heard the whole album.
Recommended for fans of Avant music, the bands I mentioned above, jazz (sort of), and anyone who wants to hear some beautiful instrumental music. Certainly recommended, as said before, but not with the highest regards. Something like a straight-up 7.0 on my scale, or 3.5 stars on this one. So I have to choose. And I choose 3 stars, simply because this album pretty much embodies an album which I would describe as Good, but non-essential.

Figglesnout

With their sophomore album "Käärmelautakunta", Alamaailman Vasarat stay true the basis of their first album, but change things up just enough to make it a more enjoyable listen. This album follows in the footsteps of the longer and slower (and actually more beautiful) songs from the debut. The result is a slower and darker album with more of an emphasis on structure and melody and not frantic, directionless bursts horns and heavy metal cellos. Some people may be disappointed because of that, but some songs still do that, namely "Astiatehdas" and "Lentävä mato" which are, not surprisingly, the shortest on the album.
I find this to a much more enjoyable listen than the debut. The band takes more time to develop songs and give them direction and meaning. It's not quite as "fun" as the debut, but the band has a much more mature sound- and that's always a good thing. But despite these changes I'm talking about, fans should not be worried because AV are still playing their unique type of acoustic gypsy folk music, blaring horns and all. It's just that their presentation of it is a little different. Who wants to hear the same album twice? In any case, "Käärmelautakunta" is another enjoyable album from AV, even more so than the debut and still a pleasure listening to.
Standout songs: "Vasaraasialainen", "Astiatehdas"

Arsillus

Kaarmelautakunta is a more professionally written album than Vasaraasia, the songwriting and melodies are more dense and thought-out. Therefore we have more of an organized album, but still classic Vasarat. Crushing acoustic gypsy-metal-jazz and sometimes beautiful melodies are even more powerful this time around, and includes 2 simply incredible songs, "Hamarapuolella" and "Lentava Mato", both breathtaking in melody and strong in structure, combined with Vasaratian frenzy. This one is slightly better than the last, containing a more solid lineup of songs.
Reviewer's Tilt: (9.5/10)
Overall Score: 8.8 or 4.5 stars (rounded to 5 stars)

slack4justice

Acoustic death metal, or so they say, is the original and completely crazy style definition of RIO band Alamaailman Vasarat, insane finnish people with a very unusual perception about music, a clear view of a strange all-acoustic combo, with a very electric point of view, and it's still hard to believe there are no distorted elec guitars, only great composition and a huge acomplishment in sound and very effective imagination. Great!

Jose Manzanares

Misterios de Finlandia. Todo el mundo: disfrutar de esto.