Alamaailman Vasarat - Vasaraasia (2000)

Lo prometido es deuda, y les había prometido la discografía de la continuación de la gran banda Höyry-kone que les rompió la cabeza a varios cabezones, y aquí está, encabezando esa avanzada del rock ¿rock? proveniente de Finlandia; una enfermiza amalgama entre distantes estilos, pasan de lo divertido del folk y ritmos gypsys a lo incidental y lento de la música de filme, sólo para después caer en cuestiones más agresivas de punk y hasta death metal (así se les ha considerado). A todo esto sumamos momentos opresivos-descoloridos de Chamber Rock y un sistema exclusivamente acústico que comprende una dedicada sección de vientos y chelos. Aclaro que esta serie en donde presentaré la discografía de esta banda les volará la cabeza, distinguida obra que se pasea por múltiples modos expresivos, saltando de un género a otro, usando diferentes patrones rítmicos, y nutriéndose de toda música que se les antoje, son un increíble desarrollo imaginativo y musical. Y vamos a traer cada uno de sus discos según su orden de aparición, ahora con su espléndido primer disco de ésta genial banda finlandesa y todo un ejercicio de mezclar estilos.

Artista: Alamaailman Vasarat

Álbum: Vasaraasia
Año: 2000
Género: RIO / Avant-Prog
Duración: 52:19
Nacionalidad: Finlandia

Lista de Temas:
1. Mamelukki & musta leski ~ Mameluc & black widow
2. Perikunta ~ Heirs
3. Lakeus ~ Open field
4. Unikkotango ~ Poppy tango
5. Asuntovelka - mortgage
6. Kebab tai henki! ~ Your kebab or your life
7. Jano ~ Thirst
8. Tankkaustunti ~ Drinking happy hour
9. Merikäärme ~ Sea serpent
10. Häntä hellii käärme ~ Caressed by snake
11. Hakumies ~ Grim reaper
12. Delhin yöt ~ Delhi nights
13. Siltojen alla ~ Under the bridges

Alineación:
- Jarno Sarkula / Soprano & Tenor saxophone
- Erno Haukkala / trombone
- Miikka Huttunen / pump organ, grand piano, keyboards
- Tuukka Helminen / cellos
- Marko Manninen / cellos
- Teemu Hänninen / drums, percussion

La música instrumental del grupo finlandés Alamaailman Vasarat no es fácil de colocar en una categoría predeterminada. Tiene influencias de jazz, música folk y evoca a la música gitana y Klezmer. Entre sus posibles inspiraciones se suele citar a Samla Mammas Manna, Diablo Swing Orchestra y Miriodor desarrollados desde su punto de partida que fue Höyry-kone, pero esa descripción evidentemente les queda corta y chica. Quizás sean demasiado abarcativos como para tratar de apresarlos en pocas palabras.
Esta semana los van a conocer bien y les pretendo quemar la cabeza con sus discos, están avisados. Sobretodo porque en el fin de semana me acordé de ustedes y me freí los tímpanos con toda su discografía sin parar.



"Vasaraasia" es el álbum debut de esta original banda, es un album de corte sumamente ecléctico caratulado como "avnat-prog", cualquier cosa que eso signifique podemos limitarnos a disfrutar de esta conjunción de sonidos bipolarmente acomodados, mezcla exquisita de jazz, metal, folk regional propio de Finlandia, etc. Encima podés bailar y mover los huesos y las neuronas, y con una gran interpretación de sus instrumentistas, así que también los podés únicamente escuchar, o las dos cosas, como más los disfrutes. Cabe mencionar que la música carece de todo tipo de normativa aparente, excelente para una tarde psicótica y desenfrenada llena de locura y descontrol. Muy balcánico, muy "Kusturica". Excelente tema por tema y disco por disco.

¡Ésta sí que es una banda interesante! Me decidí a contribuir con un disco distinto. Lleno de texturas que sobre pasan lo habitual. Las disonancias, que tanto me gustan, tienen su rol protagónico como pocas veces he escuchado.
Claro, estamos hablando de una banda que hace música del Este Europeo con mucha onda gitana. Es muy hermosa esta música, facílmente alguien que no es de escuchar como yo se ha quedado cautivado con todos sus discos al punto tal de escucharlos una y otra vez sin darse cuenta hasta que la mirada atónita de un conocido nos hace dar cuenta de nuestra acabada experiencia con una música de otro mundo. Otro mundo que no es más que el mismo pero de otro lado del mundo. ¿Qué quieren que les diga? Cuando escucho toda esta música sueño estar en esos países soviéticos donde la propaganda del consumismo no te llegaba. Cualquiera me puede decir que existía la propaganda de algún gobierno socialista y que éste privaba muchas libertades. Sí, claro que tiene razón. Pero eso no lo hace menos hermoso al ambiente que me hace llevar este disco.
El disco es extraño de por sí. Más para alguien como yo. En Progarchives, con su cuota de verdad, dicen que por momentos suena un riff cuasi-punk. Lo cual es cierto. No quiero meterme a enumerar paso por paso todas las formas que aparecen. Es Avant-Prog y Sencillamente sería volverse loco haciéndolo.
La banda, de origen finlandés, que su nombre traducido significaría "Los Martillos del Bajo Mundo", comenzó todo por el año 1997 como un proyecto paralelo de Teemu Hänninen (batería) y Jarno Sarkula (flauta, saxo soprano, bajo), integrantes de una banda de Avant-Prog llamada Höyry-kone.
Para aquellos que ya lo han escuchado y han vuelto a este humilde, y a veces no tanto, blog para saber bien que han escuchado, éste no es su mejor disco. Pero como para empezar está bien. Con esto que digo es que tienen discos que sobresalen y que marcan puntos muy altos en su carrera. El siguiente a éste es un caso a nombrar.
Si, lo sé. Los estoy dejando con más ganas de escucharlo. Bueno, vaya a su desquería amiga y comprelo, si es que no lo miran raro cuando les dicen que no les entiende que banda están buscando. Sin más, dejo más abajo toda la info. ¡Saludos!

Psych Underground Music

Vamos con algunos datos de esta banda increíble llamada Alamaailman Vasarat, que en finlandés quiere decir "Los Martillos del Inframundo". La banda se formó en el año ’97 con lo que quedó del desaparecido Höyry-kone y son realmente eclécticos. Ellos definen su música como "kebab-kosher-jazz-films-traffic-punk-music". Y se quedan cortos porque sus canciones incluyen estilos que van desde del klezmer hasta el cabaret, pasando por el tango, el death metal más furioso y hasta la música de circo. Obviamente usan instrumentos muy variados, incluyendo saxos, tuba, clarinete, órgano y piano, trombón, cello, batería y percusión. Además tocan el Stakula’s Tubax, un saxofón contrabajo con que hacen delirar al público en los shows.
Sin importar qué estilo haga, los Alamaailman Vasarat siempre van a ser un grupo salvaje. Ojo, no confundan salvaje con "estridente". De hecho, los pasajes más escalofriantes suceden durante los pianissimos, cuando los fans dicen que hasta se puede oír murmurar a los muertos seis pies bajo la tierra.
¿No me creen que son salvajes?... escuchen, miren...

Bueno, en éste post voy a incluir temas que no están en el disco que presento, pero no importa, será para que conozcan a la banda, y porque ví los videos y me gustaron mucho. Igual recuerden que en éstos días presentaremos la discografía completa...

Y bueno, yendo estrictamente a lo musical, vamos con algunos comentarios de terceros...

Tres miembros de la esencial banda finlandesa Hoyry-Kone, Jarno Sarkula, Marko Manninen y Teemu Hanninen, formaron esta banda paralela junto a unos amigos, Erno Haukkala y Miikka Huttunen, antes de que se disolvieran los primeros.
Alamaailman Vasarat, que significa martillos del mundo subterraneo, es una banda realmente muy diferente de Hoyry-Kone, aunque logicamente puede apreciarse algun resquicio del sonido de aquellos, debido a la presencia de tres de sus componentes.
El estilo que practican Alamaailman Vasarat no se si puede catalogarse de rock progresivo, tal vez a lo que mas se acercaria es al RIO, aunque tampoco es eso realmente. Pero lo que esta claro es que este album, Vasaraasia, es una obra descomunal, rompedora, de una creatividad insultante, una obra maestra de la musica, sea el estilo que sea. Por curiosidad, el grupo vendio bastante bien el album, habiendose situado en los primeros puestos del chart europeo de world music, algo muy engañoso por que dudo mucho que esto tenga mucho que ver con alguna de las diferentes variantes de la polemica etiqueta world music. Algunas etiquetas que algunos utilizan para definir su musica, entre otros ellos mismos, son "ethnic brass punk" y "kosher-kebab-jazz".
Ya los instrumentos que utiliza el grupo son realmente atipicos, saxos, trombones, cellos, pump organ y bateria, sin guitarras ni bajos, y el estilo que siguen es una riquisima mezcla de sonidos entre los que se encuentran jazz, RIO, musica arabe, india y oriental, metal 90's, film music, musica clasica y diferente folklore europeo, e incluso toques de polka y tango.
Como he dicho no hay guitarras y, sin embargo, aunque parezca mentira, hay potentes riffs metalicos. Como se explica?, pues por que los riffs metalicos no estan hechos con guitarras sino con cellos distorsionados, y la verdad es que no se nota la diferencia a como si estuvieran instrumentados con guitarras.
A pesar de los atipicos instrumentos, y de su estilo original, extraño y diferente a cualquier otra cosa, no creo que este album sea de una gran complejidad, hay mucha melodia asequible para mucha gente en este disco, igual que los ritmos y atmosferas.
Pasando al contenido del album, tenemos de todo. Temas muy dinamicos, vitales y alegres, algo influenciados por los Samla Mammas Manna mas festivos entre otras cosas, como Mamelukki & Musta Leski, Perikunta, Kebab tai Henki y Hanta Hellii Kaarme. Otros contundentes, duros y sucios, como Asuntovelka donde los riffs metalicos al estilo Korn y grupos similares se hacen los amos, Tankkaustunti y Delhin Yot. Y por ultimo piezas muy enigmaticas, suaves, melodicas y melancolicas que podrian tener de referencia a Anekdoten o Univers Zero por decir algo, como la impresionante pieza tenebrosa y funebre Lakeus con ese maravilloso pump organ, Unikkotango que es un personalisimo tango, la enigmatica Jano, Merikaarme, la increible belleza de Hakumies, y por ultimo, Siltojen Alla tal vez mi preferida, aunque realmente todo el album es perfecto.
La combinacion entre las dulces y calidas melodias creadas con los saxos y trombones, y el bombardeo de riffs metalicos de fondo, presente en los temas Mamelukki & Musta Leski, Asuntovelka, Tankkaustunti, Delhin Yot y Siltojen Alla, es algo que no puede ser explicado con palabras. Un demencial contraste entre la belleza y la suciedad.
Que nadie se espere nada parecido a cualquier grupo de rock progresivo, pero da igual, este album no tiene desperdicio de principio a fin, una absoluta obra maestra y para mi gusto, el mejor disco de lo que llevamos de decada.
Puntuacion: 10/10

Ferran Lizana

Y para ir cerrando, la musicalización de la banda sobre el film "Vampyr" de 1932, como que es justo para que me cargue el Mago Alberto, como siempre lo hace cuando tiene oportunidad.

Hay que decir que todos los discos, más allá de sus momentos alocados, tienen de manera alternada pequeñas secciones musciales altamente emotivas y melodiosas, que fuerzan el contraste con las fuerza violenta impresa en la generalidad de sus composiciones. Estas irrupciones nostálgicas, melodiosas y oscuras se puede apreciar en el segundo track de "Vasaraasia". Luego vuelve todo a la locura habitual. Sería como la depresión después de un ataque psicótico.

Y tenemos comentarios de ellos en todos lados del mundo donde la azorada gente ha podido disfrutar de sus shows:

Este grupo tocó en el 11° Festival Internacional de Puebla, no los conocía, ni conocía ese tipo de música, pero me llamó la atención que decía que era una mezcla de música klezmer*, gitana, jazz y no se que tanto XD, también tocaría otro grupo llamado Klezmerson que son de México. Pero me llamó mucho la atención Alamaailman Vasarat, tocaron con mucha energía, me gustaron mucho sus canciones y después de ese día me puse a investigar más de ellos; son de Finlandia y han compuesto música para varias películas finlandesas. Me alegra haber descubierto un grupo como este, que me abrió a otro tipo de música que no conocía. Además algo que me llamó la atención, es que a pesar de que no tienen letra sus canciones, cada disco cuenta una historia. Por cierto, su nombre significa "Los martillos del infierno" y ellos definen su estilo musical como kebab-kosher-jazz-film-traffic-punk-music XD. Mi disco favorito es Huuro Kolkko, sobre todo la cancion "Loula", creo que es su disco más reciente.

Karen Merklina

Y bueno, como dije, éste es el primer disco pero le entramos a toda su discografía así que preparen su disco rígido, su equipo de música, sus tímpanos y sus neuronas. Claro que va a estar todo en la Biblioteca Sonora, espero que les guste y les reviente el marote.

Y nbo tengo nada más para contarles, escúchenlos con atención, y ésto va con uno o dos discos por día hasta completar la colección.
Vamos con los comentarios en inglés y no perdamos más tiempo.

Just like a fellow Prog Collaborator so accurately stated before me, Alamaailman Vasarat's music is heavily rooted in the Eastern European gypsy folk, not unlike their more rock-oriented precursors Höyry-Kone: a fact undisputedly evidenced from the opening track of their debut "Vasaraasia". In fact, the typical exotic drive from gypsy folk is magically enriched by a sense of genius folly which seems to arise not only from the influence of HK, but also Samla Mammas Manna, Slapp Happy, and in general, the most satirical side of RIO. There is also an aggressive facet in AV's music, which is provided mainly by the two cellists. Here and there you may hear what seems to be a series of quasi-punk fuzz guitar riffs, but what is really going on is that the cellists are playing powerful chord progressions on their instruments, previously supplied with bizarre effect tools. The opening track 'Mamelukki & Musta Leski' is a wonderful source of motivation: its beautiful melodic lines and the contagious electricity emanated by the performers, all at once, make it a recommended listen for those minutes after you've just awakened, and still haven't made up your mind to get up our of your comfortable bed. Track 2 keeps the good vibrations working, with a slightly lesser degree of intensity. Even though there is a large amount of fast numbers in "Vasaraasia", there are others that don't feel so uplifting: in fact, there's also room for some languid, dark pieces, at times bordering on the somber - 'Jano'/'Tankkaustunti' and 'Hakumie' are IMHO the most accomplished dark pieces. All things considered, though, the listener is likely to find himself in awe of the frontal candor exhibited in most parts of the album, especially the interplays between sax and trombone and the well articulated complementation of the pump organ chords with the rhythm section. There's tons of electrifying energy condensed here, and yet there's more electronic stuff in the effects than in the instrumental arsenal itself. Well, eventually the circus has to leave town to take its tricks and gags somewhere else, but the circus caravan won't leave quietly: the ultra-fast 'Delhin Yot' seems designed to cause the audience's farewell applauses, while the finale serves as a musical background for the technicians dismantling the stage and quickly picking up all packages into the trucks. Overall mark: 3 ½ - 4 / 5 stars.

César Inca

3.5 stars really!!!
This absolutely crazy acoustic band is one of the legacy of the crazed Hoyry Kone . Somehow relatively close to the spirit of the now defunct HK, three members united (though not necessarily as musicians) to make some totally acoustic fusion music not far removed from the Gypsy Jazz music that you would hear from an Emir Kusturica movie (Underground or Time of the Gypsys). A completely acoustic quintet, where the duo brass attack (I know the sax is a wood, but WTH), much of the rhythm comes from Maninen's cello replacing the bass and rhythm guitar (ac or el) and is part of much of the group's original sound, especially in the manner of recording the cello, although they will fine-tune that later on. The frantic drumming is provided by Haninen and often comes to the festive mood that was HK's. Completing the quintet is Huttunen on piano, but also the pump organ, which provides again a weird personality to the group, often between the accordion and the harmonium. Their first album is adequately released on the highly-specialised Swedish label Silence (thinking of Von Zamla etc.) and comes in a superb digipack with an intriguing escalator artwork and in the booklet itself, a wintery and night urban décor that fits the music rather well.
As said above, the musical directions heads out east and southbound, to the eastern European soundscapes of the Gypsy and Jewish traditions, adding a certain rock feeling and energy that would make a rear granddad raise from his grave and dance once more one of those polkas of yesteryears. There is an unreal and slightly grotesque/satirical facet of their music (much as you'd find on most of Zappa's music) that can eventually tire out quickly some progheads, especially those who are more prone to symphonic soundscapes. Personally I prefer AV's slower (and usually longer) tracks, rather to the all-out cosmic-speed playing of the faster (and shorter) polkas. The general AV canvas is alternating between the two types of extremes, with no middle ground.
Some tracks provide a welcome rest between the relatively similar polka to avoid repetition but ultimately, given the full duration of the album, it is relatively ineffective in the long run. Highly atmospheric (even gloomy ala UZ) tracks like Hakumies, an impressive crescendo that transforms into a sort of tango, or the dramatic finale Siltojen Alla, with its almost metallic doom-metal cello alternating with speed-thrash-metal polka played at breakneck speed. My personal favourite track on this album is Tankkaustunti, where Haukkalla's trombone teams up with Maninen's cello to give crunchy riffs and chords (that most metalheads would love to invent acoustically) over an eerie pump organ in the background, the whole thing turning almost in a bolero with its war-like drumming. Lakeus also draws an honourable mention.
But once the surprise gone, in regards to repetitive listenings, the music settles is a sort of monotonous way to become relatively quickly uninteresting (even though it is impeccably played) and really tiresome as the album reaches the last track. The fact that this is totally instrumental does not help as you need to constantly look up to the deck display to see which track is playing. Though the follow-up is better, if you're a glutton for punishment, I'd tell you to start with that one, knowing that this one is much less inventive, therefore you'll save yourself a bit of enjoyment for their marginally better second album.

Sean Trane

On the aftermath of Hoÿry-Kone, there was much to expect from the now called "Hell's Hammers". The first striking difference between the two bands is the absence of singer Topi Lehtipuu, but then we should enter on this album for what it has to say, not necessarily for what we want to ear from it. Alamaailman Vasarat gained a strong jazz inclination in opposite of Hoÿry-Kone, but like the latter they seem to have this amazing ability of making things collapse together to create their own grammar. You'll find hints of klezmer music, jazz as said earlier, but also a touch of metal. The contrasts are not so obvious than what they did with their former band but "Vasaraasia" is a promising debut that certainly hooked the attention of Naked City, Creedle and Mr.Bungle's enthusiasts.

Domenico Solazzo

Taking from the point Morphine managed in the 90's, in their sax-driven rock, Alamaailman Vasaria messed up even further rock's structure. Adding this, guitars and bass were abandoned and substituted by a crafted crusade of cellos and trombones. Music was an amalgam of genres, from progressive rock, folk music, eastern popular orchestral music, even a touch of tango and a gypsies/post-circus fragrance all over. The result lyes between the boundaries of an odd, dissonant paranoia, an elegy relying much more on a mesmerizing humorous craziness than on elegance.
Nevertheless the band doesn't neglect the most subtle side of music, "Lakeus" or "Hakumies", it is not as particularly effective as it would expect from the combination of these instruments. Few times the effort is compelling and memorable, like on "Memelukki & Musta Leski", while many other moments seem to be a parody carillon: "Perikunta", "Kebab tai Henki" or "Delhin Yöt". They inevitably couldn't avoid touching Scandinavian death metal on "Asuntovelka", with the intelligently distorted effects on the cello almost resembling heavy guitar riffs.
While mixing all those influences in this eclectic melting pot, they recreated something somewhat original but, nonetheless, ended to be a failed intent to make a revolution: it is not convincing enough to please the masses, nor sufficiently intriguing to captivate the intellectual elite. 3,5/5 stars.

TRoTZ

Rejoice, all prog fans! Here we have some good music that, on top of it all, you can dance to!
All seriousness aside, this is a very very good album. I've been spinning a lot recently, getting used to the intense craziness that this band offers. Up until this point, I've never heard any band with this type of style of music. They have the really fast point where you lose your head in the intensity (usually a good thing here), and you have the slow parts with the inventive themes that pull you in. Even though not every track is a full winner, they are basically all fun and, as I said before, you can dance to almost every one of them. And who doesn't love that.
My favorite song on the album is, probably, the very first song, kicking off the album in a whirlwind of crazy polka-ish music. The other songs cover many different music forms as well. Slower songs like Lakeus have slow, building themes, which is followed right by Unikkotango, and you don't need to know Finnish to know that this is indeed one unique tango (even though I don't think that's the actual translation, according to the above track listing). And of course, there's the insane fast happy-go-lucky march of Kebab tai henki! Tankkaustunti just scares you to death with its opening riff, and so on and so forth. Of course, the other songs are worthwhile, but these just show the different form of song on the album.
If you have an open mind, get the album and see what you think. It is one unique experience, I can tell you that much. 3/5 stars.

Yanns

Vasaraasia is the debut of Alamaailan Vasarat, a Finnish band with a fine mix of kletzmer-styled RIO with dots of 'metal'. This could potentially turn into a kind of a gimmick, and it kind of does. But I believe the material and musicianship remains strong and varied enough to support continued listening pleasure.
The band really fires through all sorts of instrumental polka and gypsy tunes, they add some jazz, a hint of avant-rock, and something that sounds like heavy metal guitars. Not too much, not even in every song, but where applied it gives this already very dynamic music another boost of energy. Surprisingly, the heavy sound is created with cellos and low-key trombone, but it sure sounds like distorted electric guitar to me.
The closest bands to compare them with would be Von Zamla, or Zorn's Masada injected with a shot of punk energy and aggression. Also the Norwegian polka-indie-rock of Kaizer's Orchestra comes to mind, be it that that band has vocals, use electrical guitars and are generally much better songwriters.
Alamaailan Vasarat's debut makes for an interesting listen where kletzmer folk music meets the energy of rock, a very alluring combination of sadness and vitality, perfect for my taste. With a keen eye for good hooks and the high level musicianship they've kept me engaged for the entire 51 minutes of this album. A great find. 3.5 / 5 stars

Karl Bonnek

It is almost inconceivable to me than anyone wouldn't love this band. Imagine a Bar Mitzvah played by Apocalyptica...or Finntroll with 60% less Black Metal and 80% more authentic instruments...or even John Zorn with a Gypsy fetish. How about Tom Waits' backing band doing Univers Zero cover tunes? What's not to love?
Seriously, though, I do understand that insane ethnic party jazz metal isn't everyone's cup of tea. Still, I dare you not to get a smile on your face from the very first few seconds. And I dare you not to be blown away by the sheer proficiency of the musicians (whether you approve of their choice of instruments or not).
And it's not all party. There's plenty of dramatic, even dark moments on the album ("Lakeus" could scare the pants off of you if you were in the right frame of mind, and some of the other songs can certainly evoke a sinister circus or a New Orleans funeral from time to time). The dynamic and thematic range is pretty broad, given the specific genre (a genre of one? Who else sounds quite like this?). From intricate blazing exoticism to death-metal-heavy martial moments ("Tankkaustunti" is an excellent example), this is one band that can cover a lot of exotic territory (like a wave of Cossacks, raping and pillaging across the musical Eastern landscape...okay, now I'm getting carried away with the metaphors).
I'm always raving about Comus, but it's not all that strained a comparison; though drastically different in form, the two bands manage to achieve the same ecstatic menace, that evil abandon that you just know is going to lead impressionable youth to kinky bonfire scenes and maybe a blood sacrifice or two...if only enough impressionable youths would listen to this kind of music (unlikely, for better or worse).
No, really, this is mostly just good crazy fun. Does humor belong in music? If you've checked yours at the door, don't bother with this band. Just give your copy to the next acidhead Rabbinical student you meet (and hide the cutlery!). Freedom Freedom Freedom Oy!

James Lee

It's a nice album, but it has a bit too much of useless try-outs on it. Some of the song sound too much like party music to make a real impact. The general atmosphere of the album is quite nice however. Sometimes loud, sometimes softer, some nice change. But the songs don't stay with me, 3*

Jelle the scientist

On their debut album, Alamaailman Vasarat doesn't waste any time letting you know they play a completely different breed of music. Alamaailman Vasarat play very fast and chaotic acoustic gypsy folk with a bit of metal with saxophones, trombones, organs, pianos and two cellos that are often electrified to sound like a distorted guitar. It's really quite unique music. The music possesses very playful and lighthearted energy that is actually quite fun to listen to. The band plays passionately and frantically throughout the entire album.
The album is all instrumental, which (like many other great instrumental albums) is a good move because there's simply so many musical ideas going on, singing would only get in the way. Most of the songs are shorter, around the 3 minute mark but a few are considerably longer. These songs are mostly characterized as energetic bursts of energy, which, thankfully, are kept short because if they were any longer they would most definitely be extending their welcome. The longer songs are usually slow, more drawn out with a dirge- like feel to them. The band predominately sticks to these two extremes with little variation.
That's really my main issue with the album, though. While there's nothing bad, only like half of it is really good. It suffers from a lack of direction and, especially in the second half of the album, it sounds like the are just repeating ideas from earlier with little variety. That's actually kind of a shame considering how interesting the music is. But those concerns aside, Alamaailman Vasarat should be considered nothing less than fresh, which provides for a fun listen.
Standout songs: "Mamelukki & Musta Leski", "Häntä hellii käärme"

Arsillus

I cannot imagine giving this colossal mindblowing finnish weirdos less than 4/5 stars.
I bought this album 2-3 years ago and it is still spinning in my CD player regullary. It even appeals to most of my friends and peers, who are not easily convinced by my taste of music. The reason for that maybe is that Alamailman Vasarat really is dancable RIO. This phrase of course seems to approximately describe a paradoxon if you think of other Bands of that Genre... But the Avantgardness is obviously (I mean, i have never heard such furious and original sound) and if Tracks like the first one, Kebab tai henki! doesn´t urge you to throw your feet up in the air and dance ,... well at least it urges you to freak out... And the best thing is: Exactly when you have reached the Point when your feet turned into steaming ...something.., more quiet Tracks or powerful slow songs appear, which are really enjoyable for listening. Similarities to other bands are hardly found. Maybe you could describe them as a version of CRO MAGNON (or other bands like this) totally gone wild.

Rapataz

Welcome to the fun world of alamaailman Vasarat, enjoy this musical gypsy circus. Fabulous highly skilled musicians in a pandemonium of cheerfull tunes and fast paced delightfull tunes. Even the more sad songs can't escape a cheerfulness unmatched before.
Fabulous and fun to listen. 4 / 5.

Gerald Tuxon

Alamaailman Vasarat is excellent because they play a blend of metal and tango, which would tend to be the background music to an ancient bar fight between two burly guys with impressive beards. The band only consists of cellos, trombone, sax and keyboards, but they create a hectic and lushly orchestrated instrumental avant-prog that is surprisingly, incredibly catchy. In my opinion, their sound is something I keep coming back to because of how unique and just how cool it is. From the snarling polka of Marmelukki & Musta Leski, to the brooding pirate anthem of Lakeus, Alamaailman Vasarat consistently impresses throughout the entire album, sometimes catching you off guard with heavy grooves, or just dazzling you with melody. I'd also like to add here that this is definitely the coolest use of a cello I've ever heard, because sometimes it's distorted, and retains the bowing sound, it's definitely something to be heard. Sadly, the album tends to lose steam towards the end, and for such a steam engine-like band, it can be disappointing. However the album never entirely loses momentum to me because the music always grabs me. The album picks back up in intensity with Hanta Hellii Kaarme, in my opinion it's the most thoughtful song on the album because it's melody is so strong and it covers their sound in one swoop. In conclusion, Vasaraasia is a surprisingly fresh and inventive album. I've never heard anyone like this, and I'm glad I haven't.
Reviewer's Tilt: (9/10)
OVERALL SCORE: 8.2/10 or 4 stars

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