TURISAS

TURISAS - Official Webshop Open For Business, New Album Available For Pre-Order

TURISAS have issued the following update:

"The official Turisas webshop is now open! You can access the webshop by using this link. Since the new merchandise products are not yet available the selection only include the forthcoming CD, LP and CD-single on pre-sale, but as soon as merchandise products are available they can be purchased from the Turisas Webshop. We are open for all the people all over the world."

The following is the official press release for Turisas' new album, The Varangian Way:

Finnish battle beasts TURISAS strike back with the frenetically awaited follow-up release to 2004’s debut Battle Metal. Titled The Varangian Way, this opulent and inspired masterpiece, which was recorded at Sound Supreme Studio and then mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studio (NIGHTWISH, HIM, APOCALYPTICA), transcends all sub-styles within the heavier metal worlds and unites each and all of their different elementary nuances into an experience unlike any other in a current scene of copycat bands.

Vocalist and producer Warlord explains the complex ideas behind this stunning new opus: "The album is based on a concept story which is fictional, but strongly tied to real historical persons and events. It's a journey of a group of Northmen, who travel down the East-European river route through the lands of modern day East Europe. This was an important trade route in the 9th-11th centuries and the Northmen going in this direction were called Varangians who took this route to Kiev and finally Constantinople. The album follows this journey and the songs are events that take place on the road. As much as it is a journey of these men, it is also a journey in a search for self and identity - something which the protagonist is going through throughout the story. The varying surroundings can clearly be heard on the album as it features a lot of influences from the different cultures and people our travellers would have encountered on their journey.

Making this album was a very challenging task. I started developing the idea and framework for the concept soon after “Battle Metal” was released in 2004 and it demanded a lot of groundwork and studying. The songs were written between mid-2005 and 2007 when it was clear what every song would be about. In the end of 2006 we were finally ready to enter Sound Supreme Studio together with co-producer Janne Saksa to record the album. It took over two and a half months of work to record the album and two weeks of mixing at Finnvox studio together with Teropekka Virtanen to finally finish the album in March 2007. The sound is big, pompous and orchestral, but also features a lot of progressive elements and ethnic influences. It's a daring blend of many different styles, but I'm confident that people are musically open minded enough to swallow this album. All in all I would say that it is a natural step forward from “Battle Metal” to a more mature sound - still definitely TURISAS, but at the same time different.”

The album will hit stores in Europe in June and will contain the following new battle hymns:
'To Holmgard And Beyond',
'A Portage To The Unknown',
'Cursed Be Iron',
'Fields Of Gold',
'In The Court Of Jarisleif',
'Five Hundred And One',
'The Dnieper Rapids',
'Miklagard Overture'.

Having converted many a fan to join their army during past appearances at renowned festivals like Wacken, Tuska, Earthshaker, Party.San, Bloodstock, Nummirock or Summer Breeze, as well as an European tour with DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER and more recently a sold-out UK tour with Finnish megastars LORDI, Turisas are now launching their second and most striking attack with the release of The Varangian Way and they have subsequently confirmed slots at Summer events like Graspop, With Full Force, Rock Hard Festival, with plenty more relentless touring to come.

TURISAS - New Song Medley Available

Finnish metallers TURISAS are releasing their sophomore album, The Varangian Way, in June via Century Media Records.

"We definitely have high expectations lined up after the success of our debut album “Battle Metal””, says vocalist and producer Warlord says in a band update. “Quite often the second album is done in a rush and doesn’t live up to the standards of the debut. We took three years to get it right, and there's no doubt about it: The Varangian Way tops Battle Metal with such ease I almost feel sorry for our debut."

In order to get a first taste check out a medley of two brand-new songs, 'To Holmgard And Beyond' and 'A Portage To The Unknown' at this location.

Warlord continues: "another small detail that still emphasizes the uniqueness of The Varangian Way is the fact that all solos were played on an electric violin instead of a guitar – and there are many more tiny details that you will notice while listening to the album. Graphic artist, illustrator and designer John Coulthart (CRADLE OF FILTH; HAWKWIND; poster and cover art for spoken word albums by writer Alan Moore (Watchmen, V For Vendetta) did the stunning artwork for this special album that will give you further insight on the brave travelers’ journey through the East."

The Varangian Way was recorded at Sound Supreme Studio and then mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studio (NIGHTWISH, HIM, APOCALYPTICA). It features the following tracks:
'To Holmgard And Beyond',
'A Portage To The Unknown',
'Cursed Be Iron',
'Fields Of Gold',
'In The Court Of Jarisleif',
'Five Hundred And One',
'The Dnieper Rapids',
'Miklagard Overture'.

TURISAS - New Single Hits Finnish Charts

Not only did Finland's TURISAS play an amazing show at Germany's Rock Hard Festival the past weekend with people dancing to their cover version of BONEY M's 'Rasputin' and having a completely enthused crowd in front of the stage successfully chanting to the rest of the audience to get up from the stairs of Gelsenkirchen's amphitheatre to their hit 'Battle Metal'. Their Finland only single 'To Holmgard And Beyond' went straight to the Finnish single charts on rank 13.

Warlord Nygård (vocals) comments on the release of the album: "It's a great feeling that finally the fans will be able to hear what we've been working on for so long, and I'm excited to see how well they will be able to understand or feel the whole concept, story-line and ideas behind the album."

To give you another appetizer, the next medley from The Varangian Way presenting 'In The Court Of Jarisleif' and 'The Dnieper Rapids' has been posted here.

The Varangian Way is due out in the following countries as follows:

UK: May 28, 2007.
Finland: June 06, 2007.
Germany / Austria / Switzerland / Benelux / Italy: Friday, June 15, 2007.
France / Denmark / Norway / Rest Of Europe: Monday, June 18, 2007.
Spain / Portugal: Tuesday, June 19, 2007.
Sweden / Hungary: Wednesday, June 20, 2007.

TURISAS Cover BONEY M Disco Hit, Official Video Clip Available Soon




TURISAS have issued the following update:

Finland's battle metallers Turisas will be swapping their blood soaked furs and axes for the glitter & glitz of the 70's disco era with the release of their debut single 'Rasputin' on 24th September.

On the release of their interpretation of the classic disco hit originally by Boney M, Warlord Nygard comments:

"We've been begged to record Rasputin pretty much since we first played it live a couple of years back. It's amazing how popular this cover version of ours have become at our gigs during the last year and it really makes us feel like we must have done something right here looking at big crowds going totally mental over a 70's disco hit! I remember getting the idea for this cover years back - in 2001 I think. I was on a ferry trip between Finland and Sweden and there was this cover band performing 70's disco hits. The minute they blasted 'Rasputin' I knew, that at some point, we would need to do it in some form or another. It was just obvious that it would work amazingly well given a slightly more modern and heavier touch-up. Personally I've always preferred these old 70's disco bands".

The band were busy filming the video for 'Rasputin' in Hämeenlinna, Finland with director Vesa-Matti Vainio(Vasarafilms) earlier this week and Warlord reported back.

"We had a tough day yesterday shooting the video for 'Rasputin' and now my whole body is aching. The setting for the video is really weird but cool! Think Saturday Night Fever meets Turisas with a worn out East-European twist... Mirror balls, high heels, high waists, cocktails, hotpants vs. fur, blood, dirt and sweat. Quite a combo!". A link to the video will be made available very soon.

une video :

c'etait "Rasputin" au festival Download (Juin 2007):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpwNJGr8EM4