Origin: Finland  
Genres:
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Page online: January 3, 2008
Last update/review: April 4, 2020

Waltari

Named for the Finnish author Mika Waltari, this quirky rock/metal band has been around since the mid-eighties (1986, to be exact), and are still going strong after more than twenty years in the business. By all accounts Waltari is all over the map musically, tending to mutate and change course from one album to another, and based on cursory listens to earlier albums such as Big Bang and Torcha, a lot of their material falls outside the normal realm of metal, though several members have clear ties to more traditional metal bands. But a special mention must be made in reference to 1996's Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! A Death Metal Symphony In Deep C. Simply put, this is one of the best meldings of metal and a full orchestra ever done. This is not a metal band bashing out their tunes with a backing orchestra (a la Metallica's S&M, for example) -- no, the compositions were written for both the metal and orchestral instruments, and often not at the same time -- "death metal symphony" is truly an apt title for this ambitious and highly entertaining work. Just listen to "The Struggle For Life And Death" for an excellent example of extreme metal and orchestral components both complementing each other and shining on their own. Very few bands have really attempted anything like this (one example: Waltari was recommended for the BNR pages due to this album's similarity to the mighty Hollenthon, a good call), but Waltari not only made the attempt, they succeeded in grand style.

Current Members

Kärtsy Hatakka

vocals/bass

Jariot Lehtinen

guitars

Sami Yli-Sirniö

guitars (Barren Earth, Kreator)

Kimmo Korhonen

guitars

Antti Kolehmainen

guitars

Jani Hölli

keyboards

Ville Vehviläinen

drums

Former Members/Guests

Roope Latvala

guitars (ex-Children Of Bodom, ex-Sinergy, Stone, ex-Warmen)

Nino Silvennoinen

guitars

Janne Immonen

keyboards (ex-Ajattara)

Sale Suomalainen

drums

Janne Parviainen

drums (ex-Barathrum, Ensiferum, ex-Sinergy)

Mika Järveläinen

drums



Discography



Mut Hei  EP
1990
  1. Days Of Distress
  2. Icebox
  3. Sad Song
  4. Mut Hei
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sale Suomalainen



Monk Punk  
1991 Stupido
  1. Good God
  2. Rap Your Body Beat
  3. Curiosity
  4. Ride
  5. Hello
  6. Sad Song
  7. Same Old Story
  8. I Was Born In A Wrong Decade
  9. Universal Song
  10. Tired (F.U.C.K. Rap)
  11. Help
  12. Hevosenkuva
  13. Isolated
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Janne Parviainen



Torcha!  
1992 The All Blacks
  1. Lights On
  2. The Lie Of The Zombie
  3. I Held You So Long
  4. Dedicated To The Elves
  5. Lust Of Life
  6. Vogue
  7. Till The Music Nation
  8. Fool's Gold
  9. You Know Better
  10. Dance Electric
  11. Jukolauta
  12. Death Party
  13. I'm A Believe
  14. Fuckadelicatessen
  15. Waltari - Lapio
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Janne Parviainen



Pala Leipaa  
1993 Stupido
  1. Pois (Away)
  2. Good God
  3. Aika Tulee (Time Blows)
  4. Pala Leipää (A Piece of Bread)
  5. Liisteri-Mies (Glue Man)
  6. Nakki (Sausage)
  7. Olen Seuraaja (I Am a Follower)
  8. Mä Haluun Elää (I Wanna Live)
  9. Hippakaveri (Party Animal)
  10. Days of Distress
  11. Sad Song
  12. Rap Your Body Beat
  13. Shout
  14. Mut Hei! (But Hey!)
  15. Rasnavitsavia
  16. Icebox
  17. F.U.C.K. Rap
  18. Sillanpää (Bridge End)
  19. Tuttu Juttu (A Common Story)
  20. Kinastellaan (Let's Argue)
  21. Uhoa, Ei Tuhoa (Threat, Not Destruction)



So Fine!  
1994 The All Blacks
  1. The Beginning Song
  2. Mad Boys
  3. So Fine
  4. A Forest
  5. 45 5 42
  6. Celtic Funk
  7. (Your) Nature Is Wild
  8. To Live
  9. Piggy In The Middle
  10. Autumn
  11. Rhythm Is A Cancer
  12. Misty Man
  13. Mysterious
  14. ...
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Janne Parviainen



Big Bang  
1995
  1. Big Bang (Dream Avenue)
  2. Atmosfear
  3. Follow Me Inside
  4. Sensitive Touch
  5. On My Ice
  6. Showtime
  7. Color TV
  8. The Stage
  9. Jänkhä
  10. One In The Line
  11. Feel!
  12. Connection
  13. Real One
  14. Let's Get Crucified
  15. Slow Thinking Street
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Janne Parviainen



Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! Death Metal Symphony In Deep C  
1996
  1. Misty Deariness
  2. A Sign
  3. Deeper Into The Mud
  4. The Struggle For Life And Death Of Knowledge
  5. Completely Alone
  6. Move
  7. Time, Irrelevant
  8. The Top
  9. How Low Can U Go?
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Roope Latvala
  • Janne Parviainen
1996 Readers' Album #92




Space Avenue  
1997 EMI
  1. External
  2. Far Away
  3. Wolves On The Street
  4. Progression
  5. Blind Zone
  6. Purify Yourself (feat. Apocalyptica)
  7. Stars
  8. Prime Time
  9. Main Stream
  10. Look Out Tonite (feat. Apocalyptica)
  11. Walkin' In The Neon (feat. Anita Davis)
  12. Mad Luxury
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Roope Latvala
  • Janne Parviainen



Decade  COMPILATION
1998



Radium Round  
1999
  1. Back To The Bottom
  2. Every Bad Day
  3. Broken Bizarre
  4. Power Of Thoughts
  5. Atom Angel
  6. Number None
  7. Radium Round
  8. Love Rocket
  9. The Plan
  10. City Neurotic
  11. Scum
  12. 4000 Years
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Roope Latvala
  • Janne Parviainen



Channel Nordica  
2000 Parlophone
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Roope Latvala
  • Janne Parviainen



Back To Persepolis  EP
2001
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Janne Parviainen



Rare Species  
2004 Vindauga
  1. One Day
  2. Life without Love
  3. Megacity Rain
  4. Dreamworld
  5. What I Really Know
  6. My Pain
  7. Quick as a Day
  8. Dream
  9. Alone
  10. Live This!
  11. Wasting My Mind
  12. No Limit / Your Funky Rhythm / Symphony of Destruction
  13. Guardian Angel
  14. Living Then Living Now
  15. New Church
  16. There's No Tomorrow
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Mika Järveläinen



Rare Species Alive  VIDEO
2005 EMI



Blood Sample  
2005 Bluelight
  1. Helsinki
  2. Not Enough
  3. Too Much Emptiness
  4. Never
  5. New York
  6. I'm in Pain
  7. All Roads will lead to Rome
  8. Digging Inside
  9. Fly into the Light
  10. Shades to Grace
  11. Aching Eyes
  12. Back to the Audio
  13. Pigeons
  14. Exterminator Warheads
  15. Darling Boy
  16. Wide Awake
  17. Julia
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Mika Järveläinen



Early Years  COMPILATION
2006 Dockyard 1
  1. Good God
  2. Rap Your Body Beat
  3. Curiosity
  4. Ride
  5. Hello
  6. Sad Song
  7. Same Old Story
  8. I Was Born In The Wrong Decade
  9. Universal Song
  10. Tired (F.U.C.K. Rap)
  11. Help
  12. Isolated
  13. Hevosenkuva
  14. Punk
  15. En Ole Ihminen
  16. Another Sea
  17. Uusi Vallankumous
  18. Bröstvisan
  19. Not To Touch The Earth
  20. Mamammammammammammaa
  21. Tock Tock Rock
  22. Wait For America
  23. Peilin Pimeä Puoli
  24. Pois
  25. Good God (single version)
  26. Aika Tuulee
  27. Pala Leipää
  28. Liisterimies
  29. Nakki
  30. Olen Seuraaja
  31. Mä Haluun Elää
  32. Hippakaver
  33. Days Of Distress
  34. Sad Song (ep-version)
  35. Rap Your Body Beat (single version)
  36. Shout
  37. Mut Hei
  38. Rasnavitsnavia Icebox
  39. F.U.C.K. Rap
  40. Icebox
  41. Sillanpää
  42. Tuttu Juttu
  43. Kinastellaan
  44. Uhoa, Ei Tuhoa



Release Date  
2007 Dockyard 1
  1. Get Stamped
  2. Big Sleep
  3. Let's Puke Together
  4. Cityshamaani - Night Flight
  5. Cityshamaani - Good Morning
  6. Cityshamaani - Colgate County Showdown
  7. Cityshamaani - The Incarnation Party
  8. Cityshamaani - Sympathy
  9. Hype
  10. THD
  11. Sex in the Biergarten
  12. Wish I Could Heal
  13. Spokebone
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Ville Vehviläinen



The 2nd Decade - In The Cradle  COMPILATION
2008
  1. In The Cradle
  2. Get Stamped
  3. Not Enough
  4. One Day
  5. Helsinki
  6. System Odda Aiggi
  7. Dream World
  8. Atom Angel
  9. Wish I Could Heal
  10. Life Without Love - Billy Gould´s Remix
  11. Death Party
  12. Dream
  13. Rag Your Body Beat



Below Zero  
2009 Dockyard 1
  1. Below Zero
  2. I Hear Voices
  3. In The Cradle
  4. Without Lies
  5. Dubbed World
  6. Endless Highway
  7. Syntax Error
  8. My Own Satisfaction
  9. 10 Reasons Why Not To Hate Me
  10. Travel On
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Janne Immonen
  • Ville Vehviläinen



Covers All  COVERS
2011
  1. P.L.U.C.K. (System Of A Down cover)
  2. Give It To Me (Madonna cover)
  3. Dead Heart (Midnight Oil cover)
  4. Levoton Tuhkimo = Duke (Dingo cover)
  5. Look Back In Anger (David Bowie cover)
  6. Caught In A Mosh (Anthrax cover)
  7. Muoviruusuja Omenapuissa = Plastic Ships (Hassisen Kone cover)
  8. One Hundred Years (The Cure cover)
  9. Infinite Dreams (Iron Maden cover)
  10. Saucerful Of Secrets (Pink Floyd cover)
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Janne Immonen
  • Ville Vehviläinen



You Are Waltari  
2015
  1. 12
  2. Tranquality
  3. Solutions
  4. Only the Truth
  5. Mountain Top
  6. Right Wing Theme
  7. Strangled
  8. Keep It Alive
  9. Singular
  10. Not Much to Touch You
  11. Hyväolihyväoli
  12. Drag
  13. Televizor
  14. Diggin' the Alien
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Kimmo Korhonen
  • Nino Silvennoinen
  • Jani Hölli
  • Ville Vehviläinen



Global Rock  
2020 Metalville
  1. Postrock
  2. Metal Soul
  3. Skyline
  4. The Way
  5. No Sacrifice
  6. Sick n Tired
  7. Boots
  8. Going Up The Country
  9. Orleans
  10. Had It All
  11. And The
  12. Sand Witch
  13. Beloved
  • Kärtsy Hatakka
  • Jariot Lehtinen
  • Sami Yli-Sirniö
  • Kimmo Korhonen
  • Antti Kolehmainen
  • Jani Hölli
  • Ville Vehviläinen




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