Saavun Vaikken Kulkisi
Traditional to the bone, but still clearly finding it’s own sound despite the classic ”man+guitar” approach, Pyhä Kuolema debut album ”Saavun vaikken kulkisi” brings forth a dozen of atmospheric, national romantic, extremely emotional and intimate songs sung in Finnish.
The style of playing and singing varies from solemn ritualistic neofolk-songs to troubadur-like playful approach to traditional folk music. Mikko Ilmari “Riimu” Pöyhönen composed, sung, played, recorded and mixed the whole album by himself, giving it the intimate touch and thus manages the handling of the double edged sword that this kind of folk can be – the sometimes even rough and stripped down output with no gimmicks is this time successfully shaking hands with the alluring soft intensity.
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Below is a short excerpt from an interview with Mikko Pöyhönen of Pyhä Kuolema
HH: What kind of a message do you wish to convey with the name Pyhä Kuolema (‘holy death’)? Do you mean that death itself is holy, or that in the right circumstances, the death of an individual person can be holy? Death is also present in the name of your previous project Tuhat Kuolemaa Sekunnissa (‘a thousand deaths per second’)—are these names somehow related or connected?
MP: Pyhä Kuolema was originally the working title of the final release of Tuhat Kuolemaa Sekunnissa. This record never got made because we were busy setting up Tervahäät with my friend Kaarna. In fact, it was he who convinced me to continue making music on my own, so I went on to compose a few songs for a solo project, which did not have a name at that point.
Then one day I, when I happened to be thinking about what to do with those songs, I got a parcel from the United States. The parcel included a seven-day prayer candle with an image of the goddess Santisima Muerte. It was that which really sealed the name of the project.
Death as an entity is holy. It is eternal and impossible to overcome, and at the same time as multifaceted as any other figure dancing on a Pagan altar. As an event, a person’s death can be holy, or at the very least we all have the right to try to hallow it.
Click this link for the complete interview
The debut of Pyhä Kuolema “Saavun Vaikken Kulkisi” is being re-released in July in handsome digipack-CD with 12p. booklet.
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Track List:
1. Linnun laulu I
2. Nuori maa
3. Tuhat kuolemaa sekunnissa
4. Yöaika
5. Pelkurin palkka on rakkaudettomuus
6. Avaruusmies ja helvetinmies
7. Ajattele minua
8. Voimamies
9. Linnun laulu II
10. Syntymäpäivä
11. Pyhän äidin kuolema
12. Tanssi vainajille
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