Shaman (band)

Shaman was a Finnish folk metal band formed in 1993 which is notable for the heavy use of original native Sámic music elements and lyrics in Sámi. The most widely used elements are the shamanic drum, yoik and humppa. Besides yoik, the vocals vary from clean to rather aggressive growling.

The musical style of Shaman is quite distinctive, especially in the slow songs, due to its entrancing atmosphere created by the monophonic, "narrow" synth sound making the deep contrast to the spacious sound of the acoustic guitar, the shamanic drum and yoik singing.

The first recording released under the name of Shaman was the demo single "Ođđa máilbmi" ("New World" in Sámi). The video clip shot for the song featured a greatly emotional scene of a wolf breaking free from its cage and running into the forest. Besides the single CD the song was included to the band's first full-length album "Idja" ("Night" in Sámi, 1999) as well.

In 2003 Jonne Jarvela disbanded Shaman, and formed Korpiklaani, with the music style to a more conventional folk metal with folk/thrash vocals instead of yoiking. The last album of Shaman "Shamániac" (2002) already featured much of the future Korpiklaani style. In fact, the song, "Vuola lávlla," has the same music as the Korpiklaani song, "Beer Beer."

Shaman had no permanent line up except the frontman Jonne Järvelä.

Members

* Jonne Järvelä - vocals, yoik, electric and acoustic guitar, shamanic drum, percussions
* Samu Ruotsalainen - drums and additional bass
* Hosse Latvala - percussion drums
* Veera Muhli - keyboards
* Toni Nãykki - electric guitar
* Henri "Trollhorn" Sorvali (as Henri Trollhorn Urpon poika Sorvali) - keyboards
* Janne G`thaur - bass
* Tero Piirainen - guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
* Juke Eräkangas - drums, keyboards, backing vocals
* Ilkka Kilpeläinen - bass, backing vocals

Discography

*"Ođđa mailbmi" demo single (1998)
*"Idja" (1999)
*"Shamániac" (2002)

See also

Korpiklaani

External links

* [http://www.korpiklaani.com Korpiklaani/Shaman Official Site]