Finntroll is a Finnish folk metal band from Helsinki. The band combines elements of black metal and death metal with a Finnish style of folk music known as humppa. Its lyrics are predominantly in Swedish, with the only exception being the song "Madon Laulu" from "Visor om slutet". The original vocalist Jan “Katla” Jämsen chose to use Swedish rather than Finnish because he belonged to the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland and felt the language better suited the band’s troll-themed image. Despite several changes in vocalists over time, this linguistic approach has remained part of the band’s identity. As of 2026, Finntroll’s discography includes seven studio albums, one live album and three EPs. The most recent studio album, "Vredesvävd", was released in 2020. Finntroll was formed in 1997 with an initial line-up that included guitarist Teemu “Somnium” Raimoranta and vocalist and lyricist Jan “Katla” Jämsen. In 1998 they were joined by guitarist Samuli “Skrymer” Ponsimaa, drummer Samu “Beast Dominator” Ruotsalainen, keyboardist Henri “Trollhorn” Sorvali and bassist Sami “Tundra” Uusitalo, forming the band’s first stable line-up. In the same year, they released their first demo, "Rivfader". The band’s second album, "Jaktens Tid", was released in 2001. Following its release, the band performed at festivals in Finland and other countries. The album also features yoiking by Jonne Järvelä, who was at that time the vocalist of the band Shaman and later became known for his work in Korpiklaani. After the release of "Jaktens Tid", the band experienced significant changes. Some touring activities were cancelled, and Jan “Katla” Jämsen retired from live performance due to a viral tumour affecting his vocal cords, although he remained involved in songwriting. His final vocal recordings appeared on the EP "Visor om slutet", recorded in early 2003 in a forest cabin near Helsinki. The EP is an acoustic-oriented release featuring shared vocals between Jämsen and new vocalist Tapio Wilska, who had previously been active in Sethian and Lyijykomppania. The EP was released as a mid-priced release and remained on the Finnish mid-price chart for several weeks. On 16 March 2003, shortly before the release of "Visor om slutet", guitarist Teemu Raimoranta died after an accident in Helsinki. Following this, the band continued touring in Europe for a short period, supported by Katatonia. Mikael Karlbom was later recruited as a replacement guitarist. In 2004, Finntroll released the song "Trollhammaren", which served as a precursor to the album "Nattfödd". In the same year, Henri Sorvali stopped touring with the band, with session musicians filling in temporarily. Aleksi “Virta” Virta joined as an official second keyboardist in 2005. On 29 January 2006, Tapio Wilska was dismissed from the band. Wilska stated that the reason for his departure would remain private. He was replaced by Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns, who became the band’s full-time vocalist. The album "Ur jordens djup" was released in March 2007. It featured a more prominent use of keyboards alongside melodic guitar work. Jan “Katla” Jämsen contributed lyrics for the album and has continued in this role. The final track includes an acoustic hidden piece titled "Trollvisan". The band released the album "Nifelvind" in 2010. Prior to its release, the song "Solsagan" was made available as a music video in January 2010. The album was released in February 2010. Finntroll’s sixth studio album, "Blodsvept", was released on 25 March 2013. In 2014, drummer Samu Ruotsalainen announced his departure from the band, which was described as amicable. He was replaced by Heikki “Mörkö” Saari. In the same year, the live album "Natten med de Levande Finntroll" was released. In 2020, the band announced the album "Vredesvävd", which was released on 18 September 2020. In January 2026, the band announced that vocalist Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns would take a temporary break due to health reasons, with Mathias “Kistelach” Dahlsveen of Vanvidd performing vocal duties for parts of the band’s winter tour in Europe and Finland. According to members of the band, the name Finntroll originates from a Finnish legend describing an encounter between Swedish priests and a wild man referred to as a Finn-troll. The band’s lyrics generally focus on fictional narratives involving a troll king named “Rivfader” and conflicts between trolls and Christian figures. A recurring motif involves two priests named “Aamund” and “Kettil”, who appear in several early albums in songs describing their repeated encounters with trolls led by Rivfader. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finntroll Studio albums Midnattens widunder ("Midnight’s Monster", 1999) Jaktens tid ("The Time of the Hunt", 2001) Nattfödd ("Nightborn", 2004) Ur jordens djup ("From the Depths of the Earth", 2007) Nifelvind ("Nifel Wind", 2010) Blodsvept ("Blood-Wrapped", 2013) Vredesvävd ("Woven of Wrath", 2020)