I love Finland. I really do. Not only because it's the happiest country in the world—although many of its inhabitants crack up when they're ranked that way.

My love for Finland is not only because of its wonderful education system, its majestic landscapes, its dreamy lakes, or the beautiful silence that characterizes its surroundings, regardless of the season. I love Finland because it's the birthplace of metal, a genre that is nothing less than the very expression and essence of my being.

I know this is going to sound super dumb, but since Finnish metal is the melody that represents me 100%, it kind of feels like my being was crafted just right. Complex yet balanced, elegant and powerful, impeccably executed and of a depth beyond human comprehension, metal finds its epitome in the frozen lands of (almost) eternal ice.

Adamantra is part of that incredible legacy, with three full-length albums to its credit: Revival (2009), Act II: Silent Narratives (2014), and Act III: Pareidolia Of Depravity (2024). And a few weeks ago, this group of accomplished maestros gifted us with the powerful song "Shining Time," the first single in a three-part saga they'll release this year, paying homage to the adventures of King Arthur. The second single in this trilogy is "The Spirit Of Freedom," which will be released on June 4th, which is what brings us together today.

This song, like "Shining Time," is a resurgence of the band's early days, a resurrection of works that seemed lost in time, stored on hard drives filled with dust, nostalgia, and fond memories of youth. Regarding this, Jukka Hoffren, bassist and founder of Adamantra, notes:

"I composed this song about the year 2000 or something (omg time flies!) and Panu (guitarist) made the riff of the chorus in our riff sessions back then… This was one of the first songs we played in the first rehearsals in 2005. But as with Shining Time, this power metal style didn't fit our developing prog metal direction, so this was put in the garbage bag before Revival sessions. A couple of years later, before Silent Narratives sessions, we thought that maybe one extra song would be good to be ready just in case for the Japan market. The lyrics I wrote just before the studio…" Jukka also notes; "It was very fun to do this song. And I bet, no other band puts so much effort into a Japan bonus song that won't even end up on the actual album!".

Luckily for fans of power metal —and for me of course— they could rescue the original tracks of the three songs that make up this trilogy. Besides loving Finnish metal, I love power metal with my very blood. And Adamantra is a gigantic progressive metal machine, so the fact they had created high-level power metal is a blessing, and a natural and safe course for my autistic brain. After all, nothing can go wrong musically if a group of eminent progressive maestros decide to play power metal.

Lyrically speaking, "The Spirit Of Freedom" is a reflection of the final battles faced by the Knights, and King Arthur himself. After a lifetime of service to his people, the Knight must face "the beast, face to face," a dark, destructive force that ravages everything in its path. Thus, driven by duty and honor, and carrying with him the memory of those who fell before, this brave Knight fights his last battle, heroically resisting and fulfilling his vow to give his life for the kingdom. In short, "The Spirit Of Freedom" symbolizes the defense of people's freedom, personified in the character of the Knights, brave warriors who confront evil in battle, even at the cost of their own lives.

On the musical side, "The Spirit of Freedom" is a heartfelt and honest example of the power metal that emerged in the 2000s. Running for 5:55, structured in a galloping, mid-to-fast tempo —straight-up power metal—, and with a feel that evolves rhythmically across sections, this single is full of triumphant and solemn energy. It's very epic power metal, combined with symphonic vocal and orchestral elements that add layers of depth and emotion. I found quite familiar sounds in this track; from Rhapsody and Luca Turilli, where Tuomas's voice reminded me of Olaf Hayer in timbre, vocal attack, and phrasing. Angra's Temple of Shadows, and Epica also came to mind, majestically woven into the aural tapestry of dramatic polyphonic choirs and orchestrations, creating the feeling of a subtle religious experience. The tonality chosen for these beautiful arrangements deepens this effect. Another standout element is Jukka 's powerful and integrative bass, which supports the rhythmic changes throughout the song. Meanwhile, the demolishing and elegant rhythmic base features dynamic pattern changes and exquisite drum rolls, creating an atmosphere that perfectly captures the epic essence of the lyrics, combined with a perfect dose of progressive, turning "The Spirit Of Freedom" into a gem of the genre, which sees the light of day almost 20 years later.

And well, it was obvious that Adamantra was going to lean towards progressive metal. I don't know why, but it's common for the great exponents of power metal to later experiment with progressive metal. With Adamantra, this was coming, but fortunately, they left us this brilliant cut. Along with "Shining Time," they are a powerful and endearing journey into the past, to the elegant and cherished power metal that creates communities of warriors and knights willing to fight against the evils of our time: stress, depression, injustice, etc. And it's also a gift for me, because power metal is the melody my heart forever chose as its path, and the banner I march under. 10 out of 10

Aditional Info:

Music: Jukka Hoffrén and Panu Kiskola
Lyrics: Jukka Hoffrén

Tuomas Nieminen: Vocals
Panu Kiskola: Lead guitars
Jukka Hoffrén: Bass guitar, rhythm guitars and keyboards
Mikko Sepponen: Drums
Chrism: Keyboards

Petri Mäkilä: Guitar solo

Choir Group:
Helena Haaparanta, Leeni-Maria Hovila, Maija Nevala, Minna Von Weissenberg, Tapio Kuosma, Ville Autere, Erik Kraemer, Juhani Muhonen, Tony Turunen, Chrism and Mikko Sepponen

Orchestrations, programming and mixed by Mikko P. Mustonen
Mastered at Chartmakers 22nd January 2014 by Henkka Niemistö

Photos by Toni Salminen, Peero Lakanen, Heidi Hoffrén, Frans Rinne, Juha Kinnunen etc…thank you all!

Cover art by Panu Kiskola
Video Edit by Jarno Keski-Jylhä

MORE INFO AND PRE-ORDERS:

https://www.facebook.com/Adamantra
https://www.instagram.com/adamantra_band
https://www.facebook.com/inverserecords
https://www.youtube.com/@InverseRecordsFIN
https://www.inverse.fi/