2009, my 25th year of mastering was musically interesting. It sure is unfair to mention just a few of the most exciting albums but let’s say that no bad album has been mastered last year. To mention some that I will definately remember were Skyforger by Amorphis, Kuu Kaakon Yllä by Viikate, Nifelvind by Finntroll, Buck The Odds by Peer Günt and Aio by Metsatöll. The title of the Finntroll album seems to have changed after mastering. Also the title of the intro has changed. I liked more Henu’s proposal WTF LOL CONAN.

In addition to the artists mentioned above my iPod is filled with foreign acts such as Dulcamara, Rhesus, Ed-Äke, Stoned Machine, Vitaimana, Unsoled, Tyr, Mortemia, Alioth. Dark Horizon, Bleed Out, Liquid Graveyard, EnBlanco, Rather Unwise, The Foreshadowing, The Punishers and The Way Of Purity.

What ever... that’s part of the work history, only music will remain alive. The beginning of the new mastering decade could not have been more thrilling than it has been so far. Or what do you think about bands like Stam1na, Viikate, Mokoma (all these mixed by Miitri Aaltonen - respect my man!), Parasite City, Amorphis, Kivimetsän Druidi, Tarot and Kotiteollisuus. I’m proud of the fact that an older count like I am can still get so excited about new bands and their fresh albums. Kotiteollisuus has done a track to Killing Joke’s tribute album. There are a few other much awaited versions of that British new wave post punk anchour... for example Metallica and Foo Fighters... but I’m pretty sure that our KT will knock out all others.

Amorphis is showing to everybody in their becoming live DVD that at the moment they are the best band in the world... making perfect albums and playing killer gigs alive. To prove I’m right, just check the photos from that recorded gig from Teatria, Oulu.

At the change of the decade the total amount of my album masterings reached 3100 units and a total of 1000 metal/hard rock album masterings became real. With this number of metal albums maybe I should apply to work at the British steel?!

In the frontline of photography many hours have been spent. Evidence will be uploaded on the site once pics have been mastered. Amorphis and The 69 Eyes will be accompanied by at least Kotiteollisuus, HIM, Ajattara, Kolmas Nainen, Stratovarius and Backyard Babies. These Neanderthalic baboon look-a-like Swedes chose some of my photos taken from the last Tavastia gig to their recently released 20th anniversary photo book named Them XX... and I couldn’t be more proud of that! It’s been great to have so hectic time in the photography shooting gallery even after Nightwish ended their world tour. I almost got used to shooting, meeting and enjoying the hospitality of the band and crew every couple of months around the Europe.

I wonder what is happening with Finnvox in the future… When music business is struggling and everybody is crying about the financial crisis, Finnvox is getting bigger by building more studios. Mikko Oinonen who joined the staff last year came to the house with clean ears, bright eyes and fresh ideas and has already taken some responsibility in the development of the 45 year-old institute. More of these news will be announced in the Finnvox web site soon.

I’d advice to you take a minute to check out the updated all- and metallists from the Music section. There might still be some changes to them later, but Johan and I did a massive job joining the lists together and it took us the whole summer! Every artist, album and record company have been checked as well. As a nice add there is also a list of record company clients and their huge number () surprised even myself. Please notice that independent clients (self expense) are counted as one client. The metal masterings are getting close to a thousand albums (), so I will get back to the lists at the latest by then.

There are also new pictures uploaded in the Photography section. There are more pictures of the Highest Star of all hair propellers and his Godlike Machine acomppaning him. The Amorphis pictures taken from their Nosturi-gig will probably soon be joined by pictures from their other gigs around Finland. It is always great to shoot this band when the show is led by a singer with an insane amount of charisma and attitude. This reminded me, I’m planning to go immortalize The 69 Eyes gigs that are coming up as well.

There are also news from the floorball world. Oilers NG94 has ploughed their way to the Finnish National series. You can find more floorball news in the Floorball section... but sorry, only in finnish.

I recently noticed that for some reason the pictures of Nightwish's Ruisrock performance in 2008 had  not yet been added. They are my personal favourite Nightwish pictures, together with the shots from Lorca Rock, because I got to roam around on stage with my camera and got also a different stage angle. On top of that, the summer night in Turku was exceptionally beautiful that Friday and gave me a great lighting to the pictures. Some older shots added are Backyard Babies, December 2008 from Tavastia. I had the honor to hand over the pictures personally to the band members at Kivenlahti Rock in Espoo in the beginning of the summer. These guys were true rockers as well as laid back and fun guys to hang out with. The third folder added from 2008 is from Berlin in the autumn. I went there for the Popkomm convention, but I also got to see Lordi's gig, as well as the Ramones museum, not forgetting about the Sturm Und Drang pictures that have their own folder.

The pictures from Nightwish's Brussels and Rotterdam gigs that have been out for some time already are now accompanied by pictures from their support acts. Both pictures from Pain lead by Peter Täggtgren and the finnish band Indica are from the gig's mentioned above where they were playing as support acts.

From Finnish concerts there are pictures from Tavastia from the end of the spring when Kotiteollisuus took over the stage, accompanied by the Count of Kitee and his keyboards. Even if he is a familiar face in front of the camera it was nice to see him in the midst of some uglier brutes for once.

The last pictures added this time are some Junior Football pictures from a summery Helsinki as well as some already well-known sunset pictures from Kesälahti, Karelia. The football shots are to practice taking "fast-paste sport pictures" and the sunset shots from Mäntyranta, Kesälahti are from my holiday, These views from Puruvesi shows the contrast between the busy everyday life in the mastering studio and the well-earned holiday where I can recharge. I am completely addicted to my holiday there! Besides, there has never been two sunsets that look the same in Kesälahti!

This summer in Karelia ended in Nightwish's gig in Olavinlinna Castle, Savonlinna.

So the summer is heading to its end and my holiday is long gone. Now it's time to get back to the busy life and in with the skulls in the D-studio, refreshed and ready for another year. The floorball season started as well and junior has already got the nets swinging. I'll get back to this later on in the autumn.

Skyforger, a new album of the finnish pagan deity metalband Amorphis is now released. Every self-opinioned music lover should get this third part of Joutsen-Kalevala trilogy, where every track is almost perfect from the heavens of my hearts to majestic beasts. Goddamit, this must be the album of the year... well, until new Warmen, Tracedawn or Viikate will be released.

Finally I got updated my mastering history lists. The total sum of mastered albums has reached 3000 units and we are still counting for more. This could even be a world record. Guinness -feel free to contact! Same time listed metal-, heavy- and hard rock album masterings has reached number 900. That´s a lot of head banging and hair throwing! Lately I have worked with Eluveitie, Trail Of Tears, Black Sun Aeon, Revolution Renaissance, Nightwish, Amorphis, Pete Parkkonen, Drivhell, Dystera, Adamantra, Alioth, Purity, Him, Eternal Tears of Sorrow, Tracedawn, Stam1na and that 3000^th: Warmen... hey, just check out the list from the "Mastering All Records" under Music link. Combining of Metal-list with All-records is still under work.

It´s also delightful how numerous foreign clients have found their way to finnvox mastering. Over half of my work comes from abroad and I take the opportunity here to send special greetings to bull fighting, kalimotxo drinking Spanish clients as I have mastered about 50 Spanish records in past two years. So thanks a lot, the Serranos in Madrid and Toro Rossos in Valencia for the hospitality! Se necesita una corbata?

EN BUSCA DEL RECORD MUNDIAL

He finalmente conseguido actualizar las listas históricas de álbumes masterizados. Tengo ya en total más de 3000 álbumes masterizados que debe ser cerca de un record mundial - ojalá se lo pudiera verificar de algún lado. Al mismo tiempo los álbumes masterizados categorizados como metal, heavy o hard rock han llegado al número 900! Se puede decir que he pasado un par de días escuchando canciones oscuros. Últimamente a la lista se han añadido nombres como Eluveitie, Trail Of Tears, Black Sun Aeon, Revolution Renaissance, Nightwish, Amorphis, Pete Parkkonen, Drivhell, Dystera, Adamantra, Alioth, Purity, HIM, Eternal Tears of Sorrow, Tracedawn, Stam1na y el número 3000: Warmen. Los podéis todos chequear de una lista que se encuentra en la enlace Music debajo de Mastering All Records. Todavía queda combinar la lista Metal con la lista All, pero lo finalizo algún día.

Allthough this web-site has been open allready a while, it now begins to look like what we designed it to look. "We" because Johan Stolt did all the work based on my fragile wishes and plans. From now on in this spot I'm going to tell some interesting stories from Finnvox, front my camera lens and beside a floorball rink. Check out, enjoy and give me feedback of all this.