THE BEAST

Godfathers of Finnish Heavy Metal - SARCOFAGUS - Release The Very First/Last Cassette EP "Abscence of Light"!

SARCOFAGUS, The Godfathers of Finnish Heavy Metal, fronted by filmmaker and musician Kimmo Kuusniemi, at the end of 2020 declared the band has returned to the Valley Of The Kings.

Kimmo Kuusniemi, Ex Sarcofagus: “Well, I was sure Sarcofagus will not die easily “Absence Of Light” was meant to be the title of the last Sarcofagus album release but before it was recorded I had decided it was time for Sarcofagus to go back to the Valley Of The Kings.

Toni Hietomaa made the fantastic cover for the album and now it is rightly the cover of this Compact Cassette release.

This is also a perfect end release for Sarcofagus. The first album was called “Cycle Of Life”. This release could have also been called “Cycle Closes” as it has the 1st single “Go To Hell/All Those Lies” from 1979. Then it has new versions of “Go To Hell” and “Astral Flyer”.

All these are sung by the original singer Hannu Leiden.

One reason why the “Absence Of Light” Album did not get finished was that in 2019, before the Covid, I thought that as the world was  just getting darker and darker and because of the doomsday lyrics on the album I decided it was  time to do something new! 

So now I have been working for over a year on a new project, I call the music style “Nu World Music” I have great musicians on it like violin player Tuomas Rounakari (Korpiklaani) and Bass player Steve Digiorgio (Testament). More about this project soon.

There are also available for order on www.sarcofagus.com “Absence Of Light” T Shirt and Poster to commemorate the end of an era.”

------------

Old Skull Productions stated in their press release:

OUT NOW!!!!
Sarcofagus - Absence of Light

The very first/last cassette EP of the Godfather of Finnish Heavy Metal!!! "Abscence of Light" EP contains the very first single from 1979 and two re-recorded tracks (recorded in 2008) with the original members. Back when men dressing in black leather, wearing makeup and wielding occult regalia were most likely to be targets for bottle throwing competitions at the rock clubs, one man by the name of Kimmo Kuusniemi hit the scene with the heavy sounds of the damned, shooting fire from his guitar and developing his stage shows around the mysteries of ancient Egypt and black magic. The "Go to Hell" single release from his brainchild SARCOFAGUS in 1979 went down in history as the first pure Finnish Heavy Metal release.

Limited to 41 copies on red cassettes, with 37 mm pin buttons (four different designs by T. Kannibalet Hietomaa Art) and 9x6 cm stickers. 

Order: https://old-skull-productions.soldigo.com/sarcofagus-absence-of-light_286309

Kiitos to Toni Hietomaa and Kimmo Kuusniemi! Heavy Metal is the law!

-----------------

SARCOFAGUS IN A NUTSHELL:

Sarcofagus is reputed to be one of the most influential & original Scandinavian Progressive Heavy Metal Bands (formed 1977). They have inspired numerous new metal bands.

-Officially the first Finnish Heavy Metal Band

-First Finnish Heavy Metal Band singing in Finnish

-First Scandinavian Heavy Metal Band to have a female vocalist (Muska Babitzin)

-First Scandinavian Band (first in the world?) to release a FULL ALBUM length story/broadcast quality video ever (Moottorilinnut/Motorbirds). This was before MTV, rental or sales videos and before people had VHS players

-1979-1982 Released 1 Single and 3 Albums (Single: Go to Hell/All those Lies 1979, Albums: Cycle of Life 1980, Envoy of Death 1980, Moottorilinnut 1982)

-Kimmo Kuusniemi was the 1st spoke person for Finnish Heavy Metal. He also started the Finnish Heavy Metal Association to bring together all the Finnish metal fans

-Kimmo Kuusniemi brought metal to radio, TV and papers where he was often used as the expert to explain the metal philosophy to reporters

-1996 the albums Cycle of Life and Envoy of Death re released as CDs in Italy by Mellotron

-2004 Kimmo Kuusniemi released a downloadable free web version of 1981 Moottorilinnut (Motorbirds) album with original alternative Sarcofagus cover

-2006 Cycle of Life re released in Finland

-2007 Envoy of Death and Moottorilinnut (Motorbirds) re released in Finland

-2007 the 4th Sarcofagus album "Core Values" came out after 25 years with most of the original band onboard; Kimmo Kuusniemi (guitars/drums), Esa Kotilainen (keyboards), Juha Kiminki (bass) and Tanja Katinka Karttunen (vocals)

-2008 limited edition CD release of an previously unpublished studio tape "Sarcofagus Live in Studio 1979", and a limited edition DVD release of the 1982 full album length music video “Moottorilinnut"

-2008 Kimmo Kuusniemi produced a feature length HD TV documentary "Promised Land of Heavy Metal" that tells the story of the Finnish Metal Phenomenon (featuring also Sarcofagus) - Finland is the only country in the world where metal is now mainstream. The film is directed by Tanja Katinka Karttunen. It is in worldwide TV and DVD distribution (and also available as an iPhone App)

-2009 Sarcofagus Anthology 1979-1982 double CD by Rocket Records published in Finland, including the first Single and 3 Albums, artwork and booklet with lyrics, history of the band and a foreword by Kimmo Kuusniemi

-2010 First Finnish Metal Band to have an iPhone App