Finnish Rock From Sweden
Anbaric, formed in 2017, consists of three talented musicians who passionately create and perform rock music. Each member brings a unique perspective and skillset to the group, resulting in a dynamic and powerful sound that resonates with fans of the genre. With their shared love for rock music and dedication to their craft, this band continues to captivate audiences and make a name for themselves in the world of rock.
The band has been incredibly productive, releasing six albums and working on their seventh. They have maintained a consistent release schedule, dropping a new song every month for the last three years. This dedication to their craft and their fans has earned them a loyal following and established them as a force to be reckoned with in the rock music scene.
Table of Contents
Debute album
In 2017 the debut album “Illusion Of The Holy” was released and immediately was praised worldwide by both critics and fans. Illusion of the Holy also features Jen Majura from Evanescence on guest vocals and, as strange as it may appear, guitar hero Mattias IA Eklundh on… drums!
Second album
A crucial second, self-titled album will hit the streets 10th of October 2019. Fear not, the follow-up features an vibrant, extremely hungry band ready to take on the world. Anbaric has never been more focused and to the point.
13 groovy tracks featuring the first single “Grand Innovations”, along with heavy, potent tunes as “Sisu”, “Angels Falling”, “Landscape of Discontent”, “I Stand Corrected” and the gripping power ballad “Room 724”.
Recorded by guitar virtuoso Mattias IA Eklundh, with a guest appearance by Harcore Superstar ‘s Jocke Berg and mixed by Martin Sandvik, this record is a must-hear. Available as 180-gram gatefold LP, CD and digital download from TSP productions.
Third album – The year of Anbaric. One new song every month
This project is something we have been excited over for some time now. There is a rewarding feeling when you get music just recorded out there, right away.
During a production of a full length album there are always dull moments when you loose interest and only see the mountain of work it takes to wrap it up. By releasing a brand new track often, leading up to an album (or two, or three), you keep the process fresh and stimulating.
You nail one tune, mix and master it, shoot a simple video and move on.
Hope you like the ride! Thank you for listening.
Fourth album – Anbaric 360
Creativity shall not be messed with and since we are finding ourselves in a wonderful spin of interesting ideas it would be plain wrong not to continue after “The Year Of Anbaric”.
Fifth album – Nervous System
Nervous System is no less than the fifth album in a row! The debut album, “Illusion
Of The Holy” was released in 2017. Now the juices have been flowing constantly
since and Anbaric have been making one track (and video) a month for several years,
resulting in the self-titled album “Anbaric” (2019), “The Year Of Anbaric” (2020),
“360” (2021) and now “Nervous System” (2022). As the band is currently looking for
a new drummer, no one less than Mattias IA Eklundh from Freak Kitchen is helping
out behind the kit meanwhile for good fun.
Sixth album – Generator
Generator is our frantic, intense sixth album! There is no stopping now! One track per month was released throughout 2023 and is now a collection of raving songs you need to check out! Thanks for listening!
Once again featuring Mattias IA Eklundh (Freak Kitchen) on drums.
Anbaric – Nervous System – THUNDERSTRUCK – Hardly defined melodic hard rock
Freak Kitchen’s guitar wizard Mattias “IA” Eklundh is a good drummer too. As evidenced by Anbaric’s new album, Borås trio’s fifth since guitarist Kimmo Komulainen decided in 2016 to resume music-making in his older days. In all modesty, to be sure, Anbaric is nonetheless a competent band and also sounds personal, though it’s not entirely easy to pinpoint how.
Perhaps the thing is that the elements of the sound hold together better than they superficially should. We’re talking traditional melodic hard rock, muted metal thunder à la the mid-90s and something akin to the reasonably commercial prog of the 80s. Indeed, without sounding like Phil Collins, singer (and bassist) Kim Andrei wouldn’t have seemed out of place in any constellation in the vein of said era’s hit-seeking Genesis.
“Nervous System” is interesting, compelling and an easy record to like. To call it fantastic might be an exaggeration, but the song list in general and “False idols” in particular don’t come laughably far off. – ERIK THOMPSON
“In 1987 we won a competition of the Rock-SM in Borås with the band Remain” Kimmo Komulainen, Anbaric
You promote yourselves as Finnish rock from Sweden. What is Finnish about your rock?
-Me and the singer and bassist Kim Andrei are both Finnish, so it was natural, says guitarist Kimmo Komulainen. We are still a bit patriotic and on “Anbaric” from 2019 we also have a song called “Sisu”. – Then it’s a bit melancholic,” says Kim. It’s typical Finnish melodies.
Freak Kitchen’s guitarist Mattias “IA” Eklundh is back on drums on the new album “Nervous system”? Is he a permanent member?
-No, but he’s helping us out again, says Kimmo. We record everything at his place anyway, so it was a natural fit. We’re looking for a new drummer but as long as he’s with us we might not be looking feverishly.
Apart from him, everyone who has played in Anbaric has been of Finnish descent. Do you have to be Finnish to play in Anbaric?
-We’ve actually discussed whether Mattias should be included or not,” laughs Kimmo. He must have some Finnish relatives. – Otherwise, the proposal is that we rename him Matti, says Kim.
Hardcore Superstars singer Jocke Berg has also visited you before. Since he’s employed by your painting company, Kimmo, will he be fired if he doesn’t show up?
-It’s in the contract, says Kimmo. If he comes and asks for a benefit car or something, I just say ‘no, no, you have to sing first’. Joking aside, we actually didn’t even think to ask him this time. But we’ve already released the first song from the next album, which will be called “Generator”, and then we’ll see if we let him in again.
When you started Anbaric in 2016, you hadn’t touched a guitar in 25 years and now you’ve been releasing a song and accompanying video a month since January 2020. Is it all those years of creativity coming out now?
-Yes, it seems so. I don’t always know where all these riffs come from. It it’s like I’ve got them stored in a bank in the back of my head and now when I have timeI’ll release as much as I can. That was my dream as a youngster anyway. In 1987we won a part of the Rock-SM in Borås with Remain, but when we went out in the next stage, the band died. Then I started my own company at the age of 21 and it took all my time. But now I’ve sold it and have more time for music.
So now you’re fucking going to be rock stars?
– Hell, yeah, we gotta get there before Kim passes away. He’s over 60 anyway. – I don’t have many years left, Kim laughs. We’ve got to get out there and tour.
SIMON LUNDH
Fireworks Magazine interview
Anbaric – King of Nothing
From the album: Illusion of the Holy
www.anbaric.se
Written by: Kimmo Komulainen/PasiHumppi
Band line up:
Kimmo Komulainen – guitar
Pasi Humppi – vocals
Jari Uusitalo – bass
Timmy Hammer Sassian – drums
How did you become involved in this crazy world of music?
Kimmo: I have always had a deep interest in music but never actually gotten around to do something real about it, until now. It’s been a dream for such a long time to throw myself out there, make a professional record, perform and really give it a go.
But not until this stage in my life have I been confident enough to make a stand, change my life radically, quit work and sink my teeth into this on a full-time basis. I realize it is a tough business but I need to do it to stay sane and get all the songs that’s been buried inside out, to be creative and simply see where this lead. You never know…Some things in life you simply have to go for. There is no option.
Who are your musical inspirations and what was the inspiration behind the album and the songs?
Kimmo: It’s one big mess, really. I listen to a lot of new music but also, needless to say, have my heroes from the past. Anbaric is fusion between a lot of things. Sure, it’s rock or metal, call it what you will, but with many different elements.
Guitar wise I am very influenced by Ritchie Blackmore, Michael Schenker, David Gilmour, all the classic guitar heroes. However, my riffing style is much more contemporary with a rhythmic edge. I’ve heard I sound like a zillion different players, which is a good thing in the end.
Pasi, our singer, writes most of the lyrics but I have also been involved in a song very personal about my late mother. I guess life in general is the main inspiration.Pasi picks up things going on around us, stuff he experienced as well.
What are your interests outside of music?
Kimmo: As a Finnish person I am truly into sauna, playing golf, working with my house to cleans my brain and of course being with my family. Got a dog I walk with every day too. She’s lying next to me as I type this, snoring. Music is always around me, everywhere I go. I live and breathe it.
Recording our tunes is like a catalyst and as crazy as it sounds I have already begun the work on album number two. Because I have to. It’s a sonic itch. Every day counts, what you do with your life. Don’t waste it.
Could you tell our readers about the band and what makes you different from other artists?
Kimmo: Anbaric is a hard rock band with a twist. I do think we have anidentity of our own.We may sound like an average rock/metal group at first but when you listen several times the music grows on you and you do realize there are layers and layers in the tunes, working on all sorts of levels.
We also try to think in a somewhat irregular way so you are not completely sure what is lurking around the corner… Flow and groove are also important factors, a pacing that many bands out there lack today, I think.
Tell me about the album?
Kimmo: Illusion of the Holy consists of ten intense tracks. Now Anbaric is a complete band but when we started out it was basically Pasi and myself. Mattias IA Eklundh is, believe it or not, playing drums, although he is indeed mostly known as a guitar hero.
Jen Majura from Evanescence is also doing guest vocals on two songs that she also co-wrote.Recordings begun early 2016 and continued throughout the year as the songs were gradually written. It is nice to compose stuff in the morning, go straight into the studio and make it real, manifest it in a very relaxed atmosphere. Build the album piece by piece.
I drive around with the songs in the car to figure out what works and what does not. It’s a good way to cleanse your brain. No distractions (except traffic).
Where was it recorded who produced it and how long did the process take?
Kimmo: We did everything in Mattias IA Eklundh from Freak Kitchen’s place in the woods outside of Gothenburg. He has this sort of a big, creative house with tons of instruments and recording gear. It is not a typical studio per se, more like a playing ground with a lot of useful stuff. Coffee, coffee, coffee (and many turns to relieve oneself in his garden), racking our brains where to tread sonically song by song and little by little we got there.
I think we all pretty much produced it. IA arranged a lot of tracks, like the order of things in the songs and also decorating it with various instruments, semi-distorted guitars and whatnot, but also left Pasi’s vocals as it initially was intended as he has a strong view of what he wants to do. So, it was a co-operation, all of it. Then we mixed it in Copenhagen by Tor Bach Kristensen and Torben Schmidt fromSkagarack.
We also shot a couple of videos, Illusion of the Holy and King of Nothing, that can be seen on our YouTube channel and naturally on the usual social media pages.
What’s in store for the future?
Kimmo: I am actually writing a whole lot of new songs already as I feel inspired and want Anbaric to grow. We will try to come out and play as much as we can, hopefully a lot. Anbaric live premiered the other weekend, just a few numbers, and it felt really good.
We, needless to say, have a lot to learn but are eager, ready and willing to work hard and play loud to make ourselves heard in the white noise out there. We do not take this lightly and refuse to give up. You won’t get rid of us so easily.
Nicky Baldrian – Fireworks Magazine
