Unholy (band)

Unholy was a Finnish avant-garde doom metal[1] band. Formed in 1988, they were one of the first doom metal groups in their home country.

Unholy
Unholy
Background information
OriginImatra, Finland
Genres
Years active1988–2002; 2012
Labels
Websiteunholy.fi
Past members
  • Pasi Äijö
  • Ismo Toivonen
  • Jarkko Toivonen
  • Jan Kuhanen
  • Veera Muhli
  • Jade Vanhala
  • Kimmo Hänninen

History

Unholy originally started as a black-doom hybrid under the name Holy Hell. After recording its first demo, "Kill Jesus", they changed their name to Unholy. The band achieved underground popularity with its next demo and the 1991 EP Trip to Depressive Autumn, and signed with Lethal Records, an Austrian record label that released the band's first album, From the Shadows, in 1993. Unholy then signed with Avantgarde Music for the next album, The Second Ring of Power, but disbanded soon after its release in 1994. However, they re-formed only two years later.[2]

Unholy released their last two albums, Rapture and Gracefallen, also through Avantgarde Music. The band announced they were splitting up on 25 March 2002.[3]

In 2008, Unholy started co-operation with Ahdistuksen Aihio label to release all demos as vinyl, which were released in spring 2011 with complete history booklet of the band. After Peaceville Records bought them album release rights from Avantgarde Music, they started to negotiate for re-issuing all full-length albums. The reissuing project had some changes to cover arts but also for album songs list. Gracefallen got one bonus track titled "Gone" which was released originally during Gracefallen recording sessions, but was left out from the original release. Rapture included two live bonus tracks from year 1999. The Second Ring of Power not only had completely new cover artwork, but it also included a bonus DVD from the 1994 gig.

In the beginning of 2012, Unholy started to do preparations and rehearsals for combined comeback and farewell project with so called original line-up. This would last only for summer 2012. After that band would split up again. The band played four open air festival live shows in summer 2012, as the spirit of "good old times for good old fans"; to in Finland, one in Germany and one in Romania. In autumn, the band announced in its official website that "hats are off", meaning they retired as planned.

Members

Final line-up
  • Pasi Äijö – vocals, bass
  • Ismo Toivonen – guitar
  • Jarkko Toivonen – guitar
  • Jan Kuhanen – drums

Past members
  • Jade Vanhala – guitar
  • Veera Muhli – vocals, keyboard
  • Jarkko Toivonen – guitar
  • Kimmo Hänninen – drums

Discography

Albums
  • From the Shadows (1993)
  • The Second Ring of Power (1994)
  • Rapture (1998)
  • Gracefallen (1999)

EPs
  • Trip to Depressive Autumn (1992)

Demos
  • Kill Jesus (1989)
  • Procession of Black Doom (1990)
  • Demo 11.90 (1990)

References
  2. AllMusic - Unholy biography
  3. "Doom-metal.com - Interview with Ismo Toivonen". Archived from the original on 20 October 2006. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
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