The Howling

One thing is for certain: Hevillä ei hävitä.
Not in Finland anyway.

So yes, Ari Koivunen, a lanky, long-haired heavy metal singer won the Finnish Idols.
Tonight he managed to make the judges tear up with a heart-wrenching version of Still Loving You by Scorpions, give me chills with Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun and perform a very decent cover of Sonata's FullMoon.
Anna wasn't really that bad either, I really liked that Portuguese song of hers, it felt very natural and smooth. But as Jone said, she's not Alicia Keys and definetely not Joan Jett.
Ari on the other hand, again quoting Mr. Jone Nikula, could any day replace even Bruce Dickinson vocals-wise at least. \,,/

routaneito dropped by to see the first gig of the Finnish tour of Finntroll.
Too bad Wednesday was apparently The Day of Misfortune and among other not-so-good things we managed to miss the first 20 minutes of the gig, which was pretty much half of the set.
'Twas a great gig though, even though Beast's drums broke soon after we arrived and they had to improvise while the roadies tried to fix the problem. Virta played some Säkkijärven polkka (which naturally made me and Ella show 'em how to polka) and then we heard a very interesting techno version of Trollhammaren. *grin*
Fortune among misfortune was that they played all my favourites only after we arrived, at least Svartberg, Det Iskalla Trollblod, Fiskarens Fiende, good ol' Försvinn Du Som Lyser (Hail Somnium! \,,/) and the brand new, absolutely amazing and absolutely hilarious En Mäktig Här.
It was also good that this time they were donning their troll-gear and warpaint (even though Skrymer was uncharateristically boring and played with his shirt on). Routa is so cool, the guy's hair is to die for. <3 And I want my own Tundra as a pet, a furry little thing peering at you from beneath his wild, curly black mass of hair and looking like he might any minute attack your leg and start gnawing on your ankle. :D Vreth also proved that he's able to lead the troll horde (at least in live situation) even though he's a lanky prettyboy.
There's nothing lanky nor pretty about his voice, though. The lad screeches and growls like the best of them, sounding more like good ol' Katla than our darling Rivfader Wilska.

Katla was there, by the way, unless I'm completely mistaken. He was skulking around after the gig and hanging with the guys. It's funny, the moment I first saw the guy I immediately thought there was something special about him, this pretty smartly dressed somewhat short fellow with long wavy mid-brown hair, sweet-natured looking face and kind of amiable aura about him. I had no idea who he was at first but then something in my head told me: "Katla." I can't be 100% sure of it, tho', because I'm not that familiar with Katla's looks. Interesting anyway. *shrug*
Suvi also got to hug Vreth, poor guy is too pretty for his own good. :D And Ella met again her goddess Erna aka Enary, the ex-keyboardist of Lordi.

And before Suvi left yesterday, we also met suomigoth and her boyfriend Ville in Shamrock. Sometimes I have moments when I wish I had enough patience and dedication (not to mention money) to dress like she does, she looked so stunning. But I guess I'm happier in my comfy cargo pants, earth tones and combat boots running around in the woods.
That's what I've done a lot lately, by the way, as I have a forest pretty much on my backyard, the Riihikallio trollwood. And Isosuo is only about 1,5 kilometers away from where I live, I'm yet to visit it again though.
Heh, I really felt like "true Ranger" the other night when I roamed the nearby woods. At first a pretty little starling followed me a while by flying from tree to tree beside me, and then a white hare jumped on the path before me. And when I arrived to the part of the forest where I knew was located a pirunpelto ("devil's field", an ancient seashore turned into a field full of huge rocks, you can see some pictures of the pirunpelto in question here), I just followed my instincts and wandered wherever my feet would take me. And lo and behold, I arrived to the pirunpelto. It was pretty impressive sight, especially as the waxing moon was shining brightly in the sky while the setting sun was still shedding its golden light in the horizon.
Then I smelled smoke in the air and followed it until I found the smouldering remnants of a small bonfire from a rocky hillside with a very cool view over the faraway city. And when I walked back home, the only light I had was that of the moon, but it was bright enough for me to not miss a single step and every branch and twig threatening to slam me in the face I dodged instinctively even though I couldn't see them at first. I was quite proud of myself. :p
There's also this place in the nearby woods where I often stop to lay down for a while to do some moonbathing and stargazing whenever I return to home in the evening if the sky is clear.

I'm pretty happy living there, the forest as well as my flat feel like home already.
The only downside is that whenever the sun is shining the flat is hotter than a sauna, I think I need a fan or two for summer. And I still need a couple of rugs, a bookshelf, a bedside table, this machine and an internet connection and I'm a happy girl.

And then some lyrics from a song that has been playing in my head a lot lately:

"Tuota tiiä mie en itsekkään
Minkä tien otan etehen
Juonen juostakseni
Valihen
Tiiä minkä tien otan etehen

---

Korvessa miun kotini
Majani
Marjavarsilla on miun majani

Taiten taivas kirjaeltu
Oikein tehty Otavainen
Miten lie elämä miulla
Miten lie
Elämä miulla mustakulmalla..."

Hmm, I probably should get meself a life because I can't stop drooling on the new Finntroll live pics from Sauna Open Air. Here.

But they're so... So trollish. Even the prettyboy Vreth makes a decent troll. <3
Hmm, I wonder if I have spent too much time with Ella. :D

Speaking of trolls, we managed to make some decisions about the next episode of Cloud Islands today. So seems like Cloud Islands II - Windwards will be played 16.-18. 9. 2006 somewhere in the wilderness of Mynämäki. \,,/
And we'll go shoot the promo pics this sunday to Ruissalo. I have to go through my wardrobe to find some decent garments for elves, regular humans and corsairs.

I also really have to start thinking about Dawning and Evenstar (yes, I know, they sound so cliché in English. Sarastus sounds much cooler than Dawning. Not to mention Evenstar... :p)
I want Dawning to be cool. And male. And hot, if possible. :D
He's from the House of Fire after all. *giggle*
And Evenstar... She needs to be the opposite to her crazy twin brother. Calm and levelheaded, maybe even somewhat cold. A deep thinker.
Hmm... She'll be such a goth cliché, especially wearing the black and silver of her House. *grin*

Of course we also need a player for her (and to Dawning too, of course). Volunteers? ;)

Ah well, I still have the old characters to update too, of course.
I have to talk to Karkki about the Goldenflame-thing. Because I just think it wouldn't work.
But we'll see...

I missed the work today (yesterday?), I slept till 4 pm or something and woke up when shadow_wolfess sent me an SMS.
Gah, today I'll simply have to get my ass up from the bed in time. I can't just keep missing days like that. *sigh*
Mom wasn't happy, she apparently had tried to wake me up after she had come from her night-shift, without any results...

So I did what I had planned and went shopping. Unfortunately almost all the shops I had planned to visit were already closed byt the time I finally made it to the downtown, but I still managed to find what I chiefly had come to buy.

And boy, I wasn't disappointed at all when I got home and put the CD in the player.
First I danced my feet sore to Asfågelns Död and Försvinn Du Som Lyser and then fell down to my bed, turned the light off, closed my eyes and just sunk into the atmosphere. Who needs mushrooms to get into troll-mood when you can listen to Visor Om Slutet? *grin*
Hmm, I wonder what my dreams will be like if I listen to that album before going to sleep... Hehe.

Anyway... By Blixthalka's axe, those guys are talented! I don't think that even NW's Century Child has such atmosphere in it, and that's really something... Whoa. The mood is just... Well, it's difficult to explain, but I'll try...
It's definetely woodsy and absolutely trollish. It's menacing, poignant, merry, defiant and sorrowful. It has both ancient and apocalyptic feeling in it.
It's... Simply amazing. *shakes her head in awe*

It's also pretty chilling to think that Somnium died right after they had finished making the album, and when you read the lyrics...
Of course the gloomy mood was probably at least partly caused by the fact that Katla couldn't sing anymore, but... Oh well, maybe I shouldn't start guessing if Somnium's demise was an accident or not. *wry smile*

But Tundra and Trollhorn should definetely team up with Mr. Holopainen someday to compose a soundtrack for some big (or small, it doesn't matter as long as they'll do it!) fantasy movie. All of them could probably do that by themselves, but if they could make the collaboration work, it would be simply perfect.

Ah well, maybe I should go to sleep now.
I've GOT to wake up in time today and even get a couple of hours of sleep before that.
And tomorrow I've got to go get that Visa Electron too.

Hum. Työt alkoivat ihan hyvin mitä nyt on tavallaan vähän sellainen olo kun olisi palannut yläasteen käsityöntunneille (*brr!*)kun joukko mimmejä höpöttää kaikenlaista naismaista, Jutta etunenässä. *hymähtää*
Tänään meinasin pyörtyä pari kertaa töissä kun olen tämän flunssan ja vaikka minkä vuoksi vähän huonossa hapessa mutta kestin kuitenkin koko päivän kun se kuitenkin on vain se neljä tuntia miinus puolen tunnin ruokatauko jolloin voi käväistä kotona.
Ja opinpa jotain uutta, nimittäin rakentelemaan lahjapakkauksia ja käyttämään liimapyssyä. Yay.
Harmi vain ettei Veeraa näkynyt, oli pikkuisen ulkopuolinen olo vaikka Jutta nyt on tuttu entuudestaan ja muutkin ovat ihan kivoja.

Unirytmini kyllä on ihan sekaisin taas.
Tiistaina ehdin nukkua neljä tuntia kun piti olla yhdeltä kaupungilla kun menimme Ellan ja Tommin kanssa Liekehtivää Pikaria katsomaan (siitä lisää mahdollisesti myöhemmin) ja sen ja tämän flunssan seurauksena uuvuinkin sitten jo kymmenen jälkeen illalla ja heräsinkin sitten jo ennen kuutta. No, ehdinpähän ainakin mainiosti töihin ekana päivänä.
Eilen meni vähän myöhempään, menin nukkumaan yhden maissa ja heräsin taas kohtalaisen ajoissa. Mutta vaikka nukuinkin kaiketi ihan riittävästi olin tosiaan sen verran kuollut että tuli tuossa päivällä kuukahdettua sohvalle pariksi tunniksi.
Ja siitä päästäänkin siihen miksi olen yhä valveilla. *huokaus*

Toivottavasti olen huomenna jo siinä kunnossa että voin lähteä kaupungillekin, kun pitää mennä isää tapaamaan, hakemaan saapas suuutarista ja käydä vähän katselemassa josko peräti löytäisin jotain kivaa ja lähestulkoon olemattomalle budjetilleni sopivaa joululahjaideaa noille rakkaille otuksilleni.

Olen muuten löytänyt Finntrollin ihan toden teolla. Mieletöntä musiikkia.
Pitää hankkia ainakin Visor Om Slutet heti kun saan ekan "palkkani". Siinäpä peikkotunnelmaa aidoimmillaan mikäli minä mistään mitään olen ymmärtänyt. R.I.P Somnium. *kumoaa kuvitteellisen sahtituopin tuon liian varhain Valhallaan (tai jonnekin) lähteneen peikkoveikkosen muistoksi*

Ja voi luoja joku on nero, oli se sitten Tuomas Holopainen, Pip Williams tai molemmat...
Tämä Creek Mary's Bloodin orkestraaliversio on vain jotain niin käsittämättömän täydellistä. *kylmiä väreitä*

Mutta joo, voisi yrittää tämän jälkeen mennä saamaan unta.