KORPIKLAANI Releases Music Video For 'Henkselipoika'

“Henkselipoika”, the new video from Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band’s upcoming album, “Kulkija” (“Wanderer”), which will be released on September 7 via Nuclear Blast.

The “Henkselipoika” clip was directed by Markku Kirves, who previously worked with KORPIKLAANI on the “Rauta”, “Vodka” and “Tequila” videos.

Founding member Jonne Järvelä commented: “‘Henkselipoika’ pretty much wrote itself. The first thing to come to my head was the verse riff, on top of which the melody wrote itself. The song was a very easy piece to write and it was finished in one day. As far as I can remember, this was the first finished song for the new album ‘Kulkija’.

“I wrote this one to a finished text that I got from Tuomas Keskimäki back when I was making the latest JONNE album ‘Kallohonka’. That album had the song ‘Hulivili’, and this text is about the same young rascal who is still very much into partying and having fun but is at the same time already longing for a woman by his side.

“It is quite interesting that these songs got connected this way, even though they are on different albums and are even by different bands,” added Keskimäki.

Jonne continued: “The video was shot in Kuhmoinen around the Huhtala torp, which is also portrayed on the cover of the album ‘Kulkija’. It is is a bit exceptional with a slight home-made feeling to it. Many of the actors are actually family members of other contributors. These include Cane‘s father with his wife, my daughter Tinja and her friend Sanni, the director’s both sons Konsta and Otto and so on. “The video also shows Finnish nature and the idyllic countryside at its best. This might also seem rather exotic for KORPIKLAANI fans from outside of the Nordic countries.”

With 14 tracks and a total running time of over 71 minutes, “Kulkija” is the group’s longest album to date. Working with producer Janne Saksa for the first time, the album was recorded at Petrax Studio (Hollola, Finland) and mixed at Sound Supreme Studios (Hämeenlinna, Finland). Mastering duties were handled by renowned engineer Svante Forsbäck (RAMMSTEIN). The cover was designed by Jan Yrlund (BATTLE BEAST, MANOWAR), who has already created several artworks for previous albums and singles for the band.

Jonne commented: “We’ve never been as satisfied with a final result as we are with ‘Kulkija’. We tried to keep it very natural. Like the wanderer, this album is a journey, one that makes you feel good.”

Accordionist Sami Perttula added: “‘Kulkija’ isn’t just a collection of songs, it’s a ‘real’ album with a unique atmosphere guiding the listeners through a long journey. All songs were well prepared in advance and nothing needed to be arranged in the studio. Tuomas [fiddle] and I had lots of space to develop and play the folk arrangements.”

KORPIKLAANI will return to the U.S. for a 25-date tour dubbed “The Wayfarer” in October and November. Russian pagan/folk metallers ARKONA will be joining them as direct support act.

Photo credit: Peero Lakanen