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KALEVALA

Prog Related • Finland


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Kalevala biography
KALEVALA was formed in 1969 by Juha Salonen (bass), Remu Aaltonen (drums/vocals) and Albert Järvinen (guitar). Their first name was VIETNAM, but they had to change it in order to get concerts. This first line-up played straightforward rock'n'roll, and they were a popular live act in Finland. There were no studio recordings from this line-up, but the Finnish broadcasting company recorded their performance from 1970 "Ruisrock" festival. After this the line-up changed. Remu founded HURRIGANES, which Albert also joined later.

Now KALEVALA's musical direction was changed to more progressive direction. The new musicians on their second line-up were Markku Luukkanen on drums, Matti Kurkinen on Guitar and Harri Saksala doing singing. They recorded one album, "People No Names" (1972) which was released by Finnlevy. They had some guest musicians helping on doing it: pianist Olli Ahvenlahti, Raimo Wallen playing flute and on acoustic guitar Ile Kallio, who was playing on HURRIGANES during that time. The result was quite unique, you can form your own opinion of it by listening the sample mp3 presented on this page.

The band was very unstable, as they had again changes in their line-up. Now they had Zape "Limousine" Leppänen on vocals, who has worked with many respected Finnish artists. The band recorded an album "Boogie Jungle" (1975), which is again more basic rock music. They had Jim Pembroke doing their lyrics plus backing vocals, and Jukka Gustavson playing keyboards on one track. Shortly after this band faced a sudden catastrophy, as Matti Kurkinen got in to a fatal car accident. Their name was defined as KALEVALA ORCHESTRA for their next album "Abraham's Blue Refrain" (1977). After this they toured Europe with ANGE, but they faced financial problems, and the musicians disbanded KALEVALA went to different directions.

Some members of the band rejoined in studio 1995, but they couldn't get a record deal. These new tracks are available on "Anthology" (2004), which has some live recordings and before unreleased material on it.

: : : Eetu Pellonpää, FINLAND : : :

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KALEVALA discography


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KALEVALA top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.95 | 55 ratings
People No Names
1972
2.50 | 32 ratings
Boogie Jungle
1975
3.52 | 14 ratings
Abraham's Blue Refrain
1977

KALEVALA Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

1.52 | 6 ratings
Live In Finland 1973 & Europe 1977
2004
3.96 | 6 ratings
Pop-Liisa 7
2016

KALEVALA Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

KALEVALA Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

2.52 | 6 ratings
*Anthology
2004
3.58 | 12 ratings
People No Names / Boogie Jungle
2008

KALEVALA Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 1 ratings
Rockin' Fish
1975
3.00 | 1 ratings
Playground
1976
4.00 | 1 ratings
Highland Temple
1977

KALEVALA Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Abraham's Blue Refrain by KALEVALA album cover Studio Album, 1977
3.52 | 14 ratings

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Abraham's Blue Refrain
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by Mortte

4 stars I am to my surprise making first review of this really good album!! As a matter of fact I also listened this album first time quite recently. As many other Kalevela fans seem to be, I was suspicious about this just because this has been made without Matti Kurkinen who composed everything in the great first album "People No Names". In the next "Boogie Jungle" there was also Lido Salonen making compositions and result wasn´t as strong. I wonder Kurkinen´s early passing was so big strike to the band they even changed their name a bit although Lido was the only founding member of the band already in first album. But the main reason seemed to be they tried to achieve international success that time. Although another Finnish band Wigwam was closer to breakthrough with it´s record deal of Virgin Records and tours in UK & Europe, Kalevala also did tours in Poland & France. It was French progmasters Ange, who invited Kalevala to support them in French tour. Ange members also used their connections that this album was released in seven European country. "Abraham´s Blue Refain" has released as CD in 2010, but finally next August Svart records will release a vinyl reissue. Hopefully this album will finally get the respect it deserves also in Progarchives

"Silver Fish" is very uptempo melodic opener, reminds a lot Bob Seger. Awesome guitar playing from Lido as throughout album. But musical greatness really starts in next "Lighthouse". This melodic ballad reminds me really much Family. A lot same in singer Leppänen´s voice as in Roger Chapman´s. Also very great moog playing from Raimo Karima. "Forever Train" goes in funk rhythm, but is all the way quite complex and great composition. But into real prog we go in the next, over six minutes two parted suite that has the title name of the album. Fist part is very sad and beautiful and there is something same as in "Where I´m From" of the first album. In second part intensity rises, but that awesome sadness continues. "Brown´ll Might Suit You" seems to got lots of influence from Zappa´s "Brown Shoes Don´t Make It". All the way it´s the most boring one in this album. In next "Highland Temple" melodic greatness comes back. There is somebody playing great sounding vibraphone that is not credited. "Playground" is quite straightforward and it could have been a hit in the UK in the begin of seventies, but not anymore in punk/new wave end of seventies. "Marketbox Street" goes more proggy direction with it´s quite complex structure. Ending "Panamanian Red" is again uptempo piece, but it has many parts and quite interesting atmosphere changes into it´s five minutes. This time Leppänen´s short vocals reminds Circle´s Mika Rättö!

Really this album is not even near of the genius of "People No Names", but it has more prog than second "Boogie Jungle". It is quite typical 1977 prog album, when old progbands had to softer their style. Comparing this album to 10cc albums is not unfair. I don´t quite understand why Kalevala has put into progrelated here just because "People No Names" is so fullblooded progalbum! They have really much in common with other Finnish band "Tabula Rasa" and it has put into symphonic prog! I think both really belongs into eclectic prog. Also Tabula Rasa´s second album goes towards mainstream rock just like these two other Kalevala´s albums. To me personally genres are just the same, but it´s sad, if people don´t listen this great band because it has put into prog related. Maybe four stars is little bit too much to this album, but because I gave 3 stars to "Boogie Jungle", this really is improvement of that. On the other hand this is really much better than many other 1977 prog albums, it comes right after Jethro Tull´s "Songs From the Wood", Floyd´s Animals, Wigwam´s Dark Album, Rush`s a Farewell To Kings, Renaissaince´s Novella, Can´s Saw Delight, Camel´s Rain Dance`s & Yes´s Going For the One.

 Pop-Liisa 7 by KALEVALA album cover Live, 2016
3.96 | 6 ratings

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Pop-Liisa 7
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by Matti
Prog Reviewer

4 stars In 1972-74 the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) organized a radio-broadcast series of rock and jazz gigs in Liisankatu studio, Helsinki. For about three years now Svart Records have been releasing these live performances on their Pop-Liisa and Jazz-Liisa series which, especially from the progressive rock's point of view, is definitely worth attention. The vinyl releases have been paired on CD's, since the lengths are averagely around 38 minutes. Kalevala's gig from July 1973 shares the disc with NIMBUS, January 1974 (which I reviewed yesterday).

In this gig Kalevala's line-up -- which never went into a recording studio -- features vocalist Harri Saksala, guitarist and the main composer Matti Kurkinen, bassist Juha Salonen, drummer Alf Forsman and sax/flute player Sakari Kukko who founded PIIRPAUKE a couple of years later. On two tracks he plays also electric piano. Kalevala had released their debut album People No Names (1972; expensive collector's item nowadays) which didn't feature Kukko. Another difference to the album is the language, ie. Finnish instead of English. Originally Harri Saksala had written all lyrics in Finnish, but for People No Names they were translated into English by Mats Huldén (ex-Wigwam bassist).

Two tracks are from the album, tight instrumental jazz-rocker 'Myrskyä pakoon' ('Escape from the Storm') and 'Verkossa' ('In the Net'), the most progressive track in which the vocal parts are rather scarse. The music is energetic jazz-rock à la TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI's Lambertland-era, and occasionally also Saksala's vocals resemble Eero Raittinen's. Songs 'Jokaiseen jokaiseen' and 'Antti' are slightly more vocal-oriented and melodic. Kukko's reeds are an excellent addition to the guitar-heavy sound. 'Tuulikannel' -- the poetic title means wind chimes -- is the slowest and most delicate song here, featuring very beautiful flute. 'Tiedon portaat' is also relatively calm, melodic song.

This well played and recorded live set is among the best releases of Kalevala, and its historical value is high, like is the case with most of the sets in the Pop Liisa series. Unless you prefer vinyls, it's warmly recommended to purchase the 74-minute CD when you'll have both Kalevala's and Nimbus' sets. Vintage Finnish prog!

 People No Names / Boogie Jungle by KALEVALA album cover Boxset/Compilation, 2008
3.58 | 12 ratings

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People No Names / Boogie Jungle
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by b_olariu
Prog Reviewer

4 stars Kalevala , this finish band who got litle recognition in their short career. Easy 4.5 stars for the debut People no names from 1972, absolutly excellent and unfairly overlooked release when talking about essential prog albums from early '70. Top notch the vocal parts, gruff voice that is fiting like glove on the music offered, with nice shining guitar parts, top druming, busy bass and awe inspired arrangements. Aswell are lots of instrumental sections, proving that the musicians really handle the instruments with an amazing ease, alternating more mellow parte as on Where i am from, with beautiful parts to more edge like the opening title track. All in all a nice nearly masterpice album, definetly one of my fav albums ever and in same league with anything Uriah Heep done in that period, being quie similar , or with for example Gomorrha from Germany and their great I turned to see whose voice it was released same year 1972 , that heavy prog we all love of the early days of prog. An essential album to have and i think in top 5 prog rock albums Finland ever produce, 4.5 easy for me

Their second release issued 3 years later named Boogie jungle from 1975 is a diffrent affair, musicaly speaking. The band broke up after releasing their debut, but soon re formed in 1974 with new musicians, including a new voice, important is that the guitarist Matti Kurkinen remaning still, he was the driving force of the band for sure , sadly passed away in a traffic accident soon after releasing Boogie jungle in 1975. So, this album is far less spectacular then the first, being close to comercial hard rock , the progressive arrangements almost completly gone with exception the excellent ending 7 min plus piece named Jungle where Kurkinen shine all through, sounding like it was taken from their debut. The rest while to me is far from bad album, is far less exciting but pleasent for sure. Boogie jungle desearve 3 stars for sure from me, nice art work.

4.5 from the debut plus 3 from second is 7.5 rounded up this time because i like a lot Kalevala, that is meaning 4 stars for this 2 in 1 compilation

 Boogie Jungle by KALEVALA album cover Studio Album, 1975
2.50 | 32 ratings

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Boogie Jungle
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by maryes

2 stars While I give for the first album from the Finnish band KALEVALA 4 stars ( review (#1536009 posted in Saturday, March 05, 2016) !!!, lamentably "Boogie Jungle" is so far of be classified like a really progressive rock album. In fact, the music on this second release as more close from the hard-psych rock from bands as for instance Mountain... or country/blues/folk from Allman Brothers Band, only in the breath initial and final theme of track 2 "Attack at nineteenhunderd" and in the last track "Jungle" the band "draft" something of prog music. So, this way, my rate is only 2 stars !!!
 People No Names by KALEVALA album cover Studio Album, 1972
3.95 | 55 ratings

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People No Names
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by maryes

4 stars I really think how must be difficult classify some albums in a appropriate category. But, in the case of KALEVALA "People no Names" this difficult was very large ! This album mix several styles of prog/ hard/ heavy/ jazz/ blues/ space, Although , this styles are in certain way diluted in the main themes of their tracks. In Track 1 "People No Names" starts with some JETHRO TULL influence in moments like "Benefit" (1970) , but in the middle of song emerges something like a "latin Jazz" in Santana "vein". The track 3 " Waves" is a psychedelic tune. The track 4 "In The Net" shows a interaction between hard and psych prog and seems like an CREAM / MOUNTAIN "meeting". The track 6 "Lady With The Veil" presents a vigorous and continuous rhythm the and the absolute detach is wah-wah guitar solo with some breath percussive intermissions. The track 7 "Escape From The Storm" is a funk/jazzy theme with a hard-rock middle section !

I don't make mention for other tracks because they "runs out" in relation of most tracks from the album ! But I believe which this album deserves at least one audition !!! But, this above mentioned tracks make me concede to this álbum, 4 stars !!!

 People No Names by KALEVALA album cover Studio Album, 1972
3.95 | 55 ratings

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People No Names
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

4 stars Not to be confused with the more modern Russian folk-metal band, this KALEVALA is from Finland and was formerly named Vietnam before changing their name to the 19th century epic compilation of poetry by Elias Lönnrot which is regarded as some of the most significant literary works in all of Finnish national identity. Well, if you're calling yourself the musical Finnish equivalent of Shakespeare then you should expect some pretty epic music delivered, don't ya think?

KALEVALA was formed in 1969 by bassist Juha "Lido" Salonen and the name actually came about by accident. When touring under the name Vietnam, one of the concert organizers objected to the name and forced them to change it. The band went through many line-up changes but it was the guitarist Matti Kurkinen who would steer the band into the progressive arenas of rock and wrote all of the tracks on PEOPLE NO NAMES, their debut album all by his lonesome. The original release was put out by Finnlevy Records but has since been remastered and is available on the Svart label.

The album was released in 1972 and many of the progressive rock influences of the day can be heard starting with the 9 minute title track which begins with a nice acoustic intro and turns into a nice hard bluesy rocker that has a Jethro Tull kind of riff with some of the frenetic energetic parts sounding like the intro to "Heart Of The Sunrise" from Yes' "Fragile" album. The highly energetic rockin' parts are pretty heavy for 1972, so this rightfully can be placed in the proto-metal camp as well alongside UFO, Uriah Heep, T2 and Led Zeppelin. On the prog side the compositions are much more varied and sophisticated than any contemporary hard rock bands of the day that still utilized blues scales as the basis for song structure. Harri Saksala does bring a deeper voiced Ian Anderson to mind in his vocal delivery at times but his styles vary as much as the tracks themselves.

After the frenetic title track, the second track "Where I'm From" is a light airy and breezy piano and acoustic guitar number with emphasis on a strong melodic development before bursting in a very Tullish sound complete with flute. The track despite the strong Tull influence manages to keep a couple steps away from diving too far in that direction especially as the piano part alternates to keep the piece unique. The third track "Waves" reminds more of Can rhythmically but with a nice symphonic keyboard embellishments and a beautiful guitar solo gives it the right amount of oomph. "In The Net" is probably one of the weaker tracks. Reminds a bit of Deep Purple. Maybe "Highway Star" type riffing. Vocals kind of weak but overall saved by an unexpected harmonica solo. "My Friend" is a short little piano ballad that is probably the least impressive track on the album. "Lady With The Veil" is a nice number that begins as a ballad but kicks into progressive heavy rock with excellent super fast drumming from Markku Luukkanen and excellent guitar work. One of my favorite tracks. "Escape From The Storm" is one of the most psychedelic tracks which incorporates acoustic and electric guitar codependencies and wah-wah splendor. Another excellent track. "Tamed Indians" is a strange little folky closer that sounds like a Finnish traditional complete with accordion and foot stompin' delight :)

This is a fairly obscure album even though it has been re-released and although it has been touted as a long lost masterpiece, i don't feel it quite reaches those lofty heights although i do find this to be a very welcome obscurity into my collection. The variation and Kurkinen's excellent guitar playing keep this album from ever drifting into mediocrity and although the band are master's of the cut, copy and paste approach to create a nice mix of ideas, they clearly hadn't quite sewn all the influences together to create a unique and totally original sound. Still an impressive early collection of heavy rockers mixed with nice mellower tracks. This album is available on CD despite there being no info that it exists (i found one by chance) but it is probably easiest to obtain as a two-fer-one with the second album "Boogie Jungle."

 People No Names / Boogie Jungle by KALEVALA album cover Boxset/Compilation, 2008
3.58 | 12 ratings

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People No Names / Boogie Jungle
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by Matti
Prog Reviewer

3 stars This low budget release contains the first two albums by the Finnish band Kalevala, as you can see on the cover. By the way the original vinyl of the debut is said to be one of the highest prized collector's item in Finnish rock. I won't review these albums separately so I'll be more detailed than usual this time.

PEOPLE NO NAMES (1972).The title track is the longest one in the whole set (8:55). It starts with lonely acoustic guitar, but already after 30 seconds the vocalist and the band arrive to offer a tight piece of progressive hard rock. Harri Saksala (formerly of APOLLO; eponymous album from 1970) sings very roughly, sounding almost like Captain Beefheart. His original Finnish lyrics were translated by Mats Huldén who did the same for some WIGWAM albums too. Electric guitar is leading the way.

'Where I'm From' is much calmer track, processing for a couple of minutes as a dreamy instrumental featuring guest appearances of Olli Ahvenlahti's piano and Raimo Wallen's flute, before the faster vocal section kicks in to disappear again. 'Waves' and 'Escape from the Storm' are jazz-rock instrumentals, maybe slightly monotonous but quite good ones.

'In the Net' is a return to harder rocking and bluesy expression; here Saksala and the band sound a bit like the rougher side of Frank Robson and TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI. Gritty harmonica solo is played by Saksala. 'My Friend' is another instrumental, similarily tender and piano-oriented as the most of 'Where I'm From' was. 'Lady With the Veil' has deep atmosphere with its whisper-approaching vocals and lots of acoustic guitar, even if the song is rather fast. 'Tamed Indians' seems like a joke, a brief, hilarious and fast instrumental featuring accordion.

BOOGIE JUNGLE (1975). Some line-up changes had occurred: Saksala was replaced by Limousine Leppänen. All lyrics are by WIGWAM's Jim Pembroke who also provides background vocals on four tracks. The opener 'Mind the Fly Hunter' is rooty, bluesy rock'n'roll song, quite uninteresting to me. The second track is even more boring. Also Leppänen's vocals have bluesy roughness but they miss Saksala's strong presence. 'If We Found the Time' is better, calmer song, where the use of vibrato reminds me of FAMILY's Roger Chapman. 'While the Fire's Warm' is a blues-rocker and features WIGWAM's Jukka Gustavson on clavinet.

'Boogie' is a personal bland of fast, jazzy rock'n'roll, hard rock elements and a drum solo. 'Rockin Fish' is another rough, hard rocking song that I have no any interest for. It has become very clear by now that this album is much worse than the debut, at least for a prog listener. Friends of honest rock'n'roll naturally think the other way round. The album's best track is obviously the long, closing instrumental 'Jungle', where especially electric guitar and Moog do some nice things.

The leaflet features credits information, nothing more. Maybe together these albums are worth three stars as I would rate the debut separately too.

 *Anthology by KALEVALA album cover Boxset/Compilation, 2004
2.52 | 6 ratings

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*Anthology
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by Matti
Prog Reviewer

2 stars Hmm, two anonymous persons have rated this with five stars... If only they had verbalized their opinion! Now I'm the first one to write about this 2-CD Anthology by a Finnish prog group from the seventies. Category could also be Heavy-Prog. In some respects Kalevala were a more straight-forward and harder rocking cousin to TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI - and naturally less jazzier too, though many tracks here are actually gritty and ballsy jazz-rock.

Liner notes (mainly by Lido Salonen, bassist/guitarist and the only all-time member) give a picture of the group's history, but for this set of music there are no information. I first listed the tracks of the three studio albums (1972, 1975, 1977) in order to see how this set relates to the output. My first surprise was that there seemed to be nothing at all from the debut People No Names. Then I found out that the whole CD 1 consists of live recordings. I hate this kind of lack of information.

Earliest recordings (1970) feature Remu Aaltonen on drums, who chose to form the legendary rock'n'roll band Hurriganes. 'Made in Sweden' (something to do with the future group of that name?) and 'Shaking All Over' as openers raised questions of what the hell is this anthology all about? OK, live, why no-one told that in advance? Third track 'Antti' is a short and nicely structured song in which Harri Saksala's (formerly of APOLLO) vocals work excellently. First I thought it was some separate studio recording, until the applause and speech in the end revealed the live nature. The next few tracks are energetic, instrumentally oriented jazz-rock featuring saxophone of Sakari Kukko, known from PIIRPAUKE. The rest of the first disc are some 1977 live takes of material from the albums Jungle Boogie and Abraham's Blue Refrain. The sonic level is not very bad, and probably Kalevala were at the time primarily a live band.

The CD 2 then seems to consist of the whole Abraham's... album plus five new tracks recorded in 1995. Again, it would be nice to be told. Prog is not very present in the band's style, this is slightly bluesy rock, but still several songs have that something to make them all right even for my ears. The vocals of Zape Leppänen remind me of FAMILY's Roger Chapman without the eccentric vibrato. As I mentioned above, five final tracks date from 1995. Kalevala never officially made a comeback. Salonen tells how the question became harder and harder as many members passed away. The reunion studio line-up features a wider group of players than ever before (e.g. Pekka Pohjola on bass) and the production is pretty good. As this review already has so many references to the Finnish (prog)rock scene, let's add that WIGWAM's Jim Pembroke wrote many of the lyrics! Especially I enjoyed 'The Song' of the five new tracks; 'Turkish Pepper' had some hilarious mock-orientalism, and 'Icebear Walk' has a strong and delicious bass line.

Although this set is terribly edited (with the lack of proper information being the biggest fault), there are at least some interesting stuff outside of the albums. The title Anthology is perhaps a bit misleading: this does not serve as a good introduction to Kalevala's output. Collectors/fans' stuff mostly. 2½ stars.

 Boogie Jungle by KALEVALA album cover Studio Album, 1975
2.50 | 32 ratings

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Boogie Jungle
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by nikow

3 stars Boogie Jungle was released three years after the very proggy debut People No Names, and like the title says, is funky boogie rock. The band saw some big changes in the three years between the albums: Lido Salonen changed from bass to guitar, Ari Vaahtera took the bass duties, Zape Leppänen & Beaver Aitto-Oja came in (vocals and drums, respectively). Only the lead guitarist Matti Kurkinen kept his role.

In fact, there are only traces of prog left, but the music is in general of very high quality. It's a pleasant and very enjoyable album if you are into the funkier side of rock. Matti Kurkinen was a very capable guitarist, and it's tragic that he passed away soon after this album was made. Salonen on second guitar fulfills his duties and brings some beef to the sound. The rhythm section is tight, and even if Leppänen is a bit generic in the vocals, he has a pleasant voice. The star of the album is really Matti Kurkinen, this is a guitar album.

3 stars, it is a very good album, but in no way essential. Better than the debut, and one that will stay on my playlist for a long time.

 Live In Finland 1973 & Europe 1977 by KALEVALA album cover Live, 2004
1.52 | 6 ratings

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Live In Finland 1973 & Europe 1977
Kalevala Prog Related

Review by Eetu Pellonpaa
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

1 stars Now this would be a great record - If it would containg the music it's cover texts promise! This was supposed to be a complimentary disc for the "Anthology" released by Shroom productions, but evidently the guys at the label ate too much shrooms, and instead of the intended live tracks + interviews, we get a separate exact copy of the 1st CD of the "Anthology" 2CD box. I suggest that release for those interested of this obscure band, but this fake record is best left unnoted, unless all copies are not corrupt as the one I had.
Thanks to ProgLucky for the artist addition. and to Eetu Pellonpää for the last updates

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