Unholy (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Defunct | 2002 (reunion in 2012) |
| Headquarters | Finland |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, demos |
Unholy was a pioneering Finnish avant-garde doom metal ensemble established in 1988, acknowledged as one of Finland’s earliest contributors to the doom metal genre.
History
Initially formed in 1988 under the name Holy Hell, the group combined elements of black-doom metal. Following the release of two demos in 1989—Unhallowed Passion and Kill Jesus—they adopted the name Unholy in 1990. Their underground prominence grew through these demos and the 1991 EP Trip to Depressive Autumn, which secured them a deal with Austrian label Lethal Records. This partnership led to the debut album From the Shadows in 1993. Subsequently, they signed with Avantgarde Music and issued The Second Ring of Power in 1994 but disbanded shortly thereafter, only to reunite two years later.
Unholy’s concluding albums, Rapture and Gracefallen, were also released through Avantgarde Music before the band announced their dissolution on 25 March 2002.
In 2008, Unholy collaborated with Ahdistuksen Aihio to reissue all their demos on vinyl, which came out in spring 2011 accompanied by an extensive booklet detailing the band’s history. Later, after Peaceville Records acquired rights from Avantgarde Music, they arranged re-releases of all full-length albums featuring refreshed cover art and additional tracks: Gracefallen included the unreleased song "Gone"; Rapture was supplemented with two live recordings from 1999; and The Second Ring of Power received new artwork plus a bonus DVD showcasing a live performance from 1994.
At the start of 2012, Unholy prepared for a combined reunion and farewell tour featuring the original lineup, performing four outdoor festival appearances across Finland, Germany, and Romania during summer. The band officially retired later that year.
Final line-up
- Pasi Äijö – bass guitar, vocals (1988–1994, 1996–2002, 2012)
- Ismo Toivonen – guitar, keyboards (1988–1994, 1996–2002, 2012)
- Jarkko Toivonen – guitar (1988–1994, 2012)
- Jan Kuhanen – drums (1991–1994, 1996–2002, 2012)
Former members
- Kimmo Hänninen – drums (1988–1991)
- Mika Arponen – drums (1991)
- Waltteri Myllynen – guitar (1993)
- Jade Vanhala – guitar (1999–2002)
- Veera Muhli – keyboards, vocals (1998–2000)
Timeline
Studio albums
- From the Shadows (1993)
- The Second Ring of Power (1994)
- Rapture (1998)
- Gracefallen (1999)
EPs
- Trip to Depressive Autumn (1992)
Demo recordings
- Unhallowed Passion (as Holy Hell; 1989)
- Kill Jesus (as Holy Hell; 1989)
- Procession of Black Doom (1990)
- Demo 11.90 (1990)