“The Hardrock Haven Band of the Month is a band we firmly believe needs to be heard. Each month, one Hardrock Haven staff member has their opportunity to pick a band they feel is going to break soon; a band that is deserved of nationwide attention; and lastly, a band that just kicks ass.” … Derric Miller.

Hardrock Haven is proud to continue into our second year for our feature installment — Band of the Month — and this time around we journey back to Finland to discover the band Thunderstone.

It’s interesting to note that Finland has provided the metal community with a variety of bands that pushed to redefine several genres that fall under the “metal” banner. These bands include Hanoi Rocks, HIM, Children of Bodom, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, Lordi, Brother Firetribe and Leverage. Amongst these powerhouse metal bands that have risen to worldwide notoriety, hundreds of bands are waiting in the wings to step out and garner their own piece of the pie, hoping for a taste of international success.

One of these bands began their accent towards international success in early ’00. Guitarist Nino Laurenne, formally with the speed/thrash band Antidote, began recording demos at his personally owned Sonic Pump Studios. Quickly realizing the potential of the project, Laurenne proceeded to recruit musicians and form a band around his musical vision. By ’01, Laurenne had brought on board bassist Titus Hjelm (formerly of Antidote), vocalist Pasi Rantanen, drummer Mirka Rantanen and keyboardist Kari Tornack and had given the project a name, Thunderstone.

With a musical direction and line-up in place, Thunderstone moved forward and grabbed the attention of Nuclear Blast records and quickly inked a deal with the label. Their self-titled studio release hit the streets in ’02. Their debut received considerable attention and praise from the music community. ‘04s, The Burning, continued to see the band ascending. In their home country of Finland the album reached #13 on the Finnish album charts. Thunderstone toured with German axe slinger Alex Rudi Pell and performed before thousands of metal fans at Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival.

Maximizing the band's short lived existence, the band took their experience touring into the studio and produced ‘05s Tools of Destruction. The album produced the band's first charting single, “Tool of the Devil,” which climbed to #3 on the Finnish single chart. Releasing their forth studio release in ’07, Evolution 4.0, Thunderstone again has capitalized again on their crafty musicianship, high quality production and their strong song writing skills. The band pushes metal into progressive jaunts that also intermingles with melodic overtones and traditional heavy metal aggression.

Vocalist Pasi Rantanen has an honest, emotive voice that combines passion and grit and truly holds your attention. The combined rhythm section of bassist Titus Hjelm and drummer Mirka Rantanen forge the power house engine that drives Thunderstone’s songs. Keyboardist Kari Tornack provides backing melodies and atmospheric tension to the music. Guitarist Nino Laurenne wields his axe, to the delight of guitar maniacs everywhere, and provides carnal rhythms and solos for vocalist Rantanen to soar over. Thunderstone is one powerful quintet indeed.

The band should continue their ascension into ’08, so don’t be surprised when they are ranked as one of Finland’s best home grown bands as well as one of today’s premier metal bands.

http://www.thunderstone.org/