Höyry-Kone was a Finnish band that emerged in the mid-1990s and released tw… Read Full Bio ↴Höyry-Kone was a Finnish band that emerged in the mid-1990s and released two albums. Their music combines the avant-garde with hard rock and metal, featuring extensive use of the cello and violin in addition to more traditional instruments such as guitar, drums and bass. The band's structure resembles a double power trio at first, except that violin/cello replace the second bass. Perhaps the defining factor of the band's sound, however, is Topi Lehtipuu's operatic voice. He is currently a regular performer at the Opera of Paris and is one of the most sought after lyrical tenors in the world. The band was friendly with fellow proggers Anekdoten. After their sophomore effort, the band broke up, but several of the members went on to form the instrumental Alamaailman Vasarat, who play a jazzy mix of death metal and klezmer, among other things.

The band's name means Steam Engine.

Last known line-up
Matti Jalava - Vocals
Erno Haukkala - Trombone (Alamaailman Vasarat, Calypso King & The Soul Investigators, Soul Captain Band)
Teemu Hänninen - Drums (Alamaailman Vasarat)
Tuomas Hänninen - Guitar
Marko Manninen - Cello (Alamaailman Vasarat, Kalastaja)
Jussi Kärkkäinen - Guitar, Pump Organ
Jarno Sarkula - Bass, Pump Organ, Soprano Saxophone (Alamaailman Vasarat)
Former/past member(s)
Jukka Hannukainen - Vocals, Synthesizers, Programming
Nina Lehos - Oboe
Topi Lehtipuu - Vocals, Violin

Höyry-Kone have appeared on the Iron Maiden tribute compilation "Slave to the Power" performing a heavy orchestral version of "The Trooper".

from:
http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=11925

Laina-ajalla
Höyry-kone Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hukuin syvään veteen
Meri ruohon syliin
Jäi jälkeeni rautainen seppele
Pyörremyrsky tuskin pyörii

Laina-ajalla
Toisten avulla
Samalla

Toisten ajalla

Pakenen, elän
Salaa palaan kostamaan
Pakenen, elän
Salaa

Alas, yhä syvemmälle sukelsin
Salaisuuksien ytimeen
Olin tullut pohjalle tiedon
Loppuihin lopun
Ja täällä valaan silmässä
Hain hampaassa
Kylmässä huudan

On lainassa
Kortilla
Alus on tulossa maihin
Utuun
Kasvan
Varastan lainattua aikaa

Laina-ajalla
Toisten avulla
Samalla
Toisten ajalla

Muutun, kasvan

Varastan lainattua aikaa
Elän

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Höyry-kone's song Laina-ajalla are deeply metaphorical and open to interpretation. The first verse, "Hukuin syvään veteen, meri ruohon syliin, jäi jälkeeni rautainen seppele, pyörremyrsky tuskin pyörii," paints a picture of the singer being lost in deep waters and drowning, yet paradoxically finding rest in the embrace of the sea. The "rautainen seppele" could refer to something heavy or burdensome that the singer has shed, and the calmness of the pyörremyrsky, or whirlwind, suggests that the turbulence of life has subsided.

The chorus, "Laina-ajalla, toisten avulla, samalla, toisten ajalla," seems to suggest that the singer is living on borrowed time, relying on the help of others and moving through life at the pace of others. They are "pakenen, elän, salaa palaan kostamaan," which could mean that they are running away, living secretly, and plotting revenge.

The second verse, "Alas, yhä syvemmälle sukelsin, salaisuuksien ytimeen, olin tullut pohjalle tiedon, loppuihin lopun," evokes an image of the singer diving deeper and deeper into the unknown, seeking knowledge and enlightenment. When they reach the bottom, they find that there is nothing more to discover. In the "valaan silmässä," or eye of the whale, they look for answers and find only a "hampaassa" or a tooth - something small and seemingly insignificant. The final lines "Kasvan, varastan lainattua aikaa, elän" suggest that the singer is growing and maturing, but still living on borrowed time.

Line by Line Meaning

Hukuin syvään veteen
I plunged deep into the water

Meri ruohon syliin
The sea embraced the grass

Jäi jälkeeni rautainen seppele
I left behind an iron wreath

Pyörremyrsky tuskin pyörii
A whirlwind barely spins

Laina-ajalla
Borrowed time

Toisten avulla
With the help of others

Samalla
At the same time

Toisten ajalla
On someone else's time

Pakenen, elän
I flee, I live

Salaa palaan kostamaan
Secretly returning to avenge

Alas, yhä syvemmälle sukelsin
Down I went, diving deeper