Korpiklaani is a folk metal band from Finland who were formerly known as Sh… Read Full Bio ↴Korpiklaani is a folk metal band from Finland who were formerly known as Shaman. The name Korpiklaani means "Backwoods Clan" in the Finnish language. In spoken language "korpi" means dark old forest. In biology it refers to boreal forest appearing on moist moraine soils, characterized by dense growth of spruce and a deep layer of moss as undergrowth.

While other folk metal bands began with metal before adding folk music, Korpiklaani started with folk music before turning metal. The roots of Korpiklaani can be traced back to a Sami folk music group under the name of 'Shamaani Duo', an "in-house restaurant band" created by Jonne Järvelä in 1993. An album of folk music (Hunka Lunka) was released under this name before Järvelä relocated and "Shamaani Duo" morphed into "Shaman". Shaman was the second incarnation of Korpiklaani, formed in 1996 which is notable for the heavy use of original native Sámic music elements and lyrics in Northern Sámi. The band's music was based on the folk music of Shamaani Duo. The most widely used elements are the shamanic drum, yoik and humppa. Besides yoik, the vocals vary from clean to rather aggressive growling.

The musical style of Shaman is quite distinctive, especially in the slow songs, due to its entrancing atmosphere created by the monophonic, "narrow" synth sound making the deep contrast to the spacious sound of the acoustic guitar, the shamanic drum and yoik singing. The first recording released under the name of Shaman was the demo single Ođđa máilbmi (New World in Northern Sámi). The video clip shot for the song featured a wolf breaking free from its cage and running into the forest. Besides the single CD the song was included on the band's first full-length album Idja (Night in Northern Sámi, 1999) as well. The band released another album, Shamániac, in 2002. The band underwent another evolution in 2003, and "Shaman" became "Korpiklaani" (with only Järvelä and drummer Samu Ruotsalainen remaining from the last "Shaman" lineup), with the music style to a more conventional folk metal with folk/thrash vocals instead of yoiking. Shamániac had already featured a strong resemblance to the future Korpiklaani style. In fact, the song, "Vuola lávlla", has the same music as the Korpiklaani song, "Beer Beer".

The change in name was accompanied by a change in the music. The traditional yoik vocals and the use of the Northern Sámi language were dropped while the synthesizer was replaced with real folk instruments. Jonne Järvelä credits his work with Finntroll as the catalyst for the shift in emphasis from folk to metal. Their song lyrics are often related to alcohol and partying. According to Jonne Järvelä, Korpiklaani's music would be seen as "old people's music with heavy metal guitars" in Finland.

There has been some collaboration between Korpiklaani and Finntroll, as Samu Ruotsalainen of Finntroll provided session drums for their debut album Spirit of the Forest and Järvelä provided the yoiking for the title track of Finntroll's album Jaktens Tid. Juha Jyrkäs has written some Finnish lyrics to Korpiklaani and from 2011 lyrics are written by poet Tuomas Keskimäki, who writes lyrics in the old Finnish "kalevalametre".

In September 2011 Korpiklaani announced that Jaakko "Hittavainen" Lemmetty would be leaving the band due to personal health issues which made the constant touring and recording impossible. First his replacement was violist Teemu Eerola and later, nowadays permanent member, Tuomas Rounakari. In 2013 accordion player Juho Kauppinen left Korpiklaani and the new accordion player is Sami Perttula.

Before The Morning Sun
Korpiklaani Lyrics

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Down, in the forest path
When the night comes closer
Air's full of magic
When, elfgirls dancing
Dancing in the circle
I watch them from the bushes
Down, in the forest path
When night comes closer

When the sun goes down
Once, once again

I will try to sleep
Before the morning sun

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Korpiklaani's song "Before the Morning Sun" describe a mystical scene in a forest, where the singer watches elfgirls dancing in a circle. The mention of the forest and the night provides a sense of mystery and enchantment, as though the setting itself is alive with magic. The fact that the singer is watching from the bushes suggests a voyeuristic quality to the scene, as though he is an outsider looking in on something sacred.

The repetition of the phrase "down, in the forest path" and "when the night comes closer" creates a sense of rhythm and repetition, emphasising the cyclical nature of this magical moment- one that takes place every time the sun sets. The singer's desire to "try to sleep before the morning sun" contains a sense of urgency and fleetingness- as though this moment of magic could disappear as soon as dawn breaks.

Overall, the lyrics to "Before the Morning Sun" create a vivid picture of a mystical, magical moment in a forest. The cyclical nature of the scene, as well as the singer's sense of urgency and outsider status, add to the sense of enchantment and mystery.

Line by Line Meaning

Down, in the forest path
In the depths of the forest trail

When the night comes closer
As darkness approaches

Air's full of magic
The atmosphere is enchanted

When, elfgirls dancing
As the fairy maidens dance

Dancing in the circle
Performing their movements in a ring

I watch them from the bushes
I observe from concealed positions

Down, in the forest path
In the depths of the forest trail

When night comes closer
As darkness approaches

When the sun goes down
When the daylight fades

Once, once again
Repeatedly

I will try to sleep
I shall attempt to slumber