Most of the band's music is written by Hatakka. Waltari's lyrics often deal with personal feelings of anxiety, loneliness and the cruelty of the world, often with heavy irony and sarcasm.
The name Waltari is a reference to the popular Finnish author Mika Waltari, a favourite author of guitarist Jariot Lehtinen.
Waltari was formed in 1986 in Helsinki, Finland, by Kärtsy Hatakka (vocals and bass), Jariot Lehtinen (guitars) and Sale Suomalainen (drums). Sami Yli-Sirniö joined as second guitarist in 1989, a year after the release of their first EP, Mut Hei.
Their first album, Monk Punk was released in 1991. As the title suggests, this album was mostly punk. Their next album Torcha! (1992) and it was with this album that Waltari started blending various musical styles into the sound that would become their own.
After releasing a compilation of early work under the title Pala Leipää (1993), the band went on to release So Fine! (1994), an album similar to Torcha!. Their next album, Big Bang (1995) is to date their biggest success. The album concentrates on mixing techno with heavy metal.
In 1995 Roope Latvala (current second guitarist of Children of Bodom) joined the band, replacing Sami Yli-Sirniö. During this time, Hatakka was working with conductor Riku Niemi on a project combining heavy metal with classical music. This project eventually became known as Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! Death Metal Symphony in Deep C. The show was performed in 1995, and the album was released in 1996.
The year 1997 saw Space Avenue, a more progressive work containing more electronic drums, as well as a collaboration with Apocalyptica. In 1998, in honour of the band's ten-year anniversary, the band released a compilation titled Decade.
In 1999 Hatakka was working on yet another metal/classical collaboration, and this gave rise to the stage show Evangelicum. This production differed from Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! in that it contained more than just music: the stage show contained music, ballet and a light show. An album of Evangelicum was not released.
Waltari's next album Radium Round (1999), featured a strong pop influence. After Radium Round, the band passed out of the public eye, working on less main-stream releases such as the Metal / Yoik crossover Channel Nordica (2000) and the punk EP Back To Persepolis (2001). However, these releases were very hard to obtain, and for a while Waltari only survived through its live shows. In 2001, the band's old guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö returned, and Roope Latvala left the band.
In 2004 Waltari came back with an all-new studio album, Rare Species. The album was well received by critics, and an extensive tour put Waltari back on the map.
Waltari released their newest album called "Below Zero" in fall of 2009.
1986
Helsinki, Finland
Kärtsy Hatakka
Jariot Lehtinen
Sami Yli-Sirniö
Sami Yli-Sirniö
Roope Latvala
Janne Parviainen
Mika Järvelainen
Ville Veikko Vehviläinen
FEEL
Waltari Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am free to do whatever I want to
I am free to soar like a bird
I don't live for this society
Only depression of the minds I see
You're my soul salvation!
Take me to your different world
Take me to the unknown of this life
You see the light, the death is all the same
You don't need the nations and you don't need rights
You leave your history of endless fights
You're my soul salvation
(look at me, look at me, I'm flying on the street...)
Feel! Feel!
Feel! Feel!
You're my soul, like a bomb and today we run!
Soul salvation!
Feel! Feel!
Feel! Feel!
Don't you know that you are very small
But this world is big and this world is tall
Your life can't be decided by this mess
You just have to shake away your stress
You're my soul salvation
(look at me, look at me, I'm flying on the street...)
You're my soul, like a bomb and today we run!
Soul salvation!
The lyrics of Waltari's "Feel" are about breaking free from society's expectations and finding salvation within oneself. The singer sings about feeling free and liberated, saying "I am free to do whatever I want to, I am free to soar like a bird." They reject the depression they see in society and ask their soul salvation to take them to a different world, beyond the known and into the unknown.
The song continues to explore the idea of passion and pain, and how they are intertwined. The singer suggests that feeling passion can help "kill your pain" and lead you to see the light, where death is all the same. Society's constraints are also rejected in the lines "you don't need the nations and you don't need rights, you leave your history of endless fights". The singer encourages the soul salvation to take them away from all of this, to feel like a bomb and run freely today.
Line by Line Meaning
I am free to do whatever I want to
I have complete control over my actions and choices
I am free to soar like a bird
I have the freedom to pursue my dreams and aspirations
I don't live for this society
I refuse to conform to societal norms and expectations
Only depression of the minds I see
I observe people around me struggling with mental health issues
You're my soul salvation!
You provide me with hope and optimism for the future
Take me to your different world
Let's explore new and exciting possibilities together
Take me to the unknown of this life
Let's embark on a journey of self-discovery and adventure
You feel the passion and you kill your pain
By pursuing your passions, you can overcome your struggles and hardships
You see the light, the death is all the same
You have a newfound appreciation for the beauty of life, despite its inevitable end
You don't need the nations and you don't need rights
You reject the limitations and restrictions of society
You leave your history of endless fights
You let go of your past and embrace a future of peace and tranquility
Feel! Feel!
Embrace your emotions and live life to the fullest
You're my soul, like a bomb and today we run!
You give me a new sense of energy and motivation to pursue my goals
Don't you know that you are very small
You realize your place in the grand scheme of things
But this world is big and this world is tall
The world is full of endless possibilities and opportunities
Your life can't be decided by this mess
You refuse to let your surroundings dictate your fate
You just have to shake away your stress
You choose to focus on the positive and let go of negativity
Soul salvation!
You provide me with a sense of meaning and purpose
Contributed by Maya R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.