Profane Omen

Profane Omen

Profane Omen is a Finnish metal group that forms in 1999. The band’s lineup is built around guitarist and songwriter Janne Tolonen, drummer and songwriter Länä Varjola, bassist Jukka Keisala and guitarist Bönde Pöllänen, with singer Jules Näveri joining soon after the group forms. Their style develops from melodic heavy metal into a more aggressive, riff-led sound and is described as melodic groove metal.

Early demos and lineup changes

The band records its first demo, Profane Omen, in 2000 and plays its first gig the same year. Later in 2000 it records a second demo, Bittersweet Omen. After that release, Pöllänen leaves and guitarist/songwriter Williami Kurki joins. In 2001 the band records Fuck The Beast at Sonic Pump Studios with Nino Laurenne as engineer, and one of the songs, “Through The Dark”, appears on the Finnish metal compilation Northern Breeze 2. Later that year it records Load Of Lead, again at Sonic Pump Studios with Laurenne, and the material receives strong reviews in Finnish magazines and webzines.

By the end of 2001 Tolonen and Varjola leave the band. Tolonen later forms Misery Inc. Profane Omen then adds drummer Mika Tanttu and guitarist Antti Kokkonen. In 2002 the group releases its first official release, the EP Label Of Black, which is nominated as “release of the month” on German Resistance Radio. Finnish national broadcaster YLE also uses material from the EP in a documentary.

Further recordings and live activity

In 2003 the band records the demo c2h4o at Oriville Studios with Aleksanteri Kuosa and Tomppa Saarenketo. Keisala leaves later that year and Saarenketo becomes the bassist. In autumn 2003 Profane Omen tours with Austrian death metal band Spearhead, playing three shows in Finland and four in Austria, which makes this its first performance outside Finland.

In 2004 the band records the single “Adrenaline” at Sonic Pump Studios with producer Panu Willman. The single later sells out. In 2005 the band plays a gig exchange with German band Medusa’s Child and tours Germany for three shows. After that tour Tanttu leaves and Samuli Mikkonen joins on drums.

Albums, labels and recognition

On 1 December 2005 Profane Omen signs to Finnish label Dethrone Music. In 2006 it records its debut album Beaten Into Submission at Villvox Studios with producer Ville Sorvali and engineer Aleksanteri Kuosa. The album is released in September 2006, enters the Finnish charts at number 28, and receives strong critical notices.

In December 2006 the band signs a booking contract with the Finnish agency Welldone. In 2007 it receives a nomination for Newcomer of the Year at the Finnish Metal Awards, held at the Finnish Metal Expo. That year it also records the EP Disconnected, again with Ville Sorvali producing and Aleksanteri Kuosa engineering at Villvox Studios, and releases it later in the year.

Profane Omen begins playing summer festivals in 2007, including Tuska Open Air, Simerock, Pellavarock and Jalometalli Metal Festival. Its second full-length album, Inherit the Void, follows and reaches ninth place on a Finnish monthly album chart.