Review: “Kutsumus” by Haapoja

Named after Matti Haapoja (1845-1895), one of the most famous Finnish serial killers, a four piece painting portraits in Blackened Death Metal infused Hardcore have been walking the Earth since 2007. Their genre defying mayhem has been described as dissonant yet melodic and relentless yet catchy, a demo, a split and a pair of albums since their inception in 2007 setting the scene. 2024 saw the band undergo a major overhaul that left founding member Pekka Kivelä (Trypanon) the last man standing from the original line up. He’s now joined by a rhythm section of drummer Jani Kuorikoski (Napalm Ted, Joint Depression) and Tuomas Alatalo (Revulsion, Vedet) on bass with original vocalist Jyri Kuukasjärvi (Loka, Radien) returning after eight years in the wilderness.

The first bite is with the eye and it only takes a glance at the cover artwork of “Kutsumus” (or “Calling“) to know it has the potential to be bleak and harrowing with a side order of venomous rage. It begins however with a riff from what the American’s would call the deep south as “Päätös” (or “Decision“) takes shape before twisting and contorting into something off-kilter and uneasy with hints of 2000’s era Metallic Hardcore. It’s enough to make you feel a bit sea sick, the pitching of the vocals from Jyri Kuukasjärvi making them sound like nails on a chalk board. They become harsher and more intense with “Esirippu” (or “Curtain“), the equally as eerie but without that southern twang. Instead its the performance of drummer Jani Kuorikoski that grabs the attention, his playing adding depth and texture as he gets more expansive, hammering the nails into the coffins of the naysayers who said the band couldn’t continue after the dramatic line up changes. It has to be said that the rhythms are as engaging as they come, the longer instrumental passages meaning the sparse vocals hit that much harder.

By the time “Portinvartija” (or “Gatekeeper“) rolls around if you’re not hypnotised by Pekka Kivelä’s riffs then you might want to consider putting yourself forward for a role in the secret services because you have a unique talent that needs to be exploited. On the first couple of spins you might not get what he’s looking to achieve but once you do, you’ll become hooked by the intricacies in the tight rhythms which on this one in particular are both clever and fun. Add to that the whirlwind of thunderous percussion and you’ve got a match made in hell, Haapoja salting the earth in the process. At six and a half minutes “Suoja” (or “Protection“) is the kind of grand finale that you might not have anticipated, the riffs once again sending a shiver down the spine, their mesmerising qualities astounding. The vocals feel bleaker on this one like Jyri Kuukasjärvi is waiting for the police divers to return from dragging the lake in search of the body of a lost loved one, the weight of feeling captured in the performance unbelievable. [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Päätös
2. Esirippu
3. Portinvartija
4. Suoja

“Kutsumus” by Haapoja is out 15th May 2026 and is available over at bandcamp