Formed by vocalist Marko Annala (also the group's only constant member over the years) in Lappeentanta, Finland, in 1996, metal band Mokoma have mixed death metal, grindcore, and -- most importantly -- thrash to solid effect in their ten-plus-year career. After a pair of ill-received albums on EMI -- notable in that they featured a more standard trad rock format -- the band jumped ship and started its own label, in addition to shifting stylistic focus. With their third album, Kurimus -- on the Sakara label -- Mokoma released the first in a long series of full-lengths that would see them explore the type of metal that they were good at, as well as hitting critical and commercial highs in their homeland. In 2007, the band, by this time featuring Tuomo Saikkonen (guitars), Kuisma Aalto (guitars), Janne Hyrkäs (bass), and Santtu Hämäläinen (drums) in addition to vocalist Annala as members, released their sixth album, Luihin Ja Ytimiin, which peaked at the top spot on the Finnish album charts. ~ Chris True
