Named for the Finnish author Mika Waltari, this quirky rock/metal band has been around since the mid-eighties (1986, to be exact), and are still going strong after more than twenty years in the business. By all accounts Waltari is all over the map musically, tending to mutate and change course from one album to another, and based on cursory listens to earlier albums such as Big Bang and Torcha, a lot of their material falls outside the normal realm of metal, though several members have clear ties to more traditional metal bands. But a special mention must be made in reference to 1996's Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! A Death Metal Symphony In Deep C. Simply put, this is one of the best meldings of metal and a full orchestra ever done. This is not a metal band bashing out their tunes with a backing orchestra (a la Metallica's S&M, for example) -- no, the compositions were written for both the metal and orchestral instruments, and often not at the same time -- "death metal symphony" is truly an apt title for this ambitious and highly entertaining work. Just listen to "The Struggle For Life And Death" for an excellent example of extreme metal and orchestral components both complementing each other and shining on their own. Very few bands have really attempted anything like this (one example: Waltari was recommended for the BNR pages due to this album's similarity to the mighty Hollenthon, a good call), but Waltari not only made the attempt, they succeeded in grand style.

current lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka    vocals/bass Jariot Lehtinen    guitars Sami Yli-Sirniö    guitars (Kreator) Ville Vehviläinen    drums

former members: Roope Latvala    guitars (Children Of Bodom, Sinergy, Stone, Warmen) Janne Immonen    keyboards (Ajattara) Sale Suomalainen    drums Janne Parviainen    drums (Barathrum, Ensiferum, Sinergy) Mika Järveläinen    drums

(EP) Mut Hei 1990

	Track Listing: Days Of Distress Icebox Sad Song Mut Hei	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sale Suomalainen

---

Monk Punk 1991 Stupido

	Track Listing: Good God Rap Your Body Beat Curiosity Ride Hello Sad Song Same Old Story I Was Born In A Wrong Decade Universal Song Tired (F.U.C.K. Rap) Help Hevosenkuva Isolated	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sami Yli-Sirniö Janne Parviainen

---

Torcha! 1992 The All Black

	Track Listing: Lights On The Lie Of The Zombie I Held You So Long Dedicated To The Elves Lust Of Life Vogue Till The Music Nation Fool's Gold You Know Better Dance Electric Jukolauta Death Party I'm A Believe Fuckadelicatessen Waltari - Lapio	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sami Yli-Sirniö Janne Parviainen

---

Pala Leipaa 1993 Stupido

	Track Listing: Pois (Away) Good God Aika Tulee (Time Blows) Pala Leipää (A Piece of Bread) Liisteri-Mies (Glue Man) Nakki (Sausage) Olen Seuraaja (I Am a Follower) Mä Haluun Elää (I Wanna Live) Hippakaveri (Party Animal) Days of Distress Sad Song Rap Your Body Beat Shout Mut Hei! (But Hey!) Rasnavitsavia Icebox F.U.C.K. Rap Sillanpää (Bridge End) Tuttu Juttu (A Common Story) Kinastellaan (Let's Argue) Uhoa, Ei Tuhoa (Threat, Not Destruction)	Lineup:

---

So Fine! 1994 The All Black

	Track Listing: The Beginning Song Mad Boys So Fine A Forest 45 5 42 Celtic Funk (Your) Nature Is Wild To Live Piggy In The Middle Autumn Rhythm Is A Cancer Misty Man Mysterious ...	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sami Yli-Sirniö Janne Parviainen

---

Big Bang 1995

	Track Listing: Big Bang (Dream Avenue) Atmosfear Follow Me Inside Sensitive Touch On My Ice Showtime Color TV The Stage Jänkhä One In The Line Feel! Connection Real One Let's Get Crucified Slow Thinking Street	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sami Yli-Sirniö Janne Parviainen

---

Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! 1996

	Track Listing: Misty Deariness A Sign Deeper Into The Mud The Struggle For Life And Death Of "Knowledge" Completely Alone Move Time, Irrelevant The Top How Low Can U Go?	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Roope Latvala Janne Parviainen

---

Space Avenue 1997 EMI

	Track Listing: External Far Away Wolves On The Street Progression Blind Zone Purify Yourself (feat. Apocalyptica) Stars Prime Time Main Stream Look Out Tonite (feat. Apocalyptica) Walkin' In The Neon (feat. Anita Davis) Mad Luxury	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Roope Latvala Janne Parviainen

---

Decade (compilation) 1998

	Track Listing:

---

Radium Round 1999

	Track Listing: Back To The Bottom Every Bad Day Broken Bizarre Power Of Thoughts Atom Angel Number None Radium Round Love Rocket The Plan City Neurotic Scum 4000 Years	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Roope Latvala Janne Parviainen

---

Channel Nordica 2000 Parlophone

	Track Listing:	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Roope Latvala Janne Parviainen

---

(EP) Back To Persepolis 2001

	Track Listing:	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sami Yli-Sirniö Janne Parviainen

---

Rare Species 2004 Vindauga

	Track Listing: One Day Life without Love Megacity Rain Dreamworld What I Really Know My Pain Quick as a Day Dream Alone Live This! Wasting My Mind No Limit / Your Funky Rhythm / Symphony of Destruction Guardian Angel Living Then Living Now New Church There's No Tomorrow	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sami Yli-Sirniö Mika Järveläinen

---

Rare Species Alive    2005 EMI

---

Blood Sample 2005 Bluelight

	Track Listing: Helsinki Not Enough Too Much Emptiness Never New York I'm in Pain All Roads will lead to Rome Digging Inside Fly into the Light Shades to Grace Aching Eyes Back to the Audio Pigeons Exterminator Warheads Darling Boy Wide Awake Julia	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sami Yli-Sirniö Mika Järveläinen

---

Early Years (compilation) 2006 Dockyard 1

	Track Listing: Good God Rap Your Body Beat Curiosity Ride Hello Sad Song Same Old Story I Was Born In The Wrong Decade Universal Song Tired (F.U.C.K. Rap) Help Isolated Hevosenkuva Punk En Ole Ihminen Another Sea Uusi Vallankumous Bröstvisan Not To Touch The Earth Mamammammammammammaa Tock Tock Rock Wait For America Peilin Pimeä Puoli Pois Good God (single version) Aika Tuulee Pala Leipää Liisterimies Nakki Olen Seuraaja Mä Haluun Elää Hippakaver Days Of Distress Sad Song (ep-version) Rap Your Body Beat (single version) Shout Mut Hei Rasnavitsnavia Icebox F.U.C.K. Rap Icebox Sillanpää Tuttu Juttu Kinastellaan Uhoa, Ei Tuhoa

---

Release Date 2007 Dockyard 1

	Track Listing: Get Stamped Big Sleep Let's Puke Together Cityshamaani - Night Flight Cityshamaani - Good Morning Cityshamaani - Colgate County Showdown Cityshamaani - The Incarnation Party Cityshamaani - Sympathy Hype THD Sex in the Biergarten Wish I Could Heal Spokebone	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sami Yli-Sirniö Ville Vehviläinen

---

The 2nd Decade - In The Cradle (compilation) 2008

	Track Listing: In The Cradle Get Stamped Not Enough One Day Helsinki System Odda Aiggi Dream World Atom Angel Wish I Could Heal Life Without Love - Billy Gould´s Remix Death Party Dream Rag Your Body Beat

---

Below Zero 2009 Dockyard 1

	Track Listing: Below Zero I Hear Voices In The Cradle Without Lies Dubbed World Endless Highway Syntax Error My Own Satisfaction 10 Reasons Why Not To Hate Me Travel On	Lineup: Kärtsy Hatakka Jariot Lehtinen Sami Yli-Sirniö Janne Immonen Ville Vehviläinen

---