Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI is proud to officially launch ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) with the release of “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience. This release represents a significant milestone in ASA’s mission to merge art, music, and environmental advocacy, and marks the beginning of a bold new creative journey for Kuusniemi and his collaborators.

“Aurora Nuclearis” serves as a dynamic introduction to ASA’s unique blend of long-form and short-form content, seamlessly integrating music, visuals, and storytelling. The project draws deeply from themes of environmental sustainability and cultural preservation, with this inaugural piece setting the tone for future releases. ASA aims to create an immersive experience for a diverse global audience, offering both profound artistic expression and urgent environmental commentary.

Reflecting on the significance of “Aurora Nuclearis,” Kimmo Kuusniemi shares, “This piece beautifully bridges my musical journey, intertwining my past influences with the new creative direction of ASA. It’s a powerful start for the ASA project, paying homage to where we’ve come from while embracing where we’re headed. We are, after all, the sum of our past experiences, and ‘Aurora Nuclearis’ honours that truth.”

Dedicated to the memory of the late Finnish keyboardist Esa Kotilainen, who passed away in 2023, “Aurora Nuclearis” also pays tribute to a long-standing creative partnership. Kotilainen, known for his pioneering work in progressive music, first collaborated with Kuusniemi in the late 1970s with Sarcofagus—reputed to be Finland’s first heavy metal band. Their shared passion for pushing musical boundaries profoundly influenced the soundscapes of many projects over four decades. Originally conceived years ago, Kotilainen and Kimmo began working on “Aurora Nuclearis” together, with Kotilainen recording keyboards, but the project remained unfinished until now, symbolising both a continuation and a new beginning under ASA.

Viivi Kotilainen, Esa’s daughter, reflects on her father’s deep connection to nature: “Nature was everything to my father. He believed that the natural world was a source of endless inspiration and peace, shaping not only his music but his entire life. He often worried about the future, fearing that the beauty he experienced might not be available to future generations. My father saw nature as his refuge, his creative wellspring, and he passed that love down to us. Even in his later years, he shared moments from his nature walks with us, reminding us of the importance of staying connected to the world around us.”

To complement the full-length experience, ASA is also releasing several short-form videos, each approximately one minute long. These mini music videos, inspired by ancient environmental proverbs, offer viewers bite-sized yet thought-provoking content that underscores the urgency of today’s environmental crises.

Watch and stream “Aurora Nuclearis” at:

• Video Youtube: https://youtu.be/gH28I_1Ky_Q
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/582w3kmzSPz7i38V5px9Kl

For more information, visit:

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AncientStreamingAssembly
• Website: http://www.ancientstreaming.com

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM COLLABORATORS:

Tuomas Rounakari’s shamanic violin brings an evocative, mystical layer to “Aurora Nuclearis,” enriching the piece with his deep cultural insights. Juho Martikainen’s innovative double bass playing adds a profound depth, complementing the piece’s rich, atmospheric soundscape.

ABOUT ASA:

ASA, led by Kimmo Kuusniemi with the support of Sakari Heiskanen and Tuomas Rounakari, is a cross-arts odyssey that fuses ancestral wisdom with modern digital platforms. ASA crafts narratives that resonate with contemporary audiences while drawing from ancient traditions. Through a combination of music, visuals, and storytelling, ASA aims to engage a global audience with its immersive and thought-provoking content.

Contact:
For more information, please contact Tarja Virmakari at tarja@ancientstreaming.com

ABOUT KIMMO KUUSNIEMI:

Finnish-born visionary artist, Kimmo Kuusniemi stands at the intersection of art, music, film, and environmental advocacy. Currently, Kuusniemi is engaged in several cutting-edge projects that blend technology, art, and environmental activism. One of his latest initiatives, the “Ancient Streaming Assembly”, merges traditional wisdom with modern digital platforms to promote environmental sustainability and cultural preservation.

Godfather of Finnish Heavy Metal in the 70s:
In the late 1970s, Kuusniemi established the legendary band Sarcofagus. Blending progressive and experimental elements with heavy rock, Sarcofagus crafted a version of heavy metal that was distinctly ahead of its time. Always at the cutting edge of innovation, Kuusniemi has consistently harnessed the latest technology to expand his artistic expression.

Music Video Pioneer in the 80s:
In 1981, showcasing his forward-thinking prowess, Kuusniemi produced and directed a full album length broadcast quality music video for his third album, Kimmo Kuusniemi Band “Moottorilinnut”. Coincidentally, this was the same year MTV made its debut in the USA, signalling the onset of a new era for music and visual media. Though MTV was launching on the other side of the Atlantic, Kuusniemi’s ambitious project underscored his position at the forefront of the evolving music-video landscape.

Eco-Filmmaker Before It Was Cool:
In the 1980s, Kuusniemi ventured deeply into environmental film-making. He produced a series of informational short films and documentaries highlighting various environmental topics, aimed at educating and raising public awareness.

Echoes from The Present in the 90s:
This commitment to environmental consciousness culminated in 1991 with the Double Vision’s “Dream On” project—a compelling film and extended single produced for the International World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The project received high visibility in the Music TV Europe and Asia.

More than three decades ago, the “Dream On” music video projected a cautionary tale of an impending environmental crisis. Disturbingly, the future once envisioned by the “Dream On” project has now become our present reality, showcasing humanity’s prolonged inaction.

Architect of Alternative Global Documentaries:
Following “Dream On”, Kuusniemi continued to make his mark in the realm of International film and television. He produced several TV documentaries that achieved international distribution.

Among his most notable works is the groundbreaking 8-hour adventure/history TV series, “Baltic Sea Adventure” which garnered widespread acclaim and captivated audiences globally from Greenland to Australia. The “Baltic Sea Adventure” series is a comprehensive TV series about the Baltic Sea countries, cultures, and environment.

Notably, the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior ship was meant to be part of the series, but due to an unforeseen delay with the diving boat being stuck in a different part of the Baltic, the meeting was missed.

The Visionary of Things To Come:
Whether through his compelling documentaries, informational films, or innovative projects, Kuusniemi’s work continues to resonate with the imperative need to harmonise with nature, drawing insights from the past and weaving them into the tapestry of today’s narrative. His vision for a sustainable future is reflected in all aspects of his diverse and dynamic career.

ABOUT SAKARI HEISKANEN:

Sakari Heiskanen is a versatile Finnish media producer and transmedia specialist with a rich background spanning journalism, TV entertainment, and book publishing. Raised in a creative environment, Sakari’s passion for storytelling and media was sparked at a young age, influenced by his art director father. Over the years, he has evolved into a seasoned professional, pioneering event streaming and podcast production while making significant contributions to the digital media landscape.

The Architect of Transmedia Experiences:
With a BA in Media Production and a thesis on virtual reality, Sakari has always been at the forefront of technological innovation in media. His expertise extends across multiple platforms, seamlessly blending traditional and digital media to create immersive experiences. As a creative wellbeing expert and advisor, Sakari’s work often intersects with themes of mental wellness and artistic expression, making him a sought-after figure in both the media and arts communities.

Chief Whisperer and Master of Brainwaves at ASA:
Together with Kimmo, Sakari is a conceptual and ideological force behind the Ancient Streaming Assembly (ASA), a groundbreaking collective cross-arts project by visionary artist Kimmo Kuusniemi. Serving as the “Chief Whisperer and Master of Brainwaves,” Sakari is instrumental in shaping the project’s narrative and ensuring its alignment with its core mission: merging traditional wisdom with cutting-edge technology to promote environmental sustainability and cultural preservation.

The ASA is already creating a new form of art that resonates with contemporary audiences while honouring ancient traditions. Sakari’s deep understanding of transmedia storytelling is crucial in realising the project’s ambitious goals, ensuring that it not only reaches a global audience but also inspires meaningful change.

ABOUT TUOMAS ROUNAKARI:

Diving deep into the archived recordings of Siberian shamans, Tuomas birthed the SHAMANVIOLIN performance. His art is deeply influenced by the historical wax-cylinder recordings made by Finnish ethnographer Kai Donner between 1912 and 1914, which highlighted extinct languages and forgotten songs. Tuomas’ field trip to Siberia in 2002 further immersed him in the indigenous Khanty and Forest-Nenets cultures, expanding his repertoire.

A child prodigy on the violin, he always had an affinity for music that sent him into a trance state. Moving to New York City in 1998, Tuomas explored World music and recognised the value of oral traditions. This epiphany led him back to his Finnish roots, where he discovered the intersection of Siberian shamanic music with Finnish laments.

By 2001, Tuomas was back in Finland, evolving his Shamanviolin performance and integrating his compositions with musical traditions from the Eurasian Arctic. This journey also led him to teach laments, revitalising this almost-extinct musical tradition.

Today, Tuomas continues to travel the globe, performing with Shamanviolin, while also conducting workshops on shamanic traditions and music.

Having completed his doctoral studies in music at the Sibelius Academy, he now holds the title of Doctor of Music.

Tuomas unites traditions, times, and cultures, inviting all into a transcendent musical experience exclusively through the soundscapes of Shamanviolin.

ABOUT JUHO MARTIKAINEN:

Juho Martikainen, a distinguished double bass player, began his musical journey in 1983. He studied at Kuopio Conservatory and Sibelius Academy, completing his Double Bass Diploma with honors in 2002. As an educator, he has taught at institutions like the Sibelius Academy, influencing many students who now perform in Finnish Symphony Orchestras.

A freelance double bass artist since 1994, Martikainen has played with major Finnish Symphony Orchestras and toured internationally across Japan, the USA, Europe, and South America. He co-founded the trio At The Hollow in 2008, releasing the acclaimed album “What I Hold Most Dear” in 2015, which showcased his innovative use of the double bass.

Notably, Martikainen has been among the pioneers in integrating the classical double bass into rock, ambient, and experimental genres, where it plays a central and melodic role.

In recent years, Martikainen has focused on composing and producing solo material under his own name. This has allowed him to fully express his artistic vision and continue his evolution as an artist. This personal work has produced the EP “Fragments from the Memory Line” and six singles, inspired by his wife’s, artist Mari Martikainen, paintings.