ÄPÄRÄT

Finnish hardcore legends Äpärät have returned to the release circuit with their new EP, Kun maailma palaa (As the World Burns). Still delivering uncompromising, old-school ’80s hardcore, the band has been enjoying one of the strongest periods of its career in recent years. Their new EP is another example of this, ranking among the finest releases in Äpärät’s catalogue and carrying even more furious energy than the band’s early recordings.

Founded in 1981, Äpärät will celebrate 45 years as a band next year. Over the past decade, they have also toured extensively outside Finland. In addition to several tours of Central Europe, the band has performed in Mexico, the British Isles and the Nordic countries, among others. Early next year, the band will once again head to the UK.

Breaking a six-year recording hiatus, the Kun maailma palaa EP features five tracks. The first three — “Kun maailma palaa”, “N.Y.T.” and “Harhaa” — are new material, while the final two, “Vittuvanhemmat” and “Viina”, are among the very first songs ever written by the band. The newly re-recorded tracks were originally released on Propaganda Records’ Hardcore ’83 compilation. Now in his sixties, vocalist Ipe delivers the songs he wrote at the age of 15 with even more ferocity than he did as a teenager.

The Kun maailma palaa EP will also be released as a 10-inch vinyl record. It will be available at gigs and later through record stores.

Äpärät’s debut release was the Häiriköt tulee EP, released in 1986. It took until 2017 for their debut album, Häiriköt tulee II, to see the light of day.

The Kun maailma palaa EP is dedicated to Äpärät’s original, late guitarist Saikki, who was also known as the bassist of Fishfaces, a band formed by Claude following the breakup of Smack.