The story begins at the end of 2004 in a cold town of Kemi in northern Finland. Two young guys are sitting behind an old electrical substation and holding frosty beer cans in their frozen hands. Nothing is said and nothing happens. The friends are just staring at starlight shimmering from the surface of snow piles. In a dying town life has no meaning, no purpose nor future. Then the other fellow says: “Me and my brother were thinking about starting a band, want to be a part of it?” After thinking a while his friend replies: “Yeah, I’d like to, but you know – I can’t really play anything”. To that the other guy responds: “It’s okay, I can teach you”. For the first time it appeared there was some hope for the future. The moon that had emerged behind the clouds was now illuminating the dark land. The two friends were Marko Miinala and Niklas Ottelin. The two of them and Marko’s brother Erkki Miinala formed the original line-up of the band. Marko was guitarist/vocalist, Niklas bassist and Erkki drummer. The three guys were fed up with the less melodic metal which was very popular at the time. Right from the beginning the band’s musical ambition was to play melodic heavy metal, music that sounded like it might have been an echo from the seventies and the eighties; the era when music was, as the three young friends firmly believed, still music. However it was the intention of the band also to make unique music that sounded like Free Heart over anything else. The bands such as Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd and many others have greatly influenced the music of Free Heart.
Band’s ideological purpose was to rise above the misery of everyday life and to the members of the band to become something more than just part-time slaves waiting to retire. There must be something more to life than that. If there ever was any freedom in this world, the band’s aim was to find it. So quite naturally the name Free Heart was adopted by the band later on during summer in 2005 to reflect band’s ideology. No one has yet reached the full certainty about whether it was Niklas or Marko who came up with the name, and doubtfully ever will.
The lyrics of Free Heart almost always carry a touch of personal experience. The band members grew up in a small industrial town in Lapland, marked by many social issues such as unemployment, crime, substance abuse, and domestic violence, all of which have left an indelible mark on Free Heart’s lyrics. The lyrics also delve deeply into themes of trauma, the complexities of relationships, sexuality, and the fear of death. On the other hand, they convey a strong message of unity, as well as the hope and joy brought by rock music.
Over the years, the development of the members’ musical skills and the acquisition of new equipment have shaped the band’s sound into something more solid and powerful. The guitar tones combine the characteristic sounds of Marshall and Engl amplifiers. Memorable guitar riffs and melodies combined with strong bass lines and drum grooves, enriched with lush keyboard and piano patterns, form the foundation of Free Heart’s sound. Powerful vocal melodies, along with high-pitched, intense heavy segments, serve as the spearhead, making the band sound distinctive.
Timeline:
In 2004, the band was founded. In 2005, Niklas switched to guitar, and Niilo Äijälä joined as the bassist. The first gig in 2006 consisted of cover songs but sparked the members’ enthusiasm for live performances. In 2007, Niilo Äijälä left the band, and Toni Greus took over on bass. That same year, the band was further strengthened by keyboardist Jarno Tirroniemi. In 2008 and 2009, the first demos were recorded at Mikko Herranen’s studio in Helsinki. In 2010, Ville Kiimala joined as a guitarist, and Marko Miinala began focusing solely on vocals. The album When The Crows Have Gone was released in 2014. In 2017, the album Radio Operator was released. 2017 after Radio Operator, Niklas had to leave the band when he moved abroad for work. Jukka Leppänen stepped into Niklas’s shoes. 2020, the band released their first live video on YouTube. Later that year, the album Great Again was released. 2024, the band signed with Rexius Records, gearing up for their most ambitious era yet, with four new singles and an upcoming album. 2025, Free Heart joined the New Wave of Finnish Heavy Metal alliance, which aims to promote traditional Finnish heavy metal both domestically and internationally.
Previous Releases
Album – When The Crows Have Gone 2014
Album – Radio Operator 2017
YouTube live performance video – 2020
Album – Great Again 2020
Previous Media
https://kaaoszine.fi/demonurkka-vol-69-vk-232017/
https://metalliluola.fi/free-heart-great-again-2020/
https://metalliluola.fi/kemilainen-free-heart-esitti-stream-keikan-kotikaupungistaan-video-katsottavissa/
Free Heart has created their sound very dynamic, melodic and versatile crowned by the magnificent heavy metal voice of Marko “Mark Temple” Miinala. The diversity of their songs is fascinating; the band can create really powerful and melodic heavy metal songs as well as striking and compelling hardrock pieces and touchingly profound ballads. Also the themes of their songs are very versatile; the topics deal with the ills of society, detachment, fear of death and sexuality etc… Free Heart’s live performance is praised for huge energy and professionalism and the band is aiming to increase their live shows in the future.
Free Heart’s founder and drummer Erkki “The Beast” Miinala has been difficult to visually impaired since his born. In addition to his musical talent Erkki has made and continues his successful and glorious career in the Paralympic sport called goalball; among his achievements he is a Paralympic gold medalist from the 2012 London Paralympic Games!