CMX (band)
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2008-07-09T16:36:52Z
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{{Infobox Musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| Name = CMX
| Img = Cmx_logo.jpg
| Img_capt =
| Img_size =
| Landscape =
| Background = group_or_band
| Alias =
| Origin = [[Finland]]
| Genre = [[Hardcore punk]]<br />[[Rock music|Rock]]<br />[[Progressive rock]]
| Years_active = 1985 - present
| Label = [[EMI]], [[Bad Vugum]], [[P. Tuotanto]]
| Associated_acts =
| URL = [http://www.cmx.fi/ www.cmx.fi]
| Current_members = [[A. W. Yrjänä]]<br />[[Janne Halmkrona]]<br />[[Timo Rasio]]<br />[[Tuomas Peippo]]
| Past_members = [[Kimmo Suomalainen]]<br />[[Pekka Kanniainen]]<br />[[Pasi Isometsä]]
| Notable_instruments =
}}
'''CMX''', originally '''Cloaca Maxima''', is a [[Finland|Finnish]] [[Rock music|rock]] band. They started with [[English language]] [[hardcore punk]], but later moved to a more mainstream style of rock music with [[Finnish language|Finnish]] lyrics. Throughout their career, they have been influenced by [[progressive rock]] bands such as [[Rush (band)|Rush]], [[Yes (band)|Yes]] and [[King Crimson]]. The prog influence is most evident on their 2000 album ''[[Dinosaurus Stereophonicus]]''.
CMX has gradually gained large-scale mainstream following in Finland. They are especially known for the poetic lyrics of [[A. W. Yrjänä]] that often contain references to [[mythology]] and [[religion]]. Finnish rock magazines, particularly ''Rumba'', have named them Best Band of the Year multiple times, and even Best Band of All Time on one occacion.
== History ==
=== Early years 1985-1990 ===
CMX was founded on [[Good Friday]] 1985 in [[Tornio]], [[Finland]] by [[A. W. Yrjänä]] (18 at the time) and Pekka Kanniainen.<ref name="finpop>http://www.finpop.net/?p=31</ref> The band's original name, [[Cloaca Maxima]], [[Latin]] for the "Greatest Sewer," was taken from a footnote of [[H. P. Blavatsky]]'s book [[Isis Unveiled]].<ref name="bio">http://www.cmx.fi/bio/index.php?bio=2</ref> Over the next six months Kanniainen became the drummer, Yrjänä the bassist and singer. Kimmo Suomalainen played guitar. The band played mainly fast [[hardcore punk]] with the vocals sung in English; the language, however, soon changed into Finnish. The band shortened its name to CMX in 1986.
The first [[Extended play|EP]] ''[[Johannes Kastaja]]'' was recorded 1987 in [[Kemi]] and released in 1988. The same year CMX performed for the first time outside of Tornio and its neighbouring areas, at [[Lieto]] punk rock festival. In 1989 the EP ''[[Raivo]]'' was released on a small label Bad Vugum. The band's first appearance at the [[Tavastia Club]] in [[Helsinki]] followed.<ref name="bio">
The first full-length album ''[[Kolmikärki]]'' was released in January 1990. The album received practically no radio airplay and sold less than 2000 copies during the first year. During the spring Pasi Isometsä was brought on as a second guitarist, however he would only stay in the band for less than a year. As the band moved south to [[Helsinki]] in late 1990, guitarists Isometsä and Suomalainen weren't willing to leave Tornio and eventually quit the band. They were replaced by [[Janne Halmkrona]] and, in early 1991, Timo Rasio.<ref name="bio"/> This lineup would remain the same for the following six years. In early 1991 they recorded another EP, ''[[Tanssitauti]]'', and later that year the band's second full-length album, ''[[Veljeskunta]]''. The aggressive hardcore approach of the album was generally well received by the press.<ref>http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gpfixq8kld6e</ref><ref>http://desibeli.net/arvostelu/391</ref>
=== Mainstream success ===
1992's ''[[Aurinko]]'', released by the international [[EMI]] [[record label]], won CMX both the Album of the Year and Band of the Year awards in a poll by ''Rumba'' magazine.<ref name="bio"/> The album saw CMX largely abandon the hardcore style in favor of more accessible mainstream rock songs.
In 1994, ''[[Aura (CMX album)|Aura]]'' was released. The album continued the trend towards mainstream audiences, which was criticized by the band's early hardcore fan base. Aura contained some of the band's best known songs to date, including the etheric ballad "Ruoste" and the radio-friendly (though lyrically hardly traditional) love song "[[Kultanaamio]]".<ref>http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:jpfixq8kld6e</ref>
The trend continued with ''[[Rautakantele]]'', released in 1995 and produced by Yrjänä. [[Essi Wuorela]] appeared as a guest artist.<ref>http://www.finnmusic.net/main.php?60565c55480775535112</ref> "[[Pelasta maailma]]", the only single from the album, received some radio airplay and would later be covered by both [[Antti Tuisku]] and [[Vesa-Matti Loiri]].<ref>http://www.findance.com/arvostelut.php?id=2115</ref><ref>http://www.soundi.fi/arvostelut?addvote=4&nid=358</ref>
=== Changes ===
For their next album, the band changed radically their approach to recording. ''[[Discopolis]]'' was engineered with [[Pro Tools]] in the studio and made heavy use of [[Sampling (music)|sampling]] to edit the songs together from a set of short [[guitar]] [[riff]]s. The album received mixed reviews: [[Allmusic]] wrote that "friends of the modern music will find ''Discopolis'' very attractive",<ref>http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:9jrsa9qgl23h</ref> while Tero Valkonen, on his analysis of "[[Kultanaamio]]", expressed his dislike for the album, and called the song "Paha" a "rotten bad joke".<ref>http://www.cmx.fi/arkisto/reader.php?file=kultanaamio_analyysi</ref> ''Discopolis'' was the first CMX album to enter the Finnish album [[Record chart|charts]], peaking at 3.<ref name="finnishcharts">http://finnishcharts.com/search.asp?search=CMX&cat=s</ref> In 1997, Kanniainen left CMX saying that the band had become too professional for him. Tuomas Peippo was hired to replace him. The band's lineup has remained the same since. The same year CMX released a three-CD [[compilation album]], ''[[Cloaca Maxima (album)|Cloaca Maxima]]''.
=== 1998-2003 ===
The first album with Peippo, ''[[Vainajala]]'', was recorded in a [[Log cabin|cabin]] in [[Lapland]] and produced by [[Faith No More]] bassist [[Billy Gould]]. The band has said that the deliberately minimalistic sound of the album is largely thanks to Gould.<ref>http://www.melankolia.net/musiikki/levyt/cmx.html#vaina</ref> ''Vainajala'' was the first CMX album to top the Finnish album charts.<ref name="finnishcharts"/> In the [[Provinssirock]] festival 1999, CMX announced that they intended to stop playing live and concentrate on their studio work.<ref>http://www.turunsanomat.fi/ajassa/?ts=1,3:1007:0:0,4:7:0:1:1999-06-20,104:7:29380,1:0:0:0:0:0:</ref>
''[[Dinosaurus Stereophonicus]]'' (2000) was CMX's nod toward 1970s [[progressive rock]] bands, such as [[King Crimson]], [[Pink Floyd]] and [[Yes (band)|Yes]].<ref>http://www.soundi.fi/arvostelut?nid=5088</ref> A two-hour [[double album]], it contains progressive elements not before associated with CMX: three [[instrumental]] pieces, an emphasis on [[Musical keyboard|keyboards]], long [[Solo (music)|solos]], and song lengths exceeding 10 minutes. CMX's first number 1 single, the peaceful and melodic "Myrskyn ratsut" was released before the album and featured [[String instrument|strings]] and [[steel guitar]].<ref>http://www.melankolia.net/musiikki/levyt/cmx.html#myrskyn</ref>
At the time ''[[Isohaara]]'' (2002) was released, CMX had already abandoned the idea of becoming a full-time studio band and started touring again.<ref>http://www.soundi.fi/arvostelut?nid=3958</ref> The album was considered slightly [[Heavy metal music|heavier]] than its predecessor, and the guitar riffs of "Minne paha haudattiin" were compared to the music of [[Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus]] and [[Kotiteollisuus]].<ref>http://www.noise.fi/levyarvostelut/?id=42</ref> The album's lyrics concentrated less on [[mythology]] and [[religion]] and were closer to traditional rock lyrics, albeit keeping a dark, melancholical tone. Although less present than on ''[[Dinosaurus Stereophonicus]]'', prog influences hadn't been totally abandoned: the band uses a child [[choir]] on the title track and the [[uptempo]] rocker "Pohjoista leveyttä" contains a [[harmonica]] solo.<ref>http://www.noise.fi/levyarvostelut/?id=44</ref>
Bad Vugum re-released the first two CMX albums in 2002 as "Gold" versions that also included their early EPs. ''[[Kolmikärki]] Gold'' included ''[[Johannes Kastaja]]'' and ''[[Raivo]]'', and ''[[Veljeskunta]] Gold'' contained ''[[Tanssitauti]]'' and the original ''[[Musiikin ystävälliset kasvot]]'' EP.
A year after ''Isohaara'', ''[[Aion (CMX album)|Aion]]'' followed. The album was put together around a common theme of the essence and [[symbolism]] of [[evil]].<ref>http://desibeli.net/arvostelu/796</ref> It was both a critical and commercial success and was described as a highly [[experimental music|experimental]] album for such an established band. Guitarist Halmkrona plays [[trumpet]] on the first track of the album, and [[violin]]s and [[synthesizer]]s are heard on several songs.<ref>http://www.noise.fi/levyarvostelut/?id=1556</ref> Both "Melankolia" and, four months later, "Palvelemaan konetta" peaked the singles chart.<ref name="finnishcharts"/>
=== 2004-present ===
[[Image:CMX-yrjänä.jpg|thumb|A. W. Yrjänä in 2006.]]
The band's second compilation, released in 2004, followed the format of the 1997 ''[[Cloaca Maxima]]'' closely. Both consisted of 44 songs divided on three CDs, the first one for faster rock songs, second for ballads and third for B-sides of singles.<ref>http://www.soundi.fi/arvostelut?nid=2091</ref> The similarity was even evident from the name: ''[[Cloaca Maxima II]]''. This time the cover image was a naked woman on a blue background, whereas the first compilation had showed a naked man on red background. The compilation covered four albums from ''[[Vainajala]]'' to ''[[Aion]]'' and also featured three previously unreleased songs.<ref name="desibeli_cm2">http://desibeli.net/arvostelu/1594</ref> The band had originally intended the compilation to only include the B-sides, and indeed the third disc was the one that received some praise from the press.<ref name="desibeli_cm2"/><ref>http://www.noise.fi/levyarvostelut/?id=3027</ref>
''[[Pedot]]'' (2005) had some influences from contemporary rock bands such as [[Tool (band)|Tool]], [[A Perfect Circle]] and [[System of a Down]], and combined straight rock songs with heavier and lighter elements, such as the minimalistic ballad "Eteläisen tähtitaivaan kartoitus" and the aggressive [[Bass drum#Double bass drum|double bass drum]] sound of the title track.<ref>http://www.soundi.fi/arvostelut?nid=1170</ref><ref>http://www.noise.fi/levyarvostelut/?id=4999</ref> "Uusi ihmiskunta" was a number one hit, the sixth one for CMX in just over five years.<ref name="finnishcharts"/>
On the Tuuliajolla 2006 tour on [[Saimaa]], CMX recorded a song in collaboration with fellow rock bands [[Kotiteollisuus]] and 51Koodia. "Vapaus johtaa kansaa" ("[[Liberty Leading the People]]") was written by Yrjänä and released in 2006.<ref>http://www.findance.com/arvostelut.php?id=2547</ref> It reached first position on the Finnish singles chart.<ref name="finnishcharts"/>
CMX's most recent album, ''[[Talvikuningas]]'' (2007), is a [[science fiction|space-themed]] [[rock opera]] and contains only one song, divided onto 12 tracks without pauses. Originally, the story about the power and fall of the Winter King (Talvikuningas in Finnish) was going to be the story of a [[novel]] by Yrjänä. The first edition of the album was soon sold out despite being much more expensive than a regular album.<ref>http://www.hs.fi/viihde/artikkeli/CMX+s%C3%A4velsi+rockoopperan/1135229922544</ref> The press reviews were largely positive.<ref>http://desibeli.net/arvostelu/3152</ref><ref>http://www.noise.fi/levyarvostelut/?id=8068&r=1</ref> ''[[Helsingin Sanomat]]'' called the album CMX's "third [[Bullseye (target)|bullseye]]" after ''[[Aura]]'' and ''[[Aion]]'',<ref>http://nyt.hs.fi/musiikki/artikkeli/1135230090538</ref> while ''Soundi'' magazine argued that the album will probably be a mere curiosity in the CMX saga.<ref>http://www.soundi.fi/arvostelut?nid=6671&levyarvostelu=CMX_Talvikuningas</ref>
== Popularity ==
CMX is practically unknown outside Finland. However, [[Billy Gould]] of [[Faith No More]] produced their 1998 album ''[[Vainajala]]''. In Finland, CMX has won the ''Rumba'' magazine "Band of the Year" reader poll ten times.<ref>http://www.elvisry.fi/022006/awyrjana.html</ref> In 2005, the band was even voted the "Best Band of All Time" by the magazine's readers, in favour of such bands as [[The Beatles]], [[Metallica]], [[Led Zeppelin]] and [[Iron Maiden]].<ref>http://nyt.hs.fi/musiikki/artikkeli/1101978788059</ref> In a ''City'' magazine poll, they were voted the best Finnish band of all time.<ref>http://www.city.fi/lehti/arvostelut/pop/view.php?id=196</ref> In a ''[[Helsingin Sanomat]]'' reader poll in 2007, the readers voted both "Ruoste" and "[[Kultanaamio]]" in the top 10 of Finnish rock songs. CMX was the only band to have two songs in the top 10.<ref>http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/artikkeli/Rakkaimmat+rokit+-%C3%A4%C3%A4nestyksen+viisikymment%C3%A4+suosituinta+kappaletta/1135228541193</ref>
Ten CMX albums, including their both compilations, have been [[Music recording sales certification|certified]] gold, each having sold approximately 20 000 copies. ''[[CMX DVD]]'' has also reached the gold record threshold for [[DVD]]s, which is 5 000 copies. The platinum record threshold for albums in Finland, which none of the band's albums have achieved, is 30 000 copies sold.<ref>http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/kplista.html?action=vapaa&tyyppi=koti&haku=artisti&julkaisuntyyppi=albumi&teksti=CMX</ref>
== Musical style ==
Early CMX was influenced by [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]], [[punk rock]] and [[progressive rock]].<ref>http://www.cmx.fi/en/biography/</ref> During their career, they have explored several different genres of [[rock music]]. Their early EPs and albums up until ''[[Veljeskunta]]'' have been mainly [[Hardcore punk|hardcore]], although combining a variety of styles. From ''[[Aurinko]]'' (1992) onwards, the band has been playing mainstream Finnish language rock. Progressive rock elements are always present in the band's music, most evidently on ''[[Dinosaurus Stereophonicus]]'' and ''[[Talvikuningas]]''. Many of the band's best known songs are [[ballad]]s, such as "Ruoste" and "[[Pelasta maailma]]".
=== Lyrics ===
:''See also: [[A. W. Yrjänä]]
All the band's lyrics are written by vocalist Yrjänä. His texts are often [[Poetry|poetic]], [[Symbolism|symbolic]] and [[Intertextuality|intertextual]], and contain themes of [[mythology]], [[religion]] and [[philosophy]].<ref>http://www.ylioppilaslehti.fi/2002/020920/juttu_aw.html</ref> Many CMX fans are attracted to the band particularly for Yrjänä's texts, although there are also people who can't stand the band because of them.<ref>http://nyt.hs.fi/musiikki/artikkeli/1135229913255</ref>
== Lineup ==
During the early years of the band, the lineup changed several times. Since 1991, the only change has occurred in 1997, when drummer Pekka Kanniainen was replaced by Tuomas Peippo. A. W. Yrjänä is the only remaining original member.
=== Current lineup ===
* [[A. W. Yrjänä]] -- [[vocals]], [[Bass guitar|bass]]
* [[Janne Halmkrona]] -- [[guitar]] (1990-)
* Timo Rasio -- guitar (1991-)
* Tuomas Peippo -- [[drum kit|drums]] (1997-)
=== Past members ===
* Kimmo Suomalainen -- guitar (1985-1990)
* Pekka Kanniainen -- drums (1985-1997)
* Pasi Isometsä -- guitar (1990)
== Discography ==
:''See [[CMX discography]]''.
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== External links ==
*[http://www.cmx.fi/ Official site]
* http://www.myspace.com/cloacamaxima
* {{last.fm|CMX}}
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