by Antti J. Ravelin

Apulanta gained considerable success with its previous full-length, Ehjä, but Kolme was the band's real breakthrough. And when listening to the opener, "Paha, Paha Asia," it becomes clear that the group has certainly earned its status. Apulanta retained some of its past punkish style, but was still making music that any member of a rock audience could enjoy. Even the Terveet Kädet cover, "Anna Mulle Piiskaa," sounds great. The rest of the material aligns more strongly with punk-pop, and you can surely hear heavy Weezer influences in songs such as "Huomenna" and "Mitä Vaan." The second half of Kolme, however, revives more of Apulanta's punk background. The extreme angst of "Liikaa" and "Anna Mulle Piiskaa" represents the line thatApulanta followed after Kolme. Kolme lacks production values and surely was made on a low budget, but there's no doubt that it is a highlight in Finnish rock music. Even a childish song like "Mato" is an important part of the album, as it defines what teenagers listened to in Finland in the late '90s.