CMX

Among Finland’s leading rock acts during the 1990s, CMX ranks among the foremost. Their stature arises not only from Yrjänä’s talent for composing standout rock material but also from the band’s repeated reinvention of its sonic identity across an extended career. Starting with straightforward, repetitive hardcore in 1985, the group reached intricate, multifaceted rock arrangements by the 2000 release, material widely viewed as progressive rock. Lyrics constitute an equally central element, as Yrjänä’s poetic sensibility has shaped their output from the earliest hardcore period through subsequent decades. Live shows add further weight, presenting the songs with greater force than their recorded counterparts. Appearances at Finnish rock festivals have in fact done more than any other factor to advance the band’s profile.

CMX originated in 1985 when A.W. Yrjänä (vocals, bass), Pekka Kanniainen (drums), and Kimmo Suomalainen (guitar) formed a hardcore outfit following several earlier unsuccessful projects. They produced several demo cassettes that circulated widely within Finnish punk circles. Eventually they issued an EP on a small punk imprint. This recording, Johannes Kastaja, drew enthusiastic coverage from music journalists and secured CMX a contract with the respected Bad Vugum label. Shortly afterward, in 1989, they issued the EP Raivo, which surpassed the impact of Johannes Kastaja and raised expectations for a full-length album the following year. After that album, Kolmikärki, guitarist Suomalainen departed. Prior to his exit, Pasi Isometsä joined on second guitar; before the next EP, Tanssitauti, Janne Halmkrona was added on lead guitar.

Lineup adjustments also altered the music. The 1991 album Veljeskunta shifted toward hard rock, causing punk-derived traits to recede. Despite the change, CMX retained a larger audience than before. The single Musiikin Ystävälliset Kasvot nevertheless marked the close of the band’s association with Bad Vugum, whose concept was judged incompatible with the more pop-oriented direction. The departure did not halt CMX’s progress, since EMI promptly expressed interest in the revised style. Aurinko, released in 1992, demonstrated that modest refinements to the sound could generate substantial vitality; the album achieved considerable success, and the ensuing concerts established that CMX had moved beyond limited underground recognition.

When one album succeeds, the next must satisfy comparable expectations. Accordingly, CMX invested considerable preparation in 1994’s Aura. The record is essentially pop-oriented: distorted guitars are absent from many tracks, replaced by acoustic guitars, strings, and other elements chosen to produce a brighter, more incisive overall sound. Aura includes several well-crafted prime-time radio songs, among them “Ruoste” and “Kultanaamio,” which remain the band’s most frequently performed numbers. The release further broadened CMX’s reach, even as some longtime followers drifted away.

During the 1995 sessions for Rautakantele, CMX encountered serious difficulties that nearly dissolved the group, though the issues were ultimately resolved. The decision to continue proved worthwhile; Rautakantele succeeded commercially, restored distorted guitars, and generated additional momentum through subsequent live dates. The following year the band again tested boundaries by entering a Pro Tools studio—still uncommon for rock groups—and employing drum loops on several tracks. The experiment succeeded both artistically and commercially, yet drummer Kanniainen found the increasingly professional approach excessive and chose to leave.

Prior to Kanniainen’s 1997 departure, CMX issued the triple-CD anthology Cloaca Maxima. The next year the band traveled to Lapland with producer Billy Gould (known primarily as the bassist of Faith No More) and new drummer Tuomas Peippo to record inside a remote wooden cottage. The resulting album, Vainajala, achieved immediate success through its raw character and emphasis on distorted guitars. Subsequent performances again confirmed CMX’s standing within Finnish music. The sudden death of the band’s temporary mixer after a concert in Greece, however, brought all touring to an end following a final festival appearance.

Thereafter CMX focused exclusively on studio work. In 2000 they announced plans for a double album and spent six months recording with longtime producers Illusion Rake and Gabi Hakanen. The outcome was the expansive Dinosaurus Stereophonicus, whose music drew on classic progressive rock influences; despite its length the album received strong acclaim and its singles quickly became hits. Some time later CMX reversed their earlier decision against touring and performed at several festivals.

In 2001 the band took a brief hiatus from recording while singer A.W. Yrjänä assembled a video collection centered on CMX’s music videos. The collection appeared at the close of 2001 together with the new single Puuvertaus. Early in 2002 CMX returned to the studio with producer Gabi Hakanen to begin another album.