Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago

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CARTILAGE (fin) cover song included on the upcoming album "Nordic Embryogenesis" to be released on September 9th, 2026 on CD, 12"LP, Cassette & Digital formats through Xtreem Music (https://www.xtreemmusic.com)

"Not everything coming out of Finland was dark and heavy Death Metal, which was perhaps what attracted me the most to that scene, over the Swedish one, where many bands tended to sound much more alike. A perfect example of Finland's diversity was CARTILAGE, who combined intense, twisted and highly structured Death Metal with beautifully crafted melodies and, above all, the incredible drumming of a very young Kai Hahto, who would later go on to play in bands such as ROTTEN SOUND, WINTERSUN, NIGHTWISH, and many others. His technique was far beyond what you would expect from an 18-year-old back then, when the influences and learning resources available were nothing like they are today.

Although their second demo, "In Godly Flesh" (1991), is one of my favourite recordings from the entire Finnish scene, I decided to choose this particular song, which appeared on their 1992 split album with the Swedish band ALTAR. In fact, those five tracks were originally intended to become their third demo, but I was the one who suggested releasing them as a split, since ALTAR had also just recorded their third demo, and putting out another EP felt a bit too short. In the end, it became one of the most highly regarded split albums of that era. This song also featured a spoken section in the middle, which I wasn't quite sure how to approach at first, but I think I eventually managed to pull it off quite convincingly.

Unfortunately, after that recording, CARTILAGE joined the long list of bands that never went on to record a full-length album. I'm convinced it would have become one of the true classics of Finnish Death Metal. I have absolutely no doubt about that. The musicians later went on to play in bands such as VOMITURITION and ENOCHIAN CRESCENT, among many others". [Dave Rotten]