Finnish progressive rock band Kuumet has released “Swithen,” the first single from their forthcoming debut album, Nova, due this spring. The track introduces the group’s dystopian take on modern life.
Lyricist Janne Koskinen says the song grew out of his view of a world that has moved “from real jungles to concrete jungles,” where personal gain overrides the common good. He describes the lyrics as tired and fatalistic, reflecting a culture that lives as if every day were the last: fail-fast thinking, individual comfort first, and “collective destruction knocking at the door.” The song poses a blunt question, he notes: “What then, if we don’t survive? It was such a lovely ride!”
Kuumet formed in 2019 after a tribute concert to a Finnish prog legend. Drummer Vesa Ranta (ex-Sentenced, The Abbey, Cemetery Skyline) assembled musicians from Oulu connected to The Aeon, THJKB and Hietaketu. The band leans into the prog-rock side of rock with long-form songs, drawing influence from 1970s rock giants and the melodic heavy rock wave of the 1990s.
On Nova, Kuumet explore the struggle of contemporary humanity across time, touching on dystopian visions, addiction, and death. At the same time, they leave room for flickers of hope, whether through the image of a blazing supernova or the idea that life continues beyond humankind.