I'm glad you found your way here, and I'm excited to share one of the most interesting and versatile bands in the world with you! Grab a cup of coffee or tea, sit back, relax, and read on for more info about PotF and why I love them so much.
Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, the band consists of vocalist Marko Saaresto, keyboardist Markus "Captain" Kaarlonen, guitarist Olli Tukiainen, guitarist Jaska Mäkinen, bassist Jani Snellman, and drummer Jari Salminen. Their lineup has stayed consistent since their formation in 2003, and they've experimented with different styles throughout the years but have also maintained their signature progressive rock sound.
I discovered Poets of the Fall back in 2010 when the video game Alan Wake was released. The band members are good friends with the game's creator, Sam Lake, who tapped them to record a couple of songs for it under the pseudonym Old Gods of Asgard. Along with their work as Old Gods of Asgard, the song "War" from PotF's album Twilight Theater was featured as Alan Wake's theme song of sorts, with a tie-in music video. After hearing "War" and experiencing their music in-game, I was hooked, and they quickly became one of my favorite bands.
Although I hold a special place in my heart for Twilight Theater since it served as my introduction to them, my favorite is Temple of Thought. I feel like it has the most musical variation, and I love the lyrics throughout. My favorite song on the album is the titular "Temple of Thought," and the acoustic rendition of it below might just be my favorite version of it, although I do love the original. Marko's vocals are so smooth and strong, they never fail to impress me. I'm very proud to own a limited-edition vinyl LP of Temple of Thought that came with lyric cards, and it's one of my most prized possessions.
As I mentioned earlier, Poets of the Fall have become the staple band for Finnish studio Remedy's video game universe, affectionately known as the Remedyverse. PotF were first featured in Max Payne 2 with their song "Late Goodbye" in 2003.
In 2010, Alan Wake was released, and PotF provided the music for an in-game metal band called Old Gods of Asgard, who show up as memorable side characters that you meet in the iconic Oh Deer Diner. PotF's song "War" served as the game's main theme, complete with a music video centered around the in-game world.
When Control was released in 2019, Old Gods of Asgard showed up again, helping to cement the connection between the worlds of Control and Alan Wake. You can also find a hidden music studio in Control where you can listen to the PotF song "My Dark Disquiet."
Finally, Old Gods of Asgard returned in 2023's Alan Wake 2, releasing an album called Rebirth - Greatest Hits to coincide with the game, which features all nine songs from Control and Alan Wake 1 & 2. In Alan Wake 2, Marko, Olli, and Captain appear as younger versions of the band members, showing up in flashbacks and dream sequences to play their songs.
Old Gods of Asgard are decidedly metal, which gives the band license to play around with a different genre, and they do a fantastic job of it. In Control and both Alan Wake games, there are sequences where one of the band's epic songs is played in the background, complementing the gameplay in fun and unique ways.
PotF's work with Remedy has brought their music to a new audience. I originally fell in love with them because of Alan Wake, and a whole new generation of gamers are falling in love with them thanks to Control and Alan Wake 2. It's really lovely to see!
Written and designed by Syl | Back to top