Finnish folk metal favourites Korpiklaani have given a cheeky Nordic twist to a New Wave classic, releasing a video for their energetic cover of ‘Got The Time’, the frantic Joe Jackson hit famously turbo-charged by Anthrax in 1990.
Already issued in Finnish in 2021 under the name ‘Ennen’ between their albums Jylhä (2021) and Rankarumpu (2024), the band have now revealed the English-language version, blending Jackson’s razor-sharp urgency with the thrash grit of Anthrax, and of course Korpiklaani’s trademark festival-in-the-forest spirit.
“Time waits for no one” may be the theme of the original, but in Korpiklaani’s hands, it sounds like the countdown to a chaotic village party deep in Lapland. Fiddles buzz, drums stomp, and Jonne Järvelä delivers the lyrics with a rowdy bite – equal parts pub-chorus and pagan chant.
Korpiklaani’s story is one of the most unusual in heavy music. Where most folk metal bands began life in the metal world before sprinkling in ancient melodies, Korpiklaani started on the other side.
Their origins date to 1993 when frontman Jonne Järvelä formed Shamaani Duo, a Sámi folk outfit performing traditional songs and releasing the album Hunka Lunka. This evolved in 1997 into Shaman, incorporating shamanic drums, the ancient Sámi vocal tradition of yoik, and lyrics in Northern Sámi.
Shaman’s two albums, Idja (1999) and Shamániac (2002), cultivated a hypnotic and spiritual sound – atmospheric synths, acoustic textures, and a raw primal pulse that hinted at electric energy waiting to break loose.
That transformation arrived in 2003 when Shaman became Korpiklaani – meaning Backwoods Clan. Synths were dropped for real folk instruments, yoik vocals gave way to rasped metal roars, and the band forged a sound equal parts wild, melodic and defiantly northern.
Järvelä credits his guest work with fellow Finnish folk metal trailblazers Finntroll as the turning point. What followed was a folk-metal explosion: violins, accordions, tales of forests and Finnish folklore, and – famously – more songs about drinking than some breweries have beers.
Their breakout era saw English lyrics dominate early albums, but recent releases lean almost entirely into Finnish language and folklore. Korpiklaani remain one of Finland’s most unique exports – old-world melodies played with the energy of a log-cabin moshpit.
Joe Jackson first released ‘Got The Time’ in 1979 on Look Sharp!, a frantic burst of new-wave urgency capturing the pressures of a life spinning faster than the clock can handle. Jackson once joked that he played it faster than his drummer could initially handle – fast, sharp, intense, and built for crowded calendars and caffeinated nights.
Anthrax turned the song into a thrash landmark in 1990, slamming the tempo even harder on Persistence of Time. Jackson cheekily thanked them “for the royalties”, although he famously noted Korpiklaani’s metal godfathers played the tune slower than his original band.
So where does Korpiklaani land? Somewhere between frantic punk attack and a folk bender in a snow-covered barn. Their take gleefully nods to Anthrax’s metal charge while slipping in that unmistakable Finnish stomp.
If Jackson wrote the song for people who never stop moving, Korpiklaani recorded it for people who never stop drinking, dancing, or howling in the woods until dawn.
Korpiklaani continue touring internationally and will return for Heidenfest 2026, joining Finntroll, Heidevolk, Trollfest, and The Dread Crew Of Oddwood.
Korpiklaani – 2024/2025 Tour Dates
28 November 2024 – Tallinn, Estonia · Helitehas
29 November 2024 – Vilnius, Lithuania · Pramogų salė “Vakaris Vilnius”
30 November 2024 – Rīga, Latvia · SPELET Concert Hall
10 January 2025 – Leipzig, Germany · Hellraiser
13 January 2025 – Gdańsk, Poland · Klub B90
15 January 2025 – Kraków, Poland · Klub Kwadrat
16 January 2025 – Wrocław, Poland · Centrum Koncertowe A2
17 January 2025 – Budapest, Hungary · Barba Negra Red Stage
21 January 2025 – Zagreb, Croatia · Boogaloo
23 January 2025 – Würzburg, Germany · Posthalle
25 January 2025 – Paris, France · L’Élysée Montmartre
30 January 2025 – Pratteln, Switzerland · Konzertfabrik Z7
31 January 2025 – Villeurbanne, France · Transbordeur
1 February 2025 – München, Germany · Backstage Kulturzentrum
3 February 2025 – London, United Kingdom · Islington Assembly Hall
4 February 2025 – Manchester, United Kingdom · Manchester Academy
5 February 2025 – Wolverhampton, United Kingdom · KK’s Steel Mill
6 February 2025 – Oberhausen, Germany · Turbinenhalle
8 February 2025 – Rennes, France · L’Étage
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