ÄNGRY GENTLEMEN

composed and arranged by Tuomas Patanen, Mikko Henriksson & Juha Virolainen
lyrics by Tuomas Patanen

composed and arranged by Tuomas Patanen, Mikko Henriksson & Juha Virolainen
lyrics by Tuomas Patanen

Ängry Gentlemen are:
Tuomas Patanen – vocals, bass
Mikko Henriksson – guitar
Juha Virolainen – drums

The Finnish heavy rock band Ängry Gentlemen released new single ‘Lawbreaker’ on August 29th 2024 via Inverse Records.
Ängry Gentlemen swears by the name of heavy rock and follows the path indicated by Motörhead, Peer Günt and Mustasch.
From the beginning, the work has been done on a trio basis and unapologetically.
Heavy drumming, high gain guitar, heavily distorted bass and raspy vocals create the basis for Ängry Gentlemen’s music.
The band comments:
“‘Lawbreaker’ represents traditional heavy blues rock, weaving together three different stories from illegal street racing to bank heists to the musings of an aging mafia boss. All these stories share a common theme of being on the wrong side of the law. The song’s heavy riff and pounding drums won’t leave anyone indifferent, and live, this song makes beers spill and heads nod.”
Ängry Gentlemen recorded a couple of new singles.
After a couple demo EPs, they packed their gear and squeezed into Lammaskallio Studio with Juho Salaterä for a couple of days, resulting in a couple of new singles.
The new songs may represent a somewhat calmer tempo, but with professional production, they’ve taken a few steps forward overall.
Juho crafted a sound world according to the band’s wishes, leaving out unnecessary frills.
The songs are what the whole thing sounds like live as well.
Ängry Gentlemen was founded in 2021 amidst the chaos of the pandemic by Tuomas.
The idea was to establish a rock trio playing straight forward.
Mikko, who had previously played stoner rock, joined as the guitarist and second songwriter, and Veli, who had taken a long break from drumming, stepped in on the drums.
About ten songs were soon put together, and a four-track EP titled ‘Why So Serious?’ was recorded using old-school methods.
When restrictions eased, the songs and vibe were tested live.
It worked like a charm—crowds danced at gigs, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
The audience even enthusiastically chanted along to the ‘One Shot of Whiskey’ chorus at the first two shows.
Veli played a couple of gigs and contributed to one EP before it became apparent that, although time is relative, it doesn’t stretch infinitely in every direction.
Thus, Tuomas and Mikko began the search for a new drummer.
A key requirement was double bass drums, and several candidates auditioned until Pasi was recruited for a private gig in Kuopio in spring 2022.
The show was a success, prompting an impromptu encore due to audience demand.
However, Pasi later had a change of heart, leading to another round of auditions.
Eventually, Juha, Mikko’s former bandmate from F32.10, was enlisted as the drummer.
Juha brought not only technical prowess but also the much-needed double bass drumming, gradually aligning the band with its original vision.
In addition to kick-ass rock, Mikko’s guitar playing draws inspiration from Wylde, Amott & Steer (Carcass), while Juha boasts extensive live experience, including pop drumming, among other genres, and Tuomas has a background as a rockabilly drummer.
Thus, Ängry Gentlemen isn’t a straight-up Motörhead clone, although its influences lean in that direction.
Juha’s arrival injected the required energy into the band.
The new lineup’s baptism by fire came as the second headliner at the Karsturock village festival.
Despite starting the outdoor gig in darkness and dropping temperatures, the performance went off without a hitch, marking a successful debut for the current lineup.
By the end of 2022, new music had been recorded, resulting in the ‘Fast and Loud!’ EP featuring four crowd-pleasing tracks.
The band’s gig calendar expanded significantly in the following year, with performances across Finland, including the self-organized ‘Loud in Lakend’ club night.
Events like ‘Hyvinkään Kulttuuri goes baari’ were deemed successful, prompting a return the following year.
The band’s gear collection also grew, with Juha’s double drum setup and expanded bass and guitar rig contributing to the beefier sound.
A last-minute gig at Järvenpään kulttuurikuppila Shed at the end of 2023, which arose from a cancelled booking, went smoothly and led to a collaboration with the headlining band’s manager.
Although the collaboration is currently on hold due to the manager’s commitments, it elevated the band’s professionalism, prompting increased social media activity, the introduction of backdrops, and merchandise sales at gigs.
The band also collaborated with fellow bands Revolverz, Prodigal Sons, Cover Dales, Headphone Jacks, and, notably, Petrolbreath, who shared the stage at Lakend for the first time.
In late 2023, recording quality was also upgraded, with the band heading to Lammaskallio studio to record the double A-side single ‘Red Tight Skirt/Lawbreaker’ under the expert guidance of recording engineer Juho Salaterä.
The resulting tracks captured the essence of the band’s live sound.
The band gained experience at Emergenza at Bar Loose playing in front of many friends and having a great party, and even though victory eluded them, they embarked on their first mini-tour abroad, hitting Tallinn’s BarBar and Riga’s Depo alongside Petrolbreath.
While an invitation to Lithuania was extended, it was postponed due to scheduling issues.
The Baltic tour was a hit, with enthusiastic crowds and energetic performances.
“In Riga, we got to play with our entire gear setup and a proper light show, and fun was had on both sides of the stage. The main band role has been alternated at different gigs with Petrolbreath, and the well-executed shows on the tour created just the right amount of pressure for the band playing in the headline slot.”
Back home, the band played to packed crowds at ‘Hyvinkään Kulttuuri goes baari’ and concluded the year with a memorable gig at Suomenlinna.
At present, the band’s live set and performance have reached an excellent level, new songs are in the pipeline, and various ideas are being explored, including new equipment options.