Finnish folk metal legends Korpiklaani and filmmaker Kimmo Kuusniemi made an extended and hectic tour of Russia in 2016, traveling from St. Petersburg to Siberia and back. His unseen documentary is now available online.

Kimmo: "I did not need to think twice when Jonne (vocalist) asked me if I would like to make a documentary about the Korpiklaani’s extensive Russia/Siberia tour. I knew instantly this would be a one of kind trip. I have travelled the world extensively making films but this journey was completely different from anything else I have experienced. Due to the relentless schedules, all the time on the road on planes, trains and automobiles forced me to re-think the film equipment and filming techniques. This turned out to be great gamble that paid off royally as the look and style to the documentary ended up like something you never seen before."

Tuomas Rounakari (violinist): "During the live shows Kimmo blended in with the crowd and was almost un-noticable with his gimbal camera setup. He was able to really deliver the real live show feeling of the packed clubs. When I look at these documentaries they really have captured the essence of the journeys, audiences and the band on stage."

Kimmo: "The latest development in camera technology has really taken away a lot the limitations of film making. Now I can do things I was dreaming about 10 years ago!"

Tuomas: "The Russian tour allowed me to visit exceptional places for the first time. I had dreamt of visiting Lake Baikal for decades because of its unique nature and strong shamanism that is still alive among the indigenous peoples. While I was dreaming of seeing these places, our fans had been dreaming of seeing us live. So this tour was full of win-win situations, different dreams coming true. I am very grateful for our fans, who at the end, made this trip possible."

Kuusniemi, himself of heavy metal fame and known as "The Godfather of Finnish Heavy Metal, is a filmmaker by trade. Packing his equipment he set out with Korpiklaani – on an amazing road trip all over Russia. The result was unforeseen footage of Russian heavy metal fandom and the wonders of this huge country of diverse cultures.

Tuomas: "In Khabarovsk, we (me and Kimmo) wanted to visit the Amur river and the Nanai tribe people. I posted this wish on Facebook and that's how one of our fans, Boris, contacted us and arranged everything. It would have been very difficult to do this without local help."

Kimmo: "Meeting the Nanai people was one of the many highlights of the journey through Siberia. Travelling through Siberian landscapes on a skidoo in -30 C, hearing the stories about the ancient petroglyphs by the frozen Amur river, eating frozen raw fish with vodka and trying at the same time to film as much as possible before the cameras froze over was an unforgettable experience."

The documentary is available as a Video On Demand stream here. Check out the Made In Russia homepage here.