NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – January 22, 2026
AITTALA’s Animated Video “Ashes” Brings a Dark Tale of Collapse and Consequence to Life
Welcome New Bassist Dane Taylor
New EP “Ill-Gotten Gains” Out Now via Exitus Stratagem Records
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AITTALA Lineup – Gary ‘Smith’ Zeus (Drums), Eric Aittala (Guitar/Vox), Dane Taylor (Bass)
AITTALA has released the official music video for “Ashes,” the latest single from their second EP of 2025, “Ill‑Gotten Gains,” which arrived this past November through Exitus Stratagem Records. The animated video brings to life one of the EP’s most traditional heavy‑metal‑driven tracks, a song centered on the story of someone who spirals far beyond their limits and drags others down with them. Musically, “Ashes” captures the band’s signature fusion of classic metal grit and modern heaviness, showcasing the dynamic songwriting and emotional weight that define AITTALA’s evolving sound.
Watch the video via its premiere on Outlaws of The Sun HERE.
“Ill‑Gotten Gains” continues AITTALA’s long‑standing tradition of blurring genre boundaries, weaving together elements of traditional metal, doom, groove, progressive influences, and hard rock to create a cohesive and immersive listening experience. Lyrically, the EP explores the darker corners of human behavior, focusing on the creation of chaos for personal benefit, the inevitable consequences that follow, and the difficult search for redemption. The EP’s artwork features an updated interpretation of the band’s mascot, Frank, a cartoon pig head in a pentagram originally created in 2014 for the song “Pigs” from the album Effigy. In the world of AITTALA, Frank represents the shady figure who can acquire any “ill‑gotten gains” for the right price, making him the perfect symbol for the EP’s themes.
Across the EP, AITTALA delivers a series of songs that reflect both musical evolution and lyrical depth. “Isolation” opens with a doomy, heavy atmosphere that shifts between crushing riffs and clean passages while confronting the consequences of past decisions. The title track, “Ill‑Gotten Gains,” drives forward with a powerful eight‑string riff before descending into a darker, doom‑laden interlude, lyrically exploring the exploitation of chaos for personal advantage. “Blacklisted” counters the themes of the earlier tracks by calling out manipulative personalities with a sludge‑infused groove, while “Ever After” offers a modern metal ballad steeped in internal conflict and the longing for redemption that may never come. The EP culminates with “Ashes,” a traditional heavy‑metal burner that now takes visual form in the band’s newest music video, capturing the emotional descent at the heart of the song.
AITTALA, pronounced EYE‑tah‑la, has long been recognized for a sound that refuses to fit neatly into any single metal subgenre. Their music blends classic heavy metal, doom, progressive elements, power metal, thrash, and hard rock, all tied together by lyrics inspired by the darker side of the human condition. This unique combination has earned the band a reputation for crafting a sound that is distinctly their own, a rare achievement in today’s crowded metal landscape. The band’s origins trace back to 1991 in the Netherlands, where founder Eric Aittala first formed the group with American and Dutch bandmates. Their early EP, “Selling Heaven,” gained traction in the European underground scene and led to opening slots for acts such as The Gathering and Sadist before Eric’s return to the United States brought the project to a temporary close.
AITTALA was revived in 2008, leading to a prolific run of releases that includes “Bed of Thorns” (2009), “Haunt Your Flesh” (2011), “Effigy” (2014), “American Nightmare” (2016), “False Pretenses” (2019), “Live to Regret” (2022), and “Machines” (EP, 2025). Each release reflects the band’s continued growth while preserving the unmistakable core of the AITTALA sound.
Today, AITTALA is anchored by founder Eric Aittala on guitars and vocals alongside drummer Gary “Zeus” Smith, known for his work with The Fifth and formerly with Mr. Blackwell. The pair continues to write, record, and tour with the goal of delivering AITTALA’s unmistakable brand of metal to audiences everywhere. The band has also expanded its live lineup with the addition of bassist Dane Taylor, whose arrival brings a renewed surge of energy and chemistry to the stage. His presence strengthens the group’s momentum as they push their sound forward while remaining true to the identity that has defined AITTALA from the beginning.
“Ill-Gotten Gains” (released Nov 21, 2025) is available from Exitus Stratagem Records – https://hypeddit.com/aittala/illgottengains
Music Video – “Isolation” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5Y_azlkGLg
Music Video – “Ill-Gotten Gains” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjlP92y_sQg
Lyric Video – “Ever After” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipo98unZUoQ
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Track Listing:
1. Isolation – 4:22
2. Ill Gotten Gains – 4:20
3. Black Listed – 3:35
4. Ever After – 4:29
5. Ashes – 3:50
EP Length: 20:37
For more info: Exsrmusic.com | Aittala.com | Facebook.com/aittalamusic | Instagram.com/aittalamusic
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“Six full-lengths, two EPs, strong and steady since 2008. Dang. What keeps North Carolina trio AITTALA going? Sheer compulsion for music making is my guess. There’s nothing like the experience of the real thing, despite the obscene ease and seductive sophistication of AI fakery. To hear and feel heavy music live from their minds and voices and hands of real human beings just like you – well, there’s just nothing like it. Bands with stubborn longevity like Aittala serve as an inspiration to the scene. Pick up an instrument, get to jamming, let your voice be heard. If this is your first encounter with the band, perhaps “Isolation” is as good an introduction as any. Mysterious strumming, powerful emphatic chords, and wall-shaking disruption clears the path for soulful, soaring guitar soloing and somber Gothic intonations.” – Doomed & Stoned (2025)
“Bookended by “Machines (Prologue)” and “Machines (Epilogue)”, the album’s structure feels like a full-circle journey. One that captures the essence of the band’s evolution. The blend of storytelling and heavy music makes it clear why these tracks were worth bringing back. With Machines, Aittala doesn’t just revisit the past. They make it hit harder than ever.” – Amplify The Noise (2025 – Machines EP)
“Captivatingly versatile, genre-connecting with plenty of attitude. An intensely powerful and emotionally captivating Electric Doom/Heavy/Power HouseTrip that is excellent at combining expansive melodies and atmospheric melancholic heavy touch. 8/10” – FFM-Rock (2025 – Machines EP)
“A pure blast of good tunes flying around for life. A retro llike cover artwork, it matches it all. The atmosphere and the old tunes still ringing after so many years like it was yesterday. A very good album to own with pleasure. Aittala is here to stay, get your dose of good tunes 100/100.” – The Metal Mag (2025 – Machines EP)
“Eric Aittala is obviously nostalgic on ‘Machines’. But that in no way means that the sound is frozen in the past. On the contrary, the production is modern and powerful. The individual songs are thus transferred to the here and now. A good album, even if the band is ‘only’ a duo.” – Metalheads Forever Magazine (2025 – Machines EP)
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