Unén, who released their debut album “Forever Winter” last year, are stepping into a new era with the powerful new single “Dancing In Flames“ as the first taste of what’s to come. Fronted by Stina Girs — who first rose to nationwide attention as part of the top five in the Idols competition and revealed her true metal heart upon joining Unén three years ago — the band wanted to launch this new chapter with a true powerhouse track.
“’Dancing In Flames’ radiates confidence. When you’ve believed someone loved you and it turns out to have been a lie, the ground falls from beneath you. But when life hits hard, every scar makes you stronger, and you rise ready for the next battle. Then all you can do is dance in the flames,” says Stina Girs, who wrote the lyrics for the song.
Written collaboratively by the entire band, the track marks a clear step forward from their debut album.
“We wanted to turn things up a notch, and ‘Dancing In Flames’ is the perfect example of that. It showcases many sides of us: rock-driven intensity, rhythmic atmosphere, a catchy chorus, and, as the cherry on top, a truly heavy mid-section complete with growls,” the band explains.
The name “Unén” originally stemmed from the band’s idea that their lyrics would revolve around the world of dreams. While the concept later evolved in another direction, the name remained. In the “Dancing In Flames” music video, directed by Elsa Wellamo, reality is firmly rooted in the here and now.
“With a high-energy song like this, the traditional performance video format really does it justice. As a counterbalance, dancer Laura Zaray brought a beautiful additional visual element to the video,” the band says.
Throughout the coming summer, Unén will focus on preparing their second studio album, while also performing one live show in Helsinki on August 14. See all tour dates here.
Unén is:
Stina Girs – vocals
Kimmo Pitkänen – guitar
Petteri Sinervä – keyboards
Harri Moilanen – guitar
Tomi Kallava – bass
Timo Larjo – drums
Finnish melodic metal band Unén are thrilled to announce the release of their debut album, titled “Forever Winter” and set for release on August 29, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.
The track “Black Heart” is available today, along with an accompanying official video.
Vocalist Stina Girs talked about writing the new song:
“Black Heart was the first song I was given to shape with lyrics and vocal melodies, and it instantly resonated with me. The title had been echoing in my mind for a while, and the moment I heard the music, I knew – this was it. The song dives deep into the darkness of a toxic relationship, one ruled by manipulation and control at the hands of a narcissist. But at its core, the song is about reclaiming your strength. It’s the breaking point – the moment you rise, take back your power, and refuse to be broken”.
Talking about the album, the band said: “Forever Winter” began to take shape in the spring of 2023, marking a real turning point for us with the arrival of our lead vocalist, Stina Girs. At the time, we had a handful of instrumental tracks in progress – including an early version of what would become “Black Heart” – but when Stina started working on the material, her passion and emotional depth brought everything to life”.
“The creative energy between us took off, and with multiple composers in the band, the songs came together quickly. Musically, the album moves through driving melodic rock, cinematic progressive metal, and moments of haunting stillness – tied together by Stina’s powerful, expressive voice”, they added.
Unén continued: “Lyrically, “Forever Winter” is deeply personal. Stina poured her own lived experiences into every song, transforming pain into melody and storytelling. Each track is a chapter in a journey of catharsis, resilience, and rebirth. Over the following year, we focused on shaping the sound and capturing the heart of the album – an intense but rewarding process that led to our signing with Frontiers Music, who believed in our vision from the beginning. Now, “Forever Winter” is ready to meet the world, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve created.”
Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, Unén are a modern melodic metal band, whose music also incorporates elements ranging from progressive to pop, blending intensity with sensitivity in its sound.
Unén was originally founded in late 2021, laying the foundation for the band’s musical style. In 2022, Unén focused on composing and refining production independently, resulting in the release of two self-published tracks. However, after a rollercoaster year, there was a need to change the lineup to accelerate production.
The word “Unén” was derived from the band’s original idea that lyrics would be based on the world of dreams. However, due to lineup changes, this concept took a different direction, but the name remained.
In the beginning of 2023, there was a shift in Unén’s lineup due to the change of lead singer, which notably accelerated all activities. The band members coming together was a series of fortunate coincidences and determined searches, including encounters with old acquaintances. The right people had found each other.
In May 2023, Unén released their first single “Made Of Stone (cover)” with new lead singer Stina Girs, who rose to national attention after placing 5th in the Finnish TV show “Idols” in 2010. She later signed a solo contract with Sony Finland, releasing two Finnish language albums.
Inspired by the sound of Evanescence, the current lineup of Unén showcases their unique identity and creative direction. The band has since focused solely on original compositions, with each member contributing equally to the creative process. Bound together by their passion for music – despite having completely different day jobs – Unén stands out for its collaborative spirit and emotionally rich sound.
“Forever Winter” Tracklist:
1. Prelude For The Wicked
2. My Love’s Broken
3. In My Bones
4. Black Heart
5. Forever Winter
6. Sky
7. Game Over
8. Ice Queen
9. Spoil Me
10. Rose
11. Disappear
12. I Will Always Find You
Line Up:
Stina Girs – vocals
Kimmo Pitkänen – guitars
Petteri Sinervä – keyboards
Harri Moilanen – guitars
Tomi Kallava – bass
Timo Larjo – drums
Finnish melodic metal band Unén are excited to unveil their new single and accompanying official video, “Forever Winter”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.
Vocalist Stina Girs commented on the new single by saying: “When the mind sinks into darkness and no light is in sight, the inner landscape can feel like an eternal winter. Also, the loss of a loved one can feel like a desolate midwinter. Forever Winter can be either one for the listener – a personal battle toward brighter days, or a message to a loved one, on the other side”.
Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, Unén are a modern melodic metal band, whose music also incorporates elements ranging from progressive to pop, blending intensity with sensitivity in its sound.
Unén was originally founded in late 2021, laying the foundation for the band’s musical style. In 2022, Unén focused on composing and refining production independently, resulting in the release of two self-published tracks. However, after a rollercoaster year, there was a need to change the lineup to accelerate production.
The word “Unén” was derived from the band’s original idea that lyrics would be based on the world of dreams. However, due to lineup changes, this concept took a different direction, but the name remained.
In the beginning of 2023, there was a shift in Unén’s lineup due to the change of lead singer, which notably accelerated all activities. The band members coming together was a series of fortunate coincidences and determined searches, including encounters with old acquaintances. The right people had found each other.
Unén released their first single “Made of Stone (cover)” in May 2023 with the new lead singer, Stina Girs. She became known during the IDOLS competition in 2011 and subsequently released two albums as a solo artist. The original song by Evanescence inspired this evolved lineup of Unén to showcase their unique sound and overall direction. Following this, the band focused solely on creating their own songs.
All members of Unén bring their own expertise and input to the band. Every song created is a sum of its creators, and there is no specific leader. The band members are united by their passion for making music, even though their day jobs are completely different.
Unén signed with Frontiers Music in February 2024, thus enabling the band to achieve the channel they sought to release their music to the world.
Line Up:
Stina Girs – vocals
Kimmo Pitkänen – guitars
Petteri Sinervä – keyboards
Harri Moilanen – guitars
Tomi Kallava – bass
Timo Larjo – drums
You must be logged in to post a comment.