Finland based, four-piece alternative rock output, Free Carmen continue their incredibly rewarding, and highly creative musical journey through the seasons with their new album ‘Solstice II’! Which concludes a double album concept that started with ‘Solstice I’. To mark this evolution, they’ve surprised fans with the upcoming release of ‘From the Rain’ on December 19th, a mesmerising new single that invites you along for the ride.
Across a focused three-year creative process, Free Carmen wrote, refined, and shaped a body of work that evolved into a double album concept, titled ‘Solstice’. The material was recorded at E-Studio in 2024 and later mixed in London in spring 2025 by Grammy-nominated engineer Mikko Gordon (The Smile, IDLES, Arcade Fire, Pete Townshend). The first half of the project, ‘Solstice I’, marked the band’s debut album — a journey through the shifting cycles of light and darkness. The songs unfold like passing seasons: from clarity and brightness toward darker atmospheres.
The upcoming companion release, ‘Solstice II’ satisfyingly completes an outstanding creative arc, and appropriately, it will arrive exactly six months after ‘Solstice I’. Reflecting the theme, both albums are tied to natural milestones: ‘Solstice I’ — released on the summer solstice (June 21st, 2025) and ‘Solstice II’ — which will be released on winter solstice, December 21st, 2025.
‘Solstice II’ continues where ‘Solstice I’ left off, with the sequencing now moving from dark to light, which is the opposite direction from ‘Solstice I’. ‘Solstice I’ begins at the summer solstice, when the day is at its longest, and as the album progresses, it gets darker as the days get shorter toward the winter solstice.
‘Solstice II’ starts at the winter solstice, when the day is at its shortest, and moves toward summer. The final track of ‘Solstice II’ (‘Found the Sun’) meets the first track of ‘Solstice I’ (Shine) — creating a full circle.
With patient craftsmanship, emotional honesty, and music performed as a living organism rather than a polished artifact, Free Carmen have quite literally, and excitedly, designed a body of work that can be listened to at any point. They have embraced the imperfect, human elements, and it gives their music depth, grit, and weight.
When it comes to the creative origin of ‘From the Rain’, lead vocalist Veeti Mäkinen reveals how “I wrote it while I was in the army, where I accidentally skipped dinner because I was so deep in the creative zone. This should not be possible as everyone goes together everywhere in the army. I was in the barracks working on the track, completely absorbed, and didn’t even hear when they called us to go and eat. That’s when the song came together.”
On December 21st, the band will host an album release show, as they did for ‘Solstice I’, celebrating the conclusion of a rewarding trip through the seasons. Free Carmen will embark on The Solstice Tour in spring 2026 across their home market, followed by a run of summer festival appearances.
Free Carmen is: Veeti Mäkinen – vocals, guitar, Onni Leminen – guitar, Roope Kaunisharju – bass, Ukko Vuorela – drums.
‘From the Rain’ is available via streaming platforms on December 19th, and ‘Solstice II’ will follow very shortly on winter solstice, this December 21st!