HOKKA - UNLEASH DEBUT ALBUM "VIA MISERIA IV" TODAY

April 24, 2026

A new force in modern rock has arrived.

HOKKA today release their highly anticipated debut album, Via Miseria IV via Nuclear Blast Records.
To celebrate the release, the band have also unveiled the official video for the album’s haunting title track, 'Via Miseria.'

Forged from the meeting of two towering creative forces in Finnish rock, HOKKA unites Joel Hokka, former frontman of the internationally acclaimed nu metal phenomenon Blind Channel, with Pauli Rantasalmi, the iconic guitarist and songwriter behind The Rasmus, whose influence has helped shape Nordic rock for almost three decades.

Completing the line-up is the formidable young drummer Jimi Aslak, bringing a fresh intensity and dynamic edge to the band’s cinematic, emotionally charged sound.

With Via Miseria IV, HOKKA step boldly into dark and deeply human territory — an album that explores vengeance, love, grief, and the fragile beauty born from pain. Rich in atmosphere and driven by soaring melodies, crushing riffs, and raw emotion, the record journeys into the heart’s most shadowed corners.

Each track unfolds like a bloody rose in bloom: beautiful, aching, and edged with the thorns of loss.

At the emotional core of the album lies the defining line:
“I found a beauty in the pain.”

That lyric serves as the spiritual centrepiece of Via Miseria IV — a powerful statement of resilience and emotional truth. Here, suffering is transformed into something transcendent, and vengeance becomes less about destruction and more about revelation.

Alongside today’s album release, HOKKA have shared the breathtaking official video for “Via Miseria,” a visually striking and cinematic piece that perfectly captures the album’s themes of darkness, longing, and redemption.

Watch the video for 'Via Miseria' Below:

Listen to the album Via Miseria IV:
https://hokka.bfan.link/via-miseria-iv

Frontman Joel Hokka comments: “From the depths of hell to a new beginning: Via Miseria IV, our debut album, is finally here. It may sound like a cliché, but it’s true when I say we poured our hearts into this piece of art. From trauma to heartbreak, from the highest highs to the lowest lows. Welcome to Via Miseria, where you never walk alone.”

Via Miseria IV comes in following formats:
CD jewel case with 20-page poster booklet
1 LP red vinyl
1 LP red/black splatter

In addition, HOKKA has just announced their first live shows for 2026 giving fans the opportunity to experience the power and storytelling of the warrior and sensai saga on stage for the first time.

The first club show:
07.05.26 FI Helsinki - Tavastia

Confirmed festival shows:
12.-13.06.26 FI Lahti - Kesämössö
27.06.26 FI Helsinki - Tuska
03.-05.07.26 FI Turku - Ruisrock
04.07.26 FI Tampere - Tuhdimmat Tahdit
17.-19.07.26 FI Joensuu - Ilosaarirock
23.-25.07.26 FI Kuopio - Kuopiorock
25.07.26 FI Oulu - QStock
14.-16.08.26 CH Cudrefin - Rock The Lakes

line up:
Joel Hokka - voc
Pauli Rantasalmi - guitar
Sampo Sundström - guitar
Jimi Aslak - drums

HOKKA UNLEASH CINEMATIC VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE 'BLACKBIRD'

March 20, 2026

HOKKA return with a powerful new chapter in their unfolding musical saga. The warrior and the sensai - Joel Hokka (ex-Blind Channel) and Pauli Rantasalmi (ex-The Rasmus) - continue their journey with the release of the gripping new single 'Blackbird'.

Taken from the upcoming album VIA MISERIA IV, set for release on April 24 via Nuclear Blast Records, 'Blackbird' delivers another intense and emotionally charged installment in the project’s evolving narrative. Driven by haunting melodies and cinematic production, the track dives also a bit deeper into the heavier side of the band.

Accompanied by a striking new cinematic video, 'Blackbird' continues the storyline introduced in the previous singles, expanding the visual and emotional world of HOKKA. The song builds with relentless energy before soaring into a powerful chorus that hits straight to the heart.

With 'Blackbird', HOKKA once again blend storytelling, atmosphere, and raw emotion - offering a glimpse into the dramatic universe that awaits on VIA MISERIA IV.

Check out the video for 'Blackbird' below:

Listen to 'Blackbird' on all platforms:
https://hokka.bfan.link/blackbird

Pre-order VIA MISERIA IV:
https://hokka.bfan.link/via-miseria-iv

Joel Hokka comments on the song:

"'Blackbird' is the latest single from the upcoming debut album “Via Miseria IV”. This track shows the heavier side of HOЖA. With a riff influenced by the very roots of heavy metal and melodies echoing from the Nordic darkness, this track serves as a perfect introduction to the debut album. Revenge with love, enjoy!

In addition, HOKKA hrecently announced their first live shows for 2026 giving fans the opportunity to experience the power and storytelling of the warrior and sensai saga on stage for the first time.

ine up:
Joel Hokka - vocals
Pauli Rantasalmi - guitar
Jimi Aslak - drums

social media:
Instagram: @joelhokka @jimiaslak @paulirantasalmi
Tiktok: @joelhokka @jimiaslak
YouTube: @hokkasyndicate

HOKKA ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM VIA MISERIA IV REVEAL VIDEO FOR THIRD SINGLE 'HEART SAID NO'

February 19, 2026

Finnish rising force HOKKA announce their highly anticipated full-length album Via Miseria IV, due out on April 24 via Nuclear Blast Records. The band brings together three major names from Finland’s rock legacy: former BLIND CHANNEL frontman Joel Hokka, THE RASMUSfounding member and former guitarist-songwriter Pauli Rantasalmi, and phenomenal young drummer Jimi Aslak.

Following the success of the previously released singles 'In The Darkness' and 'Death By Cupid's Arrow,' the band now unveil the powerful third single from the upcoming record, 'Heart Said No,' arriving together with another epic, cinematic video in unmistakable HOKKA style.

A beautiful, emotional anthem built around a captivating piano melody, 'Heart Said No' showcases a more vulnerable yet powerful side of HOKKA, blending soaring atmospheres with the band’s signature intensity. The track offers another glimpse into the sonic depth and thematic weight that define Via Miseria IV, an album that explores themes of struggle, resilience, and inner conflict.

Frontman Joel Hokka comments on the song:

“Big boys don’t cry — except when writing songs like this. 'Heart Said No' was the first song I ever wrote with tears in my eyes — and I wasn’t the only one in the band. The song is a raw and authentic deep dive into self-reflection, shaped by minds steeped in melancholy. We’re incredibly proud to announce that our first album, Via Miseria IV, will be released on April 24th.”

Check out the video for "Heart Said No' Below:

Listen to 'Heart Said No': https://hokka.bfan.link/heart-said-no

Pre-order Via Miseria IV: https://hokka.bfan.link/via-miseria-iv

line up:
Joel Hokka - voc
Pauli Rantasalmi - guitar
Sampo Sundström - guitar
Jimi Aslak - drums

social media:
Instagram: @joelhokka @jimiaslak @paulirantasalmi
Tiktok: @joelhokka @jimiaslak.
YouTube: @hokkasyndicate.