Dolorian is a Finnish metal band with a unique style that borders on doom metal, black metal and ritual ambient. The combination of varied songs, structures and melodies, several vocal styles, long passages of psychedelia, and obscure spiritual lyrics sets the band apart from many others in the metal genre. The band was founded in Oulu, Finland in mid-1997 as a duo consisting of Anti Ittna Haapapuro and Ari Kukkohovi. They recorded their first demos in autumn 1997 at Tico-Tico Studios with temporary keyboards player Heidi Riihinen.