Amorphis "Tales From The Thousand Lakes (Picture Disc, USA, Relapse Records, RR 6901-2)"

Tales from the Thousand Lakes is the second studio album by Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis. It is a concept album based on the Finnish national epic, Kalevala.

The album was an influential release in the development of the melodic death metal genre, predominantly mixing the genre with death-doom and gothic metal, compared to the band's death metal debut. This showcases a more melodic sound for the band, with hints at their later, more progressive direction. The album also introduced synthesizers and clean vocals to the band's sound, though the latter was used sparingly.

This is the first Amorphis release to have an official keyboardist, Kasper Mårtenson, as any previous of the band's releases had the band's own drummer, Jan Rechberger, provide the empty keyboardist role until the band decided to have a keyboardist and also to find one being Mårtenson. With Mårtenson in the band, it is the first time the band's original lineup changed by having an additional member. Jan Rechberger would leave the band after this album but rejoin the band for 2003's Far from the Sun.

The original limited version (on digipack) had a cover of "Light My Fire" by The Doors added as a bonus track. It was later re-released in 2001 with most tracks from the Black Winter Day EP and the "Light My Fire" cover added as bonus tracks.

Track listing

1. "Thousand Lakes" (instrumental) Music: K. Mårtenson 2:04
2. "Into Hiding" Lyrics: traditional Music: E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine 3:45
3. "The Castaway" Lyrics: traditional Music: T. Koivusaari, E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine, K. Mårtenson 5:32
4. "First Doom" Lyrics: E. Holopainen Music: E. Holopainen 3:52
5. "Black Winter Day" Lyrics: traditional Music: K. Mårtenson 3:50
6. "Drowned Maid" Lyrics: traditional Music: T. Koivusaari, E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine 4:23
7. "In the Beginning" Lyrics: traditional Music: E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine 3:37
8. "Forgotten Sunrise" Lyrics: E. Holopainen Music: E. Holopainen 4:53
9. "To Fathers Cabin" Lyrics: traditional Music: E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine 3:50
10. "Magic and Mayhem" Lyrics: traditional Music: E. Holopainen 4:27

Total length: 40:13

The lyrics are mostly taken from Keith Bosley's 1989 translation of the book "Kalevala".

A music video was made for the song "Black Winter Day".

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed at Sunlight Studio, Stockholm, Sweden, September 1993.

Producer, Engineer – Amorphis, Tomas Skogsberg

Executive Producer – Matthew F. Jacobson, William J. Yurkiewicz Jr.

Translated By [Most Of Lyrics] – Keith Bosley

Amorphis "Halo (Digipak, Germany, Atomic Fire Records, AF 0027)"

Halo is the fourteenth studio album by Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis, released worldwide on 11 February 2022 through Atomic Fire Records.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Pekka Kainulainen

1. "Northwards" Esa Holopainen 5:30
2. "On the Dark Waters" Holopainen 4:47
3. "The Moon" Santeri Kallio 5:57
4. "Windmane" Holopainen 4:49
5. "A New Land" Holopainen 4:36
6. "When the Gods Came" Kallio 4:56
7. "Seven Roads Come Together" Kallio 5:38
8. "War" Holopainen 5:24
9. "Halo" Kallio 4:40
10. "The Wolf" Holopainen 4:46
11. "My Name Is Night" Tomi Koivusaari 4:43

Total length: 55:46

Recording information:

Recorded at Fascination Studios, Isolla Music, and Sonic Pump Studios, Helsinki, Finland, between January - August 2021.

Grand piano and Hammond organ recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in May 2021.

Church organ and keyboards Church of Paavali and Studio Kreatine in June 2021.

Percussion recorded at NGB and Moon Unit Studios in July/August 2021.

Mastered at Fascination Street Studio, Örebro, Sweden.

Amorphis "Queen Of Time (Digipak, EU, Nuclear Blast, NB 4126-0/27361 41260)"

Queen of Time is the thirteenth studio album by Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis, released worldwide on 18 May 2018 through Nuclear Blast. This is the first album since 1999's Tuonela to feature original bassist Olli-Pekka Laine who rejoined the band in 2017, making this the first time since 1994's Tales from the Thousand Lakes that all four original band members played together on an album. The album was produced by Jens Bogren, who was described as "a true brother in spirit."

Queen of Time received positive reviews upon release.

Blabbermouth praised the use of a variety of instruments such as flutes, saxophone, reeds, or xylophones, calling the compositions "long, layered and resonant".

Louder wrote: "Amorphis are incredible songwriters; everything from stirring opener The Bee through to lavish, dramatic closer Pyres On The Coast boasts at least one life-affirming hook, and vocalist Tomi Joutsen has never sounded more commanding."

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Pekka Kainulainen

1. "The Bee" Santeri Kallio 5:30
2. "Message in the Amber" Esa Holopainen 6:44
3. "Daughter of Hate" Holopainen 6:20
4. "The Golden Elk" Kallio 6:22
5. "Wrong Direction" Holopainen 5:09
6. "Heart of the Giant" Kallio 6:32
7. "We Accursed" Kallio 4:59
8. "Grain of Sand" Holopainen 4:44
9. "Amongst Stars" (featuring Anneke van Giersbergen) Kallio 4:50
10. "Pyres on the Coast" Holopainen 6:19

Total length: 57:29

Bonus tracks

1. "As Mountains Crumble" Olli-Pekka Laine 6:17
2. "Brother and Sister" Kallio 6:03

Total length: 69:49

Recording information:

Produced, recorded and mixed at Fascination Street Studios during Winter 2017/18.

Mastered at Fascination Street Studios, Örebro, Sweden.

Grand piano and hammond organ recorded at Finnvox Studios, Helsinki, Finland.

Church organ recorded at Church of Paavali.

Choirs recorded at Bardo Studios.

Additional percussion, fretless bass, vocal doublings and narration recorded at Moon Unit Studios.