Amorphis "Tuonela (USA, Relapse Records, RR 6414-2)"

Tuonela is the fourth full-length album by Finnish band Amorphis.

This marks the first album by the band to feature Santeri Kallio on keyboards who performed as a session member and joined the band after in 1998. The album is named from Tuonela, the realm of the dead in Finnish mythology. The album also shares inspiration with many of the band's productions in the text and themes of the Kalevala, or Finnish Epic.

The style is less progressive, like its predecessor, Elegy, but rather a stoner/doom metal record, with progressive metal/progressive rock elements, except few more progressive and rock-sounding songs including "Divinity" (which has a music video), "The Way", "Summer's End", "Tuonela" and "Northern Lights".

This album was the last release with original and long time bassist, Olli-Pekka Laine, who quit a year after this release in 2000, because of musical differences and to focus on his family.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Pasi Koskinen, except track ten by Antti Litmanen; all music is composed by Amorphis.

1. "The Way" 4:35
2. "Morning Star" 3:50
3. "Nightfall" 3:52
4. "Tuonela" 4:32
5. "Greed" 4:17
6. "Divinity" 4:56
7. "Shining" 4:24
8. "Withered" 5:44
9. "Rusty Moon" 4:56
10. "Summer's End" 5:37

Total length: 46:48

- US pressing issued with standard jewel case.

- A music video was made for the song "Divinity".

- "Tuonela" = Hades, the Underworld.

Recording information:

- Recorded & mixed from Oct-Nov 1998 at Finnvox Studios, Helsinki, Finland.

- Mastered in Dec. 1998 at Battery Studios, London, UK.