Amorphis "Elegy (2001 Reissue, Russia, Irond Records, IROND CD 01-69)"

Elegy is the third studio album by Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis. It is their first to feature a majority of clean vocals, sung by new vocalist Pasi Koskinen. This also marks the first album with drummer Pekka Kasari who replaced Jan Rechberger and the only album with keyboardist Kim Rantala. The music and lyrics are inspired by the traditional Finnish ballads and poems compiled in the Kanteletar by Elias Lönnrot in 1840.

The primary genre of the album is progressive metal, with strong folk influence, as well as elements of melodic death metal and heavy metal. Many of the album's tracks, e.g. "Against Widows", have become fan favorites and have been performed in concerts since Elegy's release.

In 2004, Relapse Records reissued Elegy as a digipak, featuring four live bonus tracks. The songs "Against Widows", "On Rich and Poor", "My Kantele", and "Song of the Troubled One" were all re-recorded on Magic & Mayhem – Tales from the Early Years. "My Kantele" was covered on Live & Acoustic by Thurisaz.

Track listing

1. "Better Unborn" E. Holopainen 5:52
2. "Against Widows" O.P. Laine 4:06
3. "The Orphan" E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine 5:17
4. "On Rich and Poor" E. Holopainen, K. Rantala 5:19
5. "My Kantele" E. Holopainen 5:02
6. "Cares" T. Koivusaari, E. Holopainen, O.P Laine 4:29
7. "Song of the Troubled One" E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine 4:08
8. "Weeper on the Shore" O.P. Laine, K. Rantala 4:52
9. "Elegy" K. Rantala 7:21
10. "Relief" O.P. Laine 4:09
11. "My Kantele (Acoustic Reprise)" E. Holopainen 5:55
12. "The Brother-Slayer"  03:36   
13. "The Lost Son (The Brother-Slayer part II)"  04:36  
14. "Levitation (Hawkwind cover)"  05:51   
15. "And I Hear You Call (Kingston Wall cover)"  04:40   

Total time:    01:15:17  

Recording information:

Recorded at Sunlight Studio, Stockholm, Sweden; MD Studio & Finnvox Studios, Helsinki, Finland.

Mixed at ParrStreet Studios, Liverpool, England; Mastered at SAE Mastering.

Engineer: Pete Coleman

Assistant engineer: Dave Buchanan

Mastered by Dave Shirk at SAE Mastering

Produced by Amorphis and Hiili Hiilesmaa.

Executive producers: William J. Yurkiewicz Jr. and Matthew F. Jacobson

Cover art: Kristian Wåhlin