Amorphis

Current revision

Tomi Joutsen

Members

• Tomi Joutsen - Vocals
• Esa Holopainen - Lead Guitar
• Tomi Koivusaari - Rhythm Guitar
• Jan Rechberger - Drums
• Niclas Etelavuori - Bass
• Santeria Kallio - Keyboards

Former Members

• Pasi Koskinen - Vocals
• Oppu Laine - Bass
• Pekka Kasari - Drums
• Kasper Mårtensen - Keyboards
• Kim Rantala - Keyboards

Style

Amorphis is a Finnish Death Metal/Folk Metal band, but not like most other Death Metal bands where there's nothing but wild drums and growling vocals. They started out with death growling, but got their own style after the change of vocalist, and got clean vocals.

The "Folk Metal" bit is because the band has made many albums based on old Finnish folk legends.

Background

Jan Rechberger, Esa Holopainen and Tomi Koivusari was in a band called Voilent Solution. Tomi K. left the band in 1988 to start his own band called Abhorrence, while Jan and Esa left to make their own a year later.

Jan and Esa then founded Amorphis, and found Oppu Laine as their bassist, and got Tomi K. to be vocalist and rhythm guitarist, since Abhorrence was going through bad times.

In 1991 Abhorrence finally broke up, and Tomi K. got more time for Amorphis. They then recorded their first Demo Disment of Soul. Relapse Records took contact with Tomi K. to offer his old band a record contract, but since Abhorrence had been disbanded, he sent them their own demo instead. Relapse Records liked it and offered Amorphis a recording deal.

At this time, they were mostly into death growling in their vocals. They recorded their first album The Karelian Ithmus in 1992, and later the single Privilege of Evil.

When they recorded Tales of a Thousand Lakes, they rented another vocalist: Ville Tuomi to do some clean vocals in their songs. This was their first step to find their own style.

The following tour made Kasper Mårtensen and Jan Rechberger leave the band, since it took too much time. They were replaced by Kim Rantala on keyboards, and Pekka Kasari on drums.

Before they made their third album, they found a new vocalist: Pasi Koskinen. Pasi has a bright high-pitched voice, in contrast of Tomi K's growling. In their new album, Elegy, they shared the vocals, Pasi doing the clean ones, and Toni doing the growling, which there were less off. After they recorded Elegy, Kim Rantala quit, and the band took a break to find new material.

In 1999 they recorded Tuonela, where the growling were almost completely gone. They also experimented with instruments such as sitar, saxophone and flute. During recording, they found a new keyboard player Santeri Kallio. After they were done recording Tuonela, Oppu Laine decided to quit as well, and got replaced with Niclas Etelavuori.

In 2001 they made the experiemtnal album Am Universum. They used more keyboard and saxophone. Their record deal with Relapse Records also ended after release. At this time, the band was asked to make a soundtrack for a finnish movie. They then made their only song that has finnish vocals.

In 2003, Pekka Kosari quit the band, and the former drummer Jan Rechberger joined again. They produced their next album Far from the Sun by themselves, since they Relapse Records contract had ended.

After Far from the Sun, the band were supposed to go on a tour to USA, but it was canceled. Pasi then left the band, since he had recently got two children and were involved in many other projects.

Tomi Joutsen joined the band in 2005 as the new vocalist. In contrary to Pasi, Tomi has a dark and very deep voice. The band then recorded Eclipse in 2006 without much drama, and their eighth album Silent Waters in 2007.

Discography

• 1991 - Disment of Soul [Single]
• 1991 - Amorphis [Single]
• 1992 - The Karelian Isthmus
• 1993 - Privilege of Evil [Single]
• 1994 - Tales of the Thousand Lakes
• 1995 - Black Winter Night [Single]
• 1996 - Elegy
• 1997 - My Kantele [Single]
• 1999 - Divinity [Single]
• 1999 - Tuonela
• 2000 - Story - 10th Anniversary [Compilation]
• 2001 - Alone [Single]
• 2001 - Am Universum
• 2003 - Day of Your Beliefs [Single]
• 2003 - Evil Inside [Single]
• 2003 - Far from the Sun
• 2003 - Chapters [CD/DVD]
• 2005 - House of Sleep [Single]
• 2006 - The Smoke [Single]
• 2006 - Eclipse
• 2007 - Silent Waters [Single]
• 2007 - Silent Waters

--Canis 21:46, 14 May 2008 (CEST)