Amorphis

Lead guitarist Esa Holopainen and drummer Jan Rechberger formed the band Amorphis in Finland in 1990. To complete their lineup they recruited vocalist/guitarist Tomi Koivusaari and bassist Olli-Pekka Laine. They released a demo in 1991 called Disment of Soul. The demo was so successful in getting attention for the group that they acquired a record deal and released an EP the same year. They next released their first full-length album, The Karelian Isthmus, in 1992. The following year, their early demo recording session was released as Privilege of Evil…

Lead guitarist Esa Holopainen and drummer Jan Rechberger formed the band Amorphis in Finland in 1990. To complete their lineup they recruited vocalist/guitarist Tomi Koivusaari and bassist Olli-Pekka Laine. They released a demo in 1991 called Disment of Soul. The demo was so successful in getting attention for the group that they acquired a record deal and released an EP the same year…

Another reliably sublime effort from the Kings of Karelia, “Halo” further cements Amorphis as one of metal's most consistently excellent bands…

Amorphis have been on a bit of a roll ever since Tomi Joutsen joined the band in 2006. His first two outings (Eclipse and Silent Waters) could be considered stakes in a then-new foundation with each subsequent release showing the band stretch into a little something different than before. Things got more interesting with Under the Red Cloud, which brought an attractive contrast of grit with folk elements that occasionally brought the band’s earlier works to mind…

Amorphis hasn't released a physical greatest hits compilation in more than thirteen years when ''Chapters'' had been published. Since then, Amorphis had an important line-up change with the chasrismatic and versatile Tomi Joutsen taking Pasi Koskinen's spot. The band has also released a whopping eight studio albums which weren't covered by the last compilation…

If we focus primarily on the non-bastardized jazz elements, like keyboards, rhythm section, or especially the guitar, then the album is Amorphis' crown jewel for creative composition. The album kicks off with the gentle keys and happy harmonics we've come to expect from the band with "Alone." The song meanders through thick interchanges of sound and tasty vocal lines before hitting a wall of warm, overdone pop sax…

To say that the past decade has been kind to Amorphis would be an understatement. From the elegance of Silent Waters to the pomp of Circle, the Finnish prog metallers have carved a solid foothold for themselves over the course of eight years. So, of course, when a new album is released, the inevitable question of whether or not the flavor has gone bland comes up. Sure enough, Under the Red Cloud proves to be another worthy addition to Amorphis’s discography, as well as one of the best progressive metal releases this year so far…

Reflecting a recent trend among veteran heavy metal bands, the present-day members of Finland's Amorphis decided to re-record their early work on 2010's Magic and Mayhem (Tales from the Early Years), but at least their motivation was celebrating a 20th anniversary instead of making a quick buck…

It’s easy to be skeptical of live records. Oftentimes they’re put out by labels looking to bring in a little extra money between releases while a band is plugging away on a new record. For Finnish prog metal disciples Amorphis, however, they saw it as a way to give fans not only a look at the band at its live best, but also a candid look behind the scenes…