Rating: 9/10
Release: 12 July 2024
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music

‘Tales From The Thousand Lakes’ is the second studio album from Amorphis released in 1994.  It is a concept album based on the Finnish epic, Kalevala. The album showcases their signature sound incorporating melodic death metal, with a touch of their more progressive approach that would be fully exercised in future releases.  This album also introduced keyboards and clean vocal parts that we would later hear in their other masterpieces of progressive/melodic death metal. Tomi Koivusaari provided vocals and rhythm guitar on the album with clean vocals and speaking parts being done by Ville Tuomi. This album was my first Amorphis CD ever purchased and remains one of my top 10 favorites of all time.

Jump ahead. 30 years later, where Amorphis begins celebrating the anniversary of ‘Tales From The Thousand Lakes’ with a live release of the landmark album in its entirety, front to back in chronological order.  Excitement from older fans of the band, such as me, and new fans to experience the beauty and raw power of this album in a live setting has light up social media for months. July 12 marks the release of this album with much anticipation, and the band delivers.

Tomi Joutsen’s vocals are powerful, possibly more than on the 1994 release, originally done by Tomi Koivusaari.  The rest of the band is tight and give the fans a flawless performance, as usual.   There will be no surprises on this live version. The band brings to the stage and set, their vast experience from the past 30 years and I feel it breathes a whole new life into this classic. Esa Holopainen lead guitar work is emotional and the solos are over the top, showcasing his talent. Olli, Jan and Santeri round out the dynamic performance with exquisite rhythm and keyboard duties.

Amorphis has done several videos/recordings at the Tavastia club in Helsinki due to the phenomenal sound quality at this venue, however, as good as this recording is, full over energy and the band pushing itself to their limits, it is missing the fans screaming for more after each track.  That would have truly provided a more energetic backdrop for the recording, without it, things feel a bit out of place and empty.

This celebrated release will be available on Blu-ray + CD and vinyl.

Tracklist

1. Thousand Lakes 01:54
2. Into Hiding 04:11
3. The Castaway 05:34
4. First Doom 03:49
5. Black Winter Day 03:53
6. Drowned Maid 04:07
7. In the Beginning 03:41
8. Forgotten Sunrise 04:28
9. To Father’s Cabin 03:54
10. Magic and Mayhem 05:24
11. Vulgar Necrolatry (Abhorrence cover) 04:26
12. My Kantele 08:39