Tales from the Thousand Lakes

Amorphis

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Tales from the Thousand Lakes Review

by Jason Anderson

Bolder than The Karelian Isthmus and conceptually superior to later attempts at progressive but radio-friendly '90s metal, Tales From the Thousand Lakes might just be Amorphis' best recording. This record is heavy, yet never succumbs to the inane extremes common to the melodic death metal genre. The guitars and drums are in ample supply, and a rare attention to arrangement and production really sets this disc apart. The guttural vocal work isn't for every metal fan, but the neo-prog instrumental work and overall heaviness should impress those turned off by the throaty rants. In a possible attempt to widen the band's appeal, Tomi Koivusaari briefly sings, which doesn't exactly work out. These moments of confusion are short-lived, though, and they hardly blemish the release. The subtle addition of keyboards is a nice touch -- Amorphis' captivation with the instrument would soften later efforts. So even though Tales From the Thousand Lakes heralded a shift toward later, inferior recordings, the new and old are balanced precisely on this 1994 Relapse offering.

Track Listing

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
Thousand Lakes
Kasper Martenson
Amorphis 02:04 SpotifyAmazon
2
Into Hiding
Esa Holopainen / Olli-Pekka Laine / Traditional
Amorphis 03:45 SpotifyAmazon
3
The Castaway
Esa Holopainen / Tomi Koivusaari / Olli-Pekka Laine / Kasper Martenson / Traditional
Amorphis 05:32 SpotifyAmazon
4
First Doom
Esa Holopainen
Amorphis 03:52 SpotifyAmazon
5
Black Winter Day
Kasper Martenson / Traditional
Amorphis 03:50 SpotifyAmazon
6
Drowned Maid
Esa Holopainen / Tomi Koivusaari / Olli-Pekka Laine / Traditional
Amorphis 04:23 SpotifyAmazon
7
In the Beginning
Esa Holopainen / Olli-Pekka Laine / Traditional
Amorphis 03:37 SpotifyAmazon
8
Forgotten Sunrise
Esa Holopainen
Amorphis 04:53 SpotifyAmazon
9
To Father's Cabin
Esa Holopainen / Olli-Pekka Laine / Traditional
Amorphis 03:50 SpotifyAmazon
10
Magic and Mayhem
Esa Holopainen / Traditional
Amorphis 04:27 SpotifyAmazon
11
Fork of the North
Tomi Koivusaari
Amorphis 01:20 SpotifyAmazon
12
Moon and Sun
Tomi Koivusaari / Traditional
Amorphis 03:36 SpotifyAmazon
13
Moon and Sun, Pt. 2: North's Son
Tomi Koivusaari / Traditional
Amorphis 05:10 SpotifyAmazon
14
Light My Fire
John Densmore / Robby Krieger / Ray Manzarek / Jim Morrison
Amorphis 02:52 SpotifyAmazon
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Tales from the Thousand Lakes

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