Elegy (Amorphis album)

Elegy
Studio album by
Released14 May 1996
Recorded1995–1996
StudioSunlight Studio, Stockholm, Sweden
MD Studio, Helsinki, Finland
Finnvox Studios, Helsinki, Finland
GenreProgressive metal, folk metal, melodic death metal
Length56:35
LabelRelapse
ProducerAmorphis
Amorphis chronology
Tales from the Thousand Lakes
(1994)
Elegy
(1996)
Tuonela
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Metal.de[2]

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.[citation needed] 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[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Better Unborn"E. Holopainen5:52
2."Against Widows"O.P. Laine4:06
3."The Orphan"E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine5:17
4."On Rich and Poor"E. Holopainen, K. Rantala5:19
5."My Kantele"E. Holopainen5:02
6."Cares"T. Koivusaari, E. Holopainen, O.P Laine4:29
7."Song of the Troubled One"E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine4:08
8."Weeper on the Shore"O.P. Laine, K. Rantala4:52
9."Elegy"K. Rantala7:21
10."Relief"O.P. Laine4:09
11."My Kantele (Acoustic Reprise)"E. Holopainen5:55
Total length:56:35

Bonus CDs[edit]

Live
No.TitleNoteLength
12."Better Unborn" 6:00
13."Against Widows"Note 14:05
14."The Castaway"Note 14:54
15."Black Winter Day" 3:39
My Kantele
No.TitleLength
12."The Brother-Slayer"3:36
13."The Lost Son (The Brother-Slayer Part II)"4:36
14."Levitation (Hawkwind cover)"5:51
15."And I Hear You Call (Kingston Wall cover)"3:39

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Note 1: Songs recorded live at Ilosaarirock, Finland, on 12 July 1997.

Personnel[edit]

Amorphis[edit]

Additional personnel[edit]

  • Mixed at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool, England
  • 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 Wahlin

References[edit]

  1. ^ Raggett, Ned "Elegy Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  2. ^ Maronde, Eckart (1 November 2023). "Amorphis - Elegy". Metal.de. Retrieved 12 November 2023.