Name: Karelian Isthmus
Brand: Amorphis

Tax rate EU

Default:19

Supplier EU

The Orchard/SPV (Membran)

Total Cap

Format detail

Colour details

Discogs ID

Limited edition

Colour

Format Music EU

Extended format

Extended format: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Download code

Download code: No

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Release date

2023-07-28

Format multiplier

Catalogue number

RR49821

UPC / Barcode

781676498215

Artist

Amorphis

Label EU

Relapse

Genre EU

Rock-Pop

Welcome to Relapse, an American metal, hardcore/punk and experimental label founded by Matthew F. Jacobson. With a diverse range of styles including death metal, grindcore, metalcore, sludge, industrial, post-rock, synthwave, and black metal among others, we are dedicated to bringing you the best in heavy music.

Our label has a rich history with previous sublabels such as Release Entertainment and Desolation House that focused on ambient/dark ambient genres. We also have exciting series like Cult Classic and Relapse Singles Series that showcase exceptional talent from our roster.

Since 2016, all our new vinyl releases and reissues come with stickers featuring a unique 7 character code in the format LPXXXXR. This code is used as a stock keeping unit (SKU) to differentiate vinyl color variants. Please note that this code should not be confused with the actual catalog number which starts with RR.

Amorphis is a progressive metal band from Helsinki, Finland, founded in 1990. Originally starting out as a death metal band, they quickly evolved and created their own unique blend of heavy metal, progressive rock, and folk music. The name Amorphis was derived from the word "amorphous", meaning 'no determinate form or shape'.

The current line-up of *Amorphis* consists of Esa Holopainen on guitar since 1990, Tomi Koivusaari on guitar since 1990, Jan Rechberger on drums from 1990 to 1995 and again from 2002 onwards, Olli-Pekka Laine on bass from 1990 to 2000 and again since 2017, Santeri Kallio on keyboards since 1999, and Tomi Joutsen on vocals since 2004.

*Amorphis* has been highly successful in their career and has influenced many other bands in the genre. Some similar artists include Dark Tranquillity, Norther, Sentenced, Eternal Tears Of Sorrow, Insomnium, Before The Dawn, Wintersun,
Kalmah,
Omnium Gatherum,
Scar Symmetry,
Mors Principium Est,
Paradise Lost,
Be'lakor,
Hypocrisy,
Poisonblack,
Dark The Suns,
Charon,
Pain,
Moonspell,and Soilwork

Newest Listed Items

Pretty much from the very start, <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/amorphis-mn0000022590">Amorphis</a>' career has been about constant reinvention (hence the name, hello!), and so the Finnish group's albums have traversed the realms of death, folk, progressive, electronic, and psychedelic rock and metal over the past 20 years -- never looking back along the way. Until now. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-beginning-of-times-mw0002132980">The Beginning of Times</a> isn't entirely correct in its billing because it doesn't quite bring <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/amorphis-mn0000022590">Amorphis</a> full circle to their brutal death metal debut of 1992, <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-karelian-isthmus-mw0000123661">The Karelian Isthmus</a>, but rather to its highly influential sophomore successor, 1994's <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/tales-from-the-thousand-lakes-mw0000124775">Tales from the Thousand Lakes</a>, which first proved they had something original to say -- something heavily indebted to their country's folk music traditions and tales, yes, but original nonetheless for taking such daring license in blending those exotic, elegant melodies with "vile" extreme metal hallmarks to fascinatingly contrasting effect. So <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/amorphis-mn0000022590">Amorphis</a> obviously sacrifice the element of surprise by going back to the well on this, their tenth studio album, but not the sense of excitement resulting from once again hearing this particular, familiar yet still fresh, combination of unrelated styles, darkness and light, as clean and crude vocals, raw guitars, and swirling keyboards joust playfully all over tracks like "Battle for Light," "You I Need," and "Beginning of Time." Guest vocalist <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/netta-dahlberg-mn0002607194">Netta Dahlberg</a> also adds a feminine touch to "Mermaid" and "Soothsayer," and a progressive rock thread reminiscent of the band's latter-day albums is maintained across many tracks, including the <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jethro-tull-mn0000850692">Jethro Tull</a>-like vibes of "Song of the Sage" and the all-binding thematic umbrella that sees <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/amorphis-mn0000022590">Amorphis</a>turning yet again to their trusty Kalevala for a story cycle, here inspired by the legendary hero Väinämöinen. Déjà vu, anyone? Certainly there will be listeners disappointed at <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/amorphis-mn0000022590">Amorphis</a>' creative about-face on <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-beginning-of-times-mw0002132980">The Beginning of Times</a>, but there's no denying its entertainment value and the fact that most of the band's longest-serving fans were probably ready for a nostalgic exercise like this right about now.

Karelian Isthmus

Music EU