In 1989 Jan Rechberger and Esa Holopainen played in a speed metal band Violent Solution, which Tomi Koivusaari had left the previous year to form the death metal band Abhorrence. Violent Solution slowly withered away as the musicians became interested in other things and styles of music. At this point, Jan Rechberger and Esa Holopainen had the idea of putting together a death metal band. In early 1990, Tomi Koivusaari was asked to be the vocalist and Oppu Laine to be their bassist.
During that time the band asked Tomi to pick up the slot of rhythm guitarist as well as singing, which led to the band dumping all original compositions and starting again. With the band starting to move along, Tomi's other band (Abhorrence) split up and he found himself with much more time to put into Amorphis. The band went into gear and started churning out new brutal music.
Shortly after the band had recorded their first studio demo tape, Tomi got a letter from Relapse Records offering Abhorrence a recording contract. Since Abhorrence was no longer active, they quickly sent their own demo in the return mail and eventually got signed to a recording deal. The deal would later almost destroy the band, due a very long commitment and poor artist relations. They quickly released a death metal classic, The Karelian Isthmus, in 1992 - and would later release the original demo as the Privilege Of Evil EP. The EP featured Abhorrence's original vocalist, Jukka Kolehmainen, as a vocalist on the Abhorrence cover song Vulgar Necrolatry.
The band quickly adopted new ways of making music and started incorporating different styles in with the original death metal aspect, creating a very unique and complex soundscape. This experimentation in elements of folk, doom metal and progressive rock resulted in the melodic death metal cornerstone Tales from the Thousand Lakes in 1994. The shift away from death metal and further into progressive soundscapes (influenced by Finnish prog rock bands like Kingston Wall) became even more apparent on Elegy in 1996, and by the time Tuonela released in 1999 their death metal roots and Kalevala stylings were but a distant memory.
Eventually feeling the need to circle back to how Tales from the Thousand Lakes was formed, the band decided to bring back their Kalevala lyricism and develop their classic, melodic metal sound further. They resurfaced with new vocalist Tomi Joutsen and released the fan favourite Eclipse in 2006 to critical acclaim - another example of their constant musical growth and uncompromising attitude. With renewed vigor, the band explored this modern direction further with equally beloved follow-ups Silent Waters (2007) and Skyforger (2009) - all three albums focusing on one specific character at a time from Kalevala.
Forging The Land Of Thousand Lakes was released in July 2010. It is available as a 2 DVD & 2 CD package (2 digipacks in a box) or as a 2 DVD set. DVD 1, and the CDs, contain a live concert in Oulu (Finland) in 2009. The second DVD contains a shorter set from Summer Breeze Open Air 2009, a 60 minute documentary and all (most?) Amorphis videos plus a photo gallery.
Magic & Mayhem – Tales From The Early Years was released in September 2010. It contains 12 tracks from the first three albums plus a bonus track Light My Fire. They have all been re-recorded with the current line-up. Some arrangements have changed - essentially they are the songs as they have evolved through many concert tours, recorded in a studio environment.
In May 2011, The Beginning Of Times was released and went straight to number 1 in the Finnish album charts and number 16 in the German charts.
Feeling the need to take another short break from the world of Kalevala, they released Circle in April 2013 - featuring an original, self-contained story with some heavier and more progressive influences while retaining their melodic style.
Since 2015, the band has released three more records that continued to gather public and critical approval - Under the Red Cloud (2015), Queen of Time (2018), and Halo (2022) - all leaning towards a more symphonic, grandiose style compared to their previous releases.
Current Members
* Tomi Joutsen – vocals
* Esa Holopainen – guitar
* Tomi Koivusaari – guitar
* Olli-Pekka Laine – bass
* Santeri Kallio – keyboards
* Jan Rechberger – drums
Former Members
* Pasi Koskinen – vocals (1996–2004)
* Niclas Etelävuori – bass (2000-2017)
* Pekka Kasari – drums (1996–2002)
* Kim Rantala – keyboards (1996–1998)
* Kasper Mårtenson – keyboards (1993–1994)
Discography:
1992 The Karelian Isthmus
1994 Tales from the Thousand Lakes
1996 Elegy
1999 Tuonela
2001 Am Universum
2003 Far From the Sun
2006 Eclipse
2007 Silent Waters
2009 Skyforger
2010 Forging The Land Of Thousand Lakes
2010 Magic & Mayhem – Tales From The Early Years
2011 The Beginning Of Times
2013 Circle
2015 Under the Red Cloud
2018 Queen of Time
2022 Halo
Official site: Amorphis.net
Rusty Moon
Amorphis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is the death beds lullaby
Sung so softly with the stars
Reflected in her eyes
It's the blaze that beckons men
Into the woods, of beaten path
Is the sight of the fire that
Iron does as iron's told
And drinks of life's red gold
But shame won't leave with dying breathe
The life that wants it's own death
And the forest hums its silent hymn
Heard by those of solitude
As mist it wells
Up the brook's dark banks
Bewitched by there fir woods
It's the blaze that beckons men
Into the woods, of beaten path
Is the sight of the fire that
No maiden's eyes should have
Iron does as iron's told
And drinks of life's red gold
But shame won't leave with dying breathe
The life that wants it's own death
The lyrics of "Rusty Moon" by Amorphis is full of expressive metaphors and symbolism. The song is about death and the afterlife, and how the natural world is in tune with the cycle of life and death. The opening line, "Bathed in the rust of moon," refers to the state of decay that comes with death, and how it is a natural part of the universe. The phrase "death bed's lullaby" suggests that death is not something to be feared, but rather something that can console and bring peace.
The chorus speaks of the lure of the forest and the blaze that beckons men into the woods. The fire represents temptation, and perhaps the idea of voluntarily giving oneself over to the cycle of life and death. The line "No maiden's eyes should have" suggests that this temptation is something that should not be indulged in casually or without thought, as it is a serious matter.
The metaphor of iron, and how it drinks life's red gold, refers to the way in which humans consume and use the natural world for their own purposes. However, shame and regret are constant companions in life and even in death, and so the desire for release in death can be understandable. The forest, with its silent hymn and bewitching beauty, represents the natural world's acceptance of life and death, and how it can heal and console those who seek solitude and reflection.
Line by Line Meaning
Bathed in the rust of moon
In the pale light of the moon, which has a reddish tint, a somber mood is set.
Is the death beds lullaby
The final song one hears before departing to the afterlife.
Sung so softly with the stars
A calm and peaceful end accompanied by the beauty of the night sky.
Reflected in her eyes
The dying person sees the starry sky reflected in their loved one's eyes.
It's the blaze that beckons men
The allure of fire attracts people to the wilderness, even if it may lead them astray.
Into the woods, of beaten path
Venturing into the forest, where others have gone before, but with unknown dangers ahead.
Is the sight of the fire that
Seeing the light and warmth of the fire is a comfort in the darkness of the forest.
No maiden's eyes should have
However, it's not an innocent joy, as it can lead to shame and harm.
Iron does as iron's told
People obey their fate and destiny, just as iron can only be shaped according to its form.
And drinks of life's red gold
Like blood, the essence of life, people thirst for experience and adventure, even if it means taking risks.
But shame won't leave with dying breathe
Despite the joys of life, the weight of shame and regret can follow one to the grave.
The life that wants it's own death
In death, one may find peace and escape the troubles of life, but choosing to end one's life prematurely can lead to a life unfulfilled.
And the forest hums its silent hymn
The forest has its own music, playing in the stillness and solitude, but only heard by those who take the time to listen.
Heard by those of solitude
This melody can only be heard when one is alone, free from distractions and noise.
As mist it wells
The beauty of nature can stir deep emotions within us.
Up the brook's dark banks
The mist rises alongside the winding stream, creating a mystical atmosphere.
Bewitched by there fir woods
The enchantment of the forest is captured by the towering spruce trees.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ESA HOLOPAINEN, OLLI-PEKKA LAINE, PASI KOSKINEN, TOMI KOIVUSAARI, VELI PEKKA KASARI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind