The band was formed in Pudasjärvi, Finland during 1994 by Jarmo Puolakanaho, Altti Veteläinen and Olli-Pekka Törrö, after some previous various metal projects (Andromeda, M.D.C, D.W.N) between 1991 and 1994, involving some or all of the three members.
Andromeda had been put on hold in late 1992 because the rehearsal place had burned down. It seemed their home town wasn't able to give them a new rehearsal place, so the three members decided to start up a new, drummerless sideproject (M.D.C.) and recorded a demo tape Beyond The Fantasy in autumn 1993. However, the songs on the demo were much better than they had expected, so they decided to go on with the project.
In spring 1994, they recorded a demo The Seven Goddesses of Frost using their new moniker Eternal Tears Of Sorrow. Between 1994 and 1996 the band was busy (in spite of all of the members doing their compulsory military services): they recorded their first studio demo tape Bard's Burial in October 94, were featured on compilation CDs in Europe & Canada, and recorded their debut album, Sinner's Serenade. At the time they played melodic death metal heavily influenced by bands like Edge Of Sanity. It took more than a year for the debut album to get released by X-Treme Records, a small underground label from Gothenburg, Sweden.
After recording the second album, Vilda Mánnu the band signed a record deal with Spinefarm records who subsequently released the album in February 98. Outside Finland, the albums have been licensed by different labels such as Drakkar Records & Fono Records.
The following years saw a drastic lineup change with the recruitment of 3 members from fellow Spinefarm records band, Kalmah, the drummer, lead guitarist and keyboardist. Their third album Chaotic Beauty released Feb 2000 (on which the band had three new members as Olli-Pekka Törrö had left the band) might have been the most successful album so far as they went to an European tour with Nightwish and Sinergy promoting the album. However, it was their fourth album, A Virgin and a Whore released Oct 2001, that went to the Finnish Album TOP 40 charts. For these albums the band began including symphonic metal with their Swedish-influenced brand of melodic death metal.
In 2002, the band announced they were going to go on hiatus. In January 2003, the band officially split, reasons being the members' interest in trying something completely different, or just taking a complete break from the music business.
In February 2005, the band announced they were to make a comeback with a few new members. The fifth album Before the Bleeding Sun was released April 2006. This album also went to the Finnish Album Top 40 charts, this time with the position of #26. 2009 saw the sixth full length Children of the Dark Waters on Finnish label KHY Suomen Musiikki Oy.
In 2013, the seventh album Saivon Lapsi was released on Suomen Musiikki in Finland and on Massacre Records elsewhere. On the latest albums the band has eschewed much of their early melodic death metal sound and a far greater focus is on symphonic and even gothic metal stylings.
Current line-up:
Altti Veteläinen, vocal, bass [94-03, 05- now]
Jarmo Kylmänen, clean vocals [08-now] & session cleans from 05-08
Jarmo Puolakanaho, rhythm guitar [94-03, 05- now] & keyboards, drum programming [94-98]
Mika Lammassaari, lead guitar [09- now]
Janne Tolsa, keyboards [05- now]
Juho Raappana, drums [08- now]
Past members:
Olli-Pekka Törrö - guitars [94-99] & keyboards [97-98]
Petri Sankala - drums [99-03, 05-08] (ex-Kalmah)
Antti Kokko - lead guitar [00-03] (Kalmah)
Pasi Hiltula - keyboards [99-03] (ex-Kalmah)
Risto Ruuth - lead guitar [05-09]
Antti-Matti "Antza" Talala - guitars [99-00]
march
Eternal Tears of Sorrow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walked among the trees
And the forest called for them
To join the nightly march
Eternity was present
It touched the hearts of them all
It filled them with joy
And neverending peace
They listen to the wind
They pray for relief
The candles enlighten the way
The way of real belief
The wind was there, too
Whispering silent words
They heard them, they felt them
They knew it was time for a song
The birds of the woods
Heard the maidens singing
The silently landed on the circle
And shared togetherness
Chorus
The lyrics of Eternal Tears of Sorrow's song "March" paint a picture of mystical and ethereal female beings known as the "daughters of the dawn" who are called upon by the forest to take part in a nightly march. The imagery of the lyrics highlights the connection between nature and spirituality, as the daughters of the dawn walk among the trees and listen to the wind. Eternity is present in this moment, touching the hearts of all the beings involved and filling them with joy and never-ending peace. It is clear that this moment is a spiritual experience, as the wind whispers silent words and the maidens pray for relief.
The lyrics then go on to describe how the daughters of the dawn light candles to guide their way and mark the path of their "real belief." The wind continues to play a vital role here, as it remains present and the maidens feel compelled to sing a song. The birds of the woods join in with the maidens, gathering around them and sharing in their togetherness. This scene is an illustration of the power of music and nature to bring people together and forge genuine connections.
Line by Line Meaning
Daughters of the dawn
Women who embody the freshness and vitality of the rising sun
Walked among the trees
They journeyed through the woods surrounded by the awe-inspiring beauty of nature
And the forest called for them
The world of vegetation and life was beckoning them to come
To join the nightly march
To join the procession of creatures who journey under cover of darkness
Eternity was present
Time without end was a constant theme
It touched the hearts of them all
It made an indelible impression on the souls of the women
It filled them with joy
It brought immense happiness to them
And neverending peace
It brought a sense of calmness that would never leave them
They listen to the wind
They heard the voice of the breezes
They pray for relief
They offered supplication for respite
The candles enlighten the way
The lights illuminated the path
The way of real belief
The way of genuine faith
The wind was there, too
The air current had not abandoned them
Whispering silent words
Murmuring unspoken messages
They heard them, they felt them
The women received them and were aware of their significance
They knew it was time for a song
They understood it was an opportunity to sing
The birds of the woods
The feathered creatures who inhabited the area
Heard the maidens singing
Recognized the females' musical offerings
The silently landed on the circle
The birds quietly perched on the circular formation
And shared togetherness
Shared a sense of unity with the ladies
Contributed by Violet L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.