Far from the Sun
Occupation
- Guitar: Tomi Koivusaari
- Guitar: Esa Holopainen
- Drums: Jan Rechberger
- E -Bass: Niclas Etelävuori
- Keyboard: Santeri Kallio
- Vocals: Pasi Koskinen
Production
- Production: Amorphis
- Mastering: Thomas Eberger
- Mix: Hiili Hiilesmaa
- Vocals: John McGregor
- Recordings: Hannu Leiden, Juha Laakso, Nikk Bingo, Sands Kallio
Far from the Sun is the sixth studio album by the Finnish metal band Amorphis. It was published in May 2003 by Virgin Records. Far from the Sun was the last Amorphis album with vocalist Pasi Koskinen.
Creation and publication
Before the recording of Far from the Sun left the drummer Pekka Kasari Amorphis and was replaced by January Rechberger, who was the drummer of Amorphis already from 1990 to 1996. The contract with Relapse Records expired after the last album Am Universum. Amorphis signed before the production of Far from the Sun no new record deal, she wanted to record the album without outside influences. Pasi Koskinen described the recordings afterwards as "very relaxed work, we had no time pressure, guitars and keyboards we have taken in our own studio - because no one jostles. We had all the time that was needed. " ( Pasi Koskinen in an interview ) It was not until after the recordings the band signed a contract with the major label Virgin Records.
Far from the Sun was released on 26 May 2003 in Europe. Already in early May appeared the Single Day of Your Beliefs, on 10 July 2003 was followed by the second single Evil Inside. In the United States the album was released only on 7 September 2004, more than a year later. This edition was delivered in a cardboard sleeve with embossed lettering and contained five bonus tracks, of which the first three have already been published on the singles as B- sides.
Title list
Style
Music
In the foreground also takes the psychedelic atmosphere that is caused by numerous borrowings from the psychedelic rock of the 70s: The band used synthesizers, Hammond organ, sitar and in addition numerous other Distortion guitar effects (eg Phaser and Delay). The melody leans in contrast to the previous album again concentrating on traditional Finnish folk at.
The song Planetary Misfortune is a remake of Too Much to See. This was published in 2001 as a B- side of the single standalone and as a bonus track of the previous album Am Universum. In the new version melody lines and themes were retained, but changed the arrangements and adapted a new text.
Text and Cover
The CD cover of Far from the Sun shows that the Thor hammer similar Ukonvasara (German: hammer or ax of Ukko ) stylized on red background. Pasi Koskinen said about this strange plain cover, which is in clear contrast to the organic artwork of Tuonela and Am Universum " The simple cover should draw attention to the music." ( Pasi Koskinen in an interview ) The hammer is also a reference present on the early history of the band and was already on the cover to Tales from the Thousand Lakes.
The texts have as on the previous album Am Universum no relation to the Finnish mythology.
Successes and criticism
Far from the Sun debuted at # 7 on the Finnish album charts and was less successful than its predecessor Am Universum. The Singles reached with 3rd place and 20th place finishes worse than maximum Alone by 2001.
The All Music Guide criticized that Far from the Sun would offer little new. Wade Kergan writes for the popular music site:
" Far From the Sun, as well-executed and crafted as it 'may be, is another step toward a familiar middle. Any Further from the sun and Amorphis are likely to wither and fade away. "
May be, " Far from the Sun, so well executed and made it, is a further step towards a familiar center. A little further from the sun, and Amorphis are likely to shrink and fade away. "
Frank Albrecht by the German magazine Rock Hard called the album in his review for sophomore Eclipse retrospectively " although really nice, but more of a chill-out album that you hung up after a drunken night of peaceful falling asleep. "