Tales from the Thousand Lakes
{{More citations needed|date=December 2008}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Tales from the Thousand Lakes
| type = studio
| artist = Amorphis
| cover = TalesFromTheThousandLakes.jpg
| alt =
| released = 12 July 1994
| recorded = September 1993
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Melodic death metal, death-doom, gothic metal
| length = 40:13
| label = Relapse
| producer = Tomas Skogsberg and Amorphis
| prev_title = Privilege of Evil
| prev_year = 1993
| next_title = Elegy
| next_year = 1996
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Tales from the Thousand Lakes
| type = Studio
| single1 = Black Winter Day
| single1date = 1994
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=tales-from-the-thousand-lakes-mw0000124775|label=Tales from the Thousand Lakes|first=Jason|last=Anderson|accessdate=July 26, 2011}}
}}
Tales from the Thousand Lakes is the second studio album by Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis. It is a concept album based on the Finnish national epic, Kalevala.
The album was an influential release in the development of the melodic death metal genre, predominantly mixing the genre with death-doom{{cite web |title=Amorphis - Tales From The Thousand Lakes {{!}} Metalfan.nl Review |url=https://www.metalfan.nl/reviews.php?id=8851 |website=Metalfan.nl |language=nl}} and gothic metal,{{cite magazine |url=https://www.metal1.info/metal-reviews/savatage-the-wake-of-magellan/ |title= Savatage – The Wake Of Magellan Review |language=de |last=Müller |first=Jan |magazine=Metal1.info |date=6 April 2013 |accessdate=23 January 2022 }} compared to the band's death metal debut. This showcases a more melodic sound for the band, with hints at their later, more progressive direction. The album also introduced synthesizers and clean vocals to the band's sound, though the latter was used sparingly.
This is the first Amorphis release to have an official keyboardist, Kasper Mårtenson, as any previous of the band's releases had the band's own drummer, Jan Rechberger, provide the empty keyboardist role until the band decided to have a keyboardist and also to find one being Mårtenson. With Mårtenson in the band, it is the first time the band's original lineup changed by having an additional member. Jan Rechberger would leave the band after this album but rejoin the band for 2003's Far from the Sun.
The original limited version (on digipack) had a cover of "Light My Fire" by The Doors added as a bonus track. It was later re-released in 2001 with most tracks from the Black Winter Day EP and the "Light My Fire" cover added as bonus tracks.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| total_length = 40:13
| title1 = Thousand Lakes
| lyrics1 = (instrumental)
| music1 = K. Mårtenson
| length1 = 2:04
| title2 = Into Hiding
| lyrics2 = traditional
| music2 = E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine
| length2 = 3:45
| title3 = The Castaway
| lyrics3 = traditional
| music3 = T. Koivusaari, E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine, K. Mårtenson
| length3 = 5:32
| title4 = First Doom
| lyrics4 = E. Holopainen
| music4 = E. Holopainen
| length4 = 3:52
| title5 = Black Winter Day
| lyrics5 = traditional
| music5 = K. Mårtenson
| length5 = 3:50
| title6 = Drowned Maid
| lyrics6 = traditional
| music6 = T. Koivusaari, E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine
| length6 = 4:23
| title7 = In the Beginning
| lyrics7 = traditional
| music7 = E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine
| length7 = 3:37
| title8 = Forgotten Sunrise
| lyrics8 = E. Holopainen
| music8 = E. Holopainen
| length8 = 4:53
| title9 = To Fathers Cabin
| lyrics9 = traditional
| music9 = E. Holopainen, O.P. Laine
| length9 = 3:50
| title10 = Magic and Mayhem
| lyrics10 = traditional
| music10 = E. Holopainen
| length10 = 4:27
}}
= Bonus tracks =
Tracks 11–13 added from the Black Winter Day EP; track 14 is a bonus track:
{{Track listing
| total_length = 12:56
| title11 = Folk of the North
| lyrics11 = (instrumental)
| music11 = T. Koivusaari
| length11 = 1:17
| title12 = Moon and Sun
| lyrics12 = traditional
| music12 = T. Koivusaari
| length12 = 3:36
| title13 = Moon and Sun Part II: North's Son
| lyrics13 = traditional
| music13 = T. Koivusaari
| length13 = 5:10
| title14 = Light My Fire
| note14 = The Doors cover
| lyrics14 = The Doors
| music14 = The Doors
| length14 = 2:53
}}
Credits
= Band members =
- Tomi Koivusaari – vocals, rhythm guitar
- Esa Holopainen – lead guitar
- Olli-Pekka Laine – bass
- Jan Rechberger – drums
- Kasper Mårtenson – keyboards
= Additional musicians =
- Ville Tuomi – clean vocals, speech
Art
- Sv Bell - Cover artist
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master |27519|Tales from the Thousand Lakes}}
{{Amorphis}}
{{Authority control}}