Artist: ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW
Album: BEFORE THE BLEEDING SUN (CD)

Release date: 2006
Media type: CD

Oulunsalo Death Metal act with Black overtones although the band themselves are reluctant to label their brand of music "black". The group rose from the ashes of an early 90’s act ANDROMEDA, which comprised Altti Verlainen on bass, Jarmo Puolakanaho on guitar, vocalist Mikko Komulainen, guitarist Olli Pekka Torro and drummer Petri Sankula. ANDROMEDA folded after their rehearsal rooms burnt down but did manage a 1993 demo 'Beyond The Fantasy'.

By the following year Verlainen, Torro and Puolakanaho founded ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW bowing in with the tape ‘The Seven Goddesses Of Frost’. The group was far from happy with the end result citing the facts that it had been recorded at school on a four track machine. Fortunately a follow up session ‘Bard’s Burial’ secured a deal with the Swedish X-treme Records label. However, although the ‘Sinner’s Serenade’ opus was laid down in 1996 it was to be September 1997 before its release.

The band switched to the Finnish Spinefarm concern for sophomore outing ‘Vild Mannu’. In 1999 Torro decamped and new members Antti Talala on guitar, bassist / keyboard player Pasi Hiltula and erstwhile ANDROMEDA colleague drummer Petri Sankula were welcomed into the fold.

The ‘Chaotic Beauty’ album, which includes a cover of EDGE OF SANITY’s ‘Black Tears’, was produced by Mikko Karmila featured backing vocals from SINERGY’s Kimberley Goss.

Touring to promote the album resulted in the exit of Talala with Antti Kokko of KALMAH taking his position. ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW members Altti Vetelainen, keyboard player Pasi Hiltula and drummer Petri Sankala also cite membership of KALMAH.

During March of 2002 the ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW triumvirate of bassist Altti Vetelдinen, guitarist Olli-Pekka Torro and drummer Petri Sankala announced the formation of a Finnish 'Gothic Metal supergroup' dubbed FOR MY PAIN. Joining them in this endeavour would be guitarist Lauri Tuohimaa of EMBRAZE, keyboard player Tuomas Holopainen of NIGHTWISH and fronted by REFLECTION vocalist Juha Kylmanen.

ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW folded in January of 2003. Members guitarist Antti Talala and drummer Reiska Pohjola re-united in Gothic Rock outfit SOULRELIC, assembled by SNAKEGOD and TECHNICAL JUSTICE keyboard player Jani Halli and including Pekka Talala on bass guitar plus BLEAK CROWD singer Tommy Suomala.

The band bounced back in January 2005, announcing their reformation with a signature to Spinefarm Records and a new album 'Before The Bleeding Sun', recorded at Tico-Tico Studios in Kemi and at Note-On Studios in Kuopio. Newly included in the line-up would be the TAROT and VIRTUOCITY credited Janne Tolsa on keyboards and guitarist Risto Ruuth from Oulu's SCRYON. Guest studio vocals came courtesy of vocals by Jarmo Kylmanen of SCYRON, Miriam "Sfinx" Renvеg from RAM-ZET,Tony Kakko of SONATA ARCTICA and Marco Hietala of NIGHTWISH and TAROT. Antti Talala took on double duties, joining TO/DIE/FOR in June. ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW finally mixed 'Before The Bleeding Sun' in February 2006, with Mikko Karmila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, setting a May release date. ''Before The Bleeding Sun' entered the national Finnish charts at number 26.

TRACKLIST:

1. Sweet Lilith Of My Dreams
2. Another Me
3. Red Dawn Rising
4. Upon The Moors
5. Sakura No Rei
6. Sinister Rain
7. Lost Rune Of Thunder
8. Tar Still Flows
9. Angelheart, Ravenheart (Act I: Before The Bleeding Sun)

LINE-UP:

Altti Vetelainen (vocals)
Antti Talala (guitar)
Jarmo Puolakanaho (guitar)
Olli Pekka-Torro (guitar/ keyboards)
Pasi Hiltula (keyboards)
Petri Sankala (drums)