Biography
Amoral is a band established by founders Ben Varon and Juhana Karlsson in Helsinki, Finland in the late 90's. The band's production can be classified as technical, progressive and melodic metal, combined with rock elements. Amoral's sound is heavy riff driven yet still has a melodic power groove. Skillful ensemble and crisp performance has characterized Amoral, which is internationally recognized as one of Finland's foremost bands. The brave and independent development of their music can be heard throughout their four albums.
The development culminated in 2009 on Show Your Colors, the 4th album, where the previous growling vocals were replaced with clean vocals and big choruses. The album was the debut of singer Ari Koivunen and bassist Pekka Johansson. Amoral´s music was earlier characterized by metal media as death metal due to the growling vocals, but now the classification varies from power metal to progressive rock. Show Your Colors received a lot of praise upon its release. The album's first single, "Year of the Suckerpunch" was on the Finnish national radio Ylex´s playlist, with the highest hopes of receiving song of the year for 2009. The album was ranked by public voting as the fifth best domestic metal album at the Finnish Metal Awards 2009. Show Your Colors has also been released in Great Britain, Germany, USA, Canada and Japan.
Now Amoral, the Finnish ambassadors of Classic Rock Of The 21st Century are back with their 5th album ”Beneath”. The album – the band's second with multiplatinum-selling singer Ari Koivunen – continues on the path Amoral started with it's previous album ”Show Your Colors” (2009). The emphasis is still on solid songwriting, big hooks, fresh arrangements and interesting guitar riffs. Though on ”Beneath”, the palette is wider than ever before: From 9-minute epics (”Beneath”) to straight-forward rock anthems (”Silhouette”, ”Same Difference”), to nods to the band's death metal past (”(won't Go) Home”) and unorthodox marriages between acoustic guitars and industrial landscapes (”Wastelands”), the band simply refuses to limit itself in any way.
Equipped with a new guitar player Masi Hukari (who shared the lead guitar duties with founder Ben Varon on the new album, as well as co-wrote two of the songs), the band felt hungrier and more inspired than it had in ages while writing, practicing and recording the new album. That attitude and energy can be heard on ”Beneath”, the band's brightest moment yet.
"Beneath is definitely the most versatile album from Amoral yet. The band has obviously found their own path, and even though the material goes from 80's-style rock to more melodic, even Porcupine Tree -esque vibe, the album still stands as one strong package. Ari's (Koivunen, vocals) voice is in top shape, and the guitar players' Floyd Roses are oiled to the hilt! Recommended!" -Esa Holopainen, Amorphis
The band has played over 200 shows so far, everywhere from Japan to Russia and all over Europe. Beneath album will be out 26th October, followed by touring.
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