DigitalMetal has the press release for the new album "Hope" from Finnish doom-metallers Swallow the Sun: http://www.digitalmetal.com/news.asp?cid=7781
It comes out February 7 via Spinefarm and will feature guest appearances from Jonas Renkse (Katatonia) and Tomi Joutsen (Amorphis).

Dark Dose on Finnish doom act Ajattara, the current project of ex-Amorphis vocalist Pasi Koskinen: http://darkdose.com/?p=141

MP3: Amorphis - The brother-slayer

Finland's Amorphis was a very important and formative band for me when I first started to get interested in Scandinavian music. I first heard a song from the "Thousand lakes" album on a Relapse comp and was immediately blown away by the combination of brutal death metal and classic folk melodies. Integrating humppa polka with metal sounds like a perfectly awful idea on paper, but I assure you it works (witness the advent of Finntroll for an even better example, but that's a post for another Friday). Even better, the dark imagery of Finnish epic poem "The Kanteletar" from which the band derives their lyrics fit perfectly in metal. The band's next album "Elegy" in 1996 was a huge turning point for the band as they had just added 'clean' vocalist Pasi Koskinen and started to soften their sound. Of course, many in the death metal community were less that impressed, but I found the balance of old and new to be just right. Subsequent albums found the band going even softer and my attention has drifted elsewhere, but "Elegy" will always remain a highlight of my collection (though I hear their most recent is a return to form, I have yet to listen myself). Todays mp3 however, does not come directly from said album, but instead from the "My kantele" EP which came out soon afterwards. It's on the mellower side, so don't be scared off by my earlier mentions of brutal metal - it's not even close. The Hawkwind and Kingston Wall covers that also appear on the disc should give you a much better idea of where this is at genre-wise.

Amorphis - The brother-slayer

PopMatters reviews the new Amorphis, calling it their best since 1994's "Tales from the 1000 lakes": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/amorphis_eclipse/

Dark Dose posts a classic track from Finland's Amorphis: http://darkdose.com/?p=78

Finland's Amorphis will begin recording a new album in July at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki.

Via Blabbermouth comes word that Amorphis has resigned with Nuclear Blast Records: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=35647

Aversionline reviews the latest Amorphis disc "Far from the sun": http://www.aversionline.com/reviews/2040/

Here's this week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. The Ark - State of the Ark
02. Daniel Lindström - Daniel Lindström
03. Lars Winnerbäck - Vatten under broarna
04. Lasse Stefanz - Röd Chevrolet
05. Lena Philipsson - Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan
06. Anna Ternheim - Somebody Outside
07. Magnus Uggla - Den tatuerade generationen
08. Uno Svenningsson - Ett andetag från dig
09. Arne Domnérus - Best of Dompan
10. Björn Afzelius & Mikael Wiehe - 1993 - Malmöinspelningarna
11. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao!
12. Christian Walz - Paint by Numbers
13. Marie Fredriksson - The Change
14. Totta Näslund - Totta 7: Soul!/På drift
15. Soundtrack of Our Lives - Origin vol. 1
16. Markoolio - Bäst off
17. Melody Club - Face the Music
18. Ulf Lundell - OK Baby OK
19. Blacknuss - Gold
20. Silverbullit - Arclight

PopMatters reviews the latest Amorphis album "Far from the sun": http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/a/amorphis-farfrom.shtml

Finland's Amorphis has announced the addition of new vocalist Tomi Joutsen (Nevergrey), the replacement for outgoing frontman Pasi Koskinen who left the band in August. The band's most recent album "Far From The Sun" was released in the US last September and they will coming over to tour in support this coming March.

Since that Type O Negative tour fell through, Amorphis will be teaming up with Into Eternity and Beyond the Embrace for some new American dates. Here's what's been confirmed so far:

02/24 - Hard Rock Live, Guadalajara (MEX) (Amorphis only)
02/25 - Salon Arena, Morelia (MEX) (Amorphis only)
02/26 - Gran Forum, Mexico City (MEX) (Amorphis only)
02/27 - Cafe Iguana, Monterrey (MEX) (Amorphis only)
03/02 - Mason Jar, Phoenix, AZ
03/03 - Key Club, West Hollywood, CA @
03/04 - Galaxy Theatre, Santa Ana, CA
03/09 - Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO
03/14 - House Of Blues, Cleveland, OH

Vocalist Pasi Koskinen has left Amorphis. His final appearance with the band will be at the Kontu Rock festival on August 21. As for the upcoming US tour with Type O Negative, fellow Finns Charon will lend frontman Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto for the trip. Dates scheduled so far:

10/07 – Toad's Place, New Haven, CT
10/11 - Irving Plaza, New York, NY
10/12 - Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA
10/15 - Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
10/30 - Eagles Club/The Rave/Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI

As for a permanent replacement or an official statement from Pasi, nothing's been announced yet.

Streaming playlist: Old stuff

Finnish folk/metal act Amorphis is reportedly working on a US tour with Type O Negative and has lined up two dates so far, October 7 at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT and October 30 at The Rave in Milwaukee, WI. More details when I get 'em.

Finland's Amorphis will finally release their most recent album "Far From The Sun" in North American sometime later this spring through Nuclear Blast as a special edition with three bonus tracks. The band is also working on a tour in support.