*Artist: Catamenia
Genre: Rock
Biography:
Thanks to the pioneering efforts of Amorphis, Impaled Nazarene, and Sentenced, to name but a few, Finland became a surprising hotbed of heavy metal talent during the late `90s, and symphonic black metal act Catamenia certainly ranks among the most consistent -- if not commercially successful -- of these. Formed in 1995 by vocalist Mika Tönning, guitarists Riku Hopeakoski and Sampo Ukkola, bassist Timo Lehtinen, keyboardist Heidi Riihinen, and drummer Toni Tervoand, and hailing from Sentenced`s hometown of Oulu, Catamenia needed only a few well-recorded demos to score a deal with Massacre Records, for which they delivered 1998`s Halls of Frozen North and 1999`s Morning Crimson in quick succession.
Although both of these albums displayed a large inspirational debt to Norwegians Emperor, they were also creative and inspired enough in their own right, and despite recurring obsessions with frigid album titles and blue cover artwork, Catamenia`s sound would grow ever more varied and distinctive with each ensuing release. These included 2000`s excellent Eternal Winter`s Prophecy (which saw Ukkola replaced by new rhythm guitarist Ari Nissilä and the Black League`s Sir Luttinen helping out behind the drum kit) and 2001`s epic masterpiece Eskhata (which borrowed Kalmah drummer Janne Kusmin, and did without departed keyboardist Riihinen). The behind-the-scenes shuffling would continue with the arrival of keyboardist Tero Nevala and drummer Viekko Jumisko prior to the band`s fifth album, 2003`s acclaimed Chaos Born.
Discography: Catamenia Discography
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