Sentenced was a Finnish

gothic metal Gothic metal (or goth metal) is a fusion genre combining the aggression of heavy metal music, heavy metal with the dark atmospheres of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different ...

band that played

melodic death metal Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...

in their early years. The band formed in 1989 in the town of

Muhos Muhos is a municipalities of Finland, municipality of northern Finland. It is located in the provinces of Finland, province of Oulu (province), Oulu half an hour's drive (35 km) on route 22 from the city of Oulu, the capital of Northern Finla ...

and broke up in 2005. Lead guitarist

Miika Tenkula Miika Tenkula (6 March 1974 – 18 February 2009)Taneli Jarva for the next two albums, ''

North from Here ''North from Here'' is the second album by the Finnish metal band Sentenced. Lyrics of the album deal with Sentenced's typical melancholy, but some also deal with the mythology and history of Finnish warfare and the national romantic epic of '' ...

'' and ''Amok'', until his departure in 1995. Under new lead vocalist Ville Laihiala, Sentenced shifted from melodic death metal to gothic metal and enjoyed a run of commercial success in Finland, including three consecutive number-one albums. The band announced in 2005 that their eighth album '' The Funeral Album'' would be their last. The single "Ever-Frost" spent six weeks at number one in Finland and Sentenced's final show took place on 1 October in their hometown

Oulu Oulu ( , ; ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of North Ostrobothnia. It is located on the northwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Oulujoki, River Oulu. The population of Oulu is approximately , while the Oulu sub-regio ...

. Tenkula died of a heart attack in 2009.

History

Early years (1988–1991)

Sentenced started in 1988 as Deformity and changed their name to Sentenced in 1989, after a few line-up changes. The original line-up consisted of

Miika Tenkula Miika Tenkula (6 March 1974 – 18 February 2009)Sami Lopakka (guitar), Vesa Ranta (drums), and Lari Kylmänen (bass). They recorded two demo tapes: ''When Death Joins Us...'' in 1990 and ''Rotting Ways to Misery'' in 1991. The band actually got their very first record deal (with the French label Thrash Records) after their first demo.

''Shadows of the Past'' (1991–1993)

In 1991, bassist Taneli Jarva joined the band, replacing Kylmänen just as the band was about to record their debut album, '' Shadows of the Past''. At that time, their musical style was fast, typical European

death metal Death metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep death growl, growling vocals; aggressive ...

. In Spring 1992, they recorded a three-song promotional tape, ''Journey to Pohjola'', and as a result got a deal with the Finnish

Spinefarm Records Spinefarm Records is an international record label. Founded in Finland in 1990, Spinefarm was acquired by Universal Music Group in 2002. History Spinefarm Records began as a mailorder distribution company, founded by Riku Pääkkönen. The c ...

. By the year of 1992 had done over 50 live shows and sold all 1500 copies of their debut album ''Shadows of the Past'', their earlier 2 demos and a lot of merchandise.

''North from Here'' (1993–1994)

The second album, ''

'', was released in the spring of 1993, and later that year '' The Trooper EP''. Jarva had assumed lead vocal duties using a different style than Tenkula's. It was ''North From Here'' that earned the band the attention of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

record label

Century Media Records Century Media Records is a German heavy metal record label with offices in Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million. Background Century Media was founded by R ...

, and in 1994 Sentenced left Spinefarm in order to head toward a wider market with a new multi-album contract under Century Media.

''Amok'' (1994–1996)

In 1995, Sentenced released their 'break through' album, '' Amok'', which is considered by many to be their best work. Compared to earlier releases, the music had slowed down somewhat, acquiring a more melodic structure. The track "Nepenthe" was complemented with a music video and the band took to tour Europe in two full-length tours supporting

Samael Samael (; , ''Sammāʾēl'', "Venom of God"; , ''Samsama'il'' or , ''Samail''; alternatively Smal, Smil, Samil, or Samiel) is an archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic tradition; a figure who is the accuser or adversary (Satan#Judaism, Satan ...

and

Tiamat In Mesopotamian religion, Tiamat ( or , ) is the primordial sea, mating with Abzû (Apsu), the groundwater, to produce the gods in the Babylonian epic '' Enûma Elish'', which translates as "when on high". She is referred to as a woman, an ...

. In autumn, the band released the '' Love & Death'' CD. Music-wise, it kept a fairly similar concept as ''Amok'', as the songs had been written around the same time. Sentenced had achieved success in

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death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

markets, but Jarva left the band because of musical differences.

''Down'' (1996–1998)

After Jarva's departure, Ville Laihiala (of Breed fame) joined the band in 1996, just weeks before the band was due to head to Germany to record their fourth album '' Down'' with producer

Waldemar Sorychta Waldemar Sorychta (born 30 October 1967) is a Polish heavy metal record producer and musician who has lived in Germany since 1982. Career He initially worked with German thrash metal band Despair, founded in 1986. In 1994 he took part in the ...

. Once again, the music became more melodic with a significant

NWOBHM The new wave of British heavy metal (often abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a nationwide musical movement that began in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Editor Alan Lewis coined the term for an arti ...

influence. During this time, bassist Sami Kukkohovi also joined the band, but only as a session member on gigs. Later, in spring 1997 he was granted a permanent slot in the line-up. The "Down" album gained great reviews in music-magazines all over the world, and was named Album of the month in German magazines such as Rock Hard and Metal Hammer. 1996 and the following year, saw Sentenced on a worldwide success crusade.

''Frozen'' (1998–2000)

Sentenced's fifth full-length album, '' Frozen'', was also recorded at the Woodhouse Studios, and released in 1998, its style is similar to '' Down''. Laihiala and Kukkohovi had become initiated into the band, so they participated in the composition process, resulting in the next album: '' Frozen''. In 1999, a special edition of ''Frozen'' was released, containing a re-colored (gold) cover and rearranged track running order, with four

cover songs In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song released ...

included.

''Crimson'' (2000–2002)

The next Sentenced album to be released was ''

Crimson Crimson is a rich, deep red color, inclining to purple. It originally meant the color of the kermes dye produced from a scale insect, '' Kermes vermilio'', but the name is now sometimes also used as a generic term for slightly bluish-red col ...

'' in 2000. The single "Killing Me, Killing You" demonstrated the band's turn away from melodic death metal. The album was followed by an extensive tour. That was the first time the band visited USA. The album peaked in 1st place on the Finnish album chart.

''The Cold White Light'' (2002–2004)

Two years after the release of '' The Cold White Light'', the band was seen in a slightly different light, the lyrics displaying some

self-irony Irony, in its broadest sense, is the juxtaposition of what, on the surface, appears to be the case with what is actually or expected to be the case. Originally a rhetorical device and literary technique, in modernity, modern times irony has a ...

and even a rare positive edge. They released the single "No One There" which peaked The Finnish Charts at Number 1 following that with an extensive US tour alongside

Killswitch Engage Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D'Antonio, and drummer Justin ...

Dark Tranquillity Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are considered one of the pioneering acts of the Swedish death metal, Gothenburg metal scene, which also includes bands such as In Flames and At the Gates - regarded a ...

and

In Flames In Flames is a Swedish Heavy metal music, heavy metal band, formed by guitarist Jesper Strömblad in Gothenburg in 1990 out of the Swedish death metal, Swedish death metal scene. Their lineup has changed several times, with vocalist Anders Frid ...

. The album peaked 45th place in the German album chart. The single "No One There" was on the 1st place as well in the Finnish single chart. The band went on a European Tour with

Lacuna Coil Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Since their formation in 1994, the group has had two name changes, being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal, and they have recorded ten studio albums, two extended plays, two l ...

. After '' The Cold White Light'', they released a CD single in 2003 along with songs by other bands on a four track compilation single that was dedicated to Oulun Kärpät, the

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

team of the band's hometown, Routasydän (translates to "Heart of Permafrost") remains the only song Sentenced sang in Finnish, and cannot be found elsewhere. The song caused something of a stir in Finland, as several politicians reviewed the lyrics and purported them to contain

Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

overtones, which the band has steadfastly refuted.

''The Funeral Album'' and final gigs (2005)

In early 2005 the band announced that their following release, '' The Funeral Album'', would be their last. They performed farewell gigs during the spring and summer and ended with a final show on 1 October 2005 in their hometown

. The concert film ''Buried Alive'', directed by Mika Ronkainen, filmed at the funeral gig, was premiered at Oulu Music Video Festival on 9 September 2006. In 2005 ''The Funeral Album'' was awarded gold status in Finland for sales in excess of 15,000 copies, footage of the event is filmed in the ''Buried Alive'' DVD! The CD topped the Finnish album chart upon its release in May 2005 and made it to position No. 49 on the German Media Control chart. "Ever-Frost" single went straight to 1st position on Official Finnish Single Chart staying there for 6 straight weeks.

Aftermath (2006–present)

Sentenced have been awarded Platinum in the band's native Finland for their posthumous live DVD ''Buried Alive''. The trophy was handed out to the band's former members at the Century Media 20th anniversary party at the Tavastia club in

Helsinki Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...

on 14 August 2008, where Poisonblack and labelmates Norther and Kivimetsän Druidi played exclusive gigs to properly celebrate this special event. All hope for the band to return was gone when guitarist and founding member Miika Tenkula died on 19 February 2009. On 26 June 2009 it was announced by his family that Miika died from a heart attack caused by a genetic heart condition that he had for many years previous to the break-up. He is buried in the Kirkkosaari cemetery in his hometown Muhos. On 13 November 2009, Sentenced released a box set of 16 CDs and 2 DVDs chronicling their entire career in a coffin-shaped box. The box-set also included rare and previously unreleased tracks. In 2011 a tribute CD was released by a couple of Russian bands. The CD is called "Russian Tribute To Sentenced". On 12 December 2014, a book written by Matti Riekki, a Finnish rock journalist, about the band's history was released. It is named "Täältä Pohjoiseen - Sentencedin Tarina". After years of being available in Finnish only, an English translation was released in 2021. The title translates to "North from Here – The Story of Sentenced." Vesa Ranta released a photo book ''Agony Walk – On the Road with Sentenced'' in September 2019. Sami Lopakka released his first novel ''Marras'' in January 2014. The novel is about a fictional Oulu-based metal band's European tour and has elements inspired by his experiences when previously touring with Sentenced.

Members

Final lineup *

Miika Tenkula Miika Tenkula (6 March 1974 – 18 February 2009)Sami Lopakka – rhythm guitar (1989–2005) * Vesa Ranta – drums (1989–2005) * Ville Laihiala – vocals (1996–2005) * Sami Kukkohovi – bass (1997–2005) Prior members * Lari Kylmänen – bass (1989–1991) * Taneli Jarva – bass (1991–1995), vocals (1992–1995) Tour members * Niko Karppinen – bass (1995–1996) * Tarmo Kanerva – drums (1999)

Timeline

Discography

* '' Shadows of the Past'' (1991) * ''

'' (1993) * '' Amok'' (1995) * '' Down'' (1996) * '' Frozen'' (1998) * ''

'' (2000) * '' The Cold White Light'' (2002) * '' The Funeral Album'' (2005)

References

External links

Century Media - official website
* * {{Authority control Finnish gothic metal musical groups Finnish heavy metal musical groups Finnish melodic death metal musical groups Musical groups disestablished in 2005 Musical groups established in 1989