Charon (band)
Encyclopedia
Charon was a Finnish
gothic metal
band from Raahe
, Finland
.
act. After releasing three promo albums and two demos, all self-released, the band signed a record deal with Emanzipation Productions. Through Emanzipation, Charon released their first two full-length albums Sorrowburn
and Tearstained
in 1998 and 2000 respectively. After touring with fellow Finlanders Sentenced
, the band parted ways with Emanzipation and signed to Spinefarm Records
.
During the summer of 2001 Charon recorded their third studio album Downhearted
. Prior to the release of the full album, the single Little Angel
, which rose to number 5 on the Finnish singles chart, was released. In early 2002, Downhearted
was released, and it proved to be just as popular as the single. The album rose to the number 3 slot on the Finnish Album Charts while the video for the song "Little Angel" hit #1 on the Nordic Video List.
The summer following the release of Downhearted
the band went on tour in their native Finland, and directly thereafter the band toured through Europe with Nightwish
and After Forever
. Then in April 2003, the band released another single, In Trust of No One
, which made its debut at #1 on the Finnish Singles Chart. Five months later the Religious/Delicious
single was released, followed quickly by the band's fourth studio album The Dying Daylights
. Immediately after the releases the band went on tour in Finland
to support the album.
In November 2003, guitarist Jasse von Hast left the band, citing a lack of interest in playing for the group and boredom with band-related activities as reason for doing so. Lauri Tuohimaa stepped in and officially became the band's new guitarist in January 2004. Charon then went on yet another tour through Finland to support The Dying Daylights
.
After several more tours and the release of the single Colder, the band released its fifth album Songs for the Sinners
on August 31, 2005. Since then the band has toured extensively in Europe and Russia. Concerning further releases, the band stated, during the summer, that they had six new tracks ready to record. Then, that autumn, another update was posted on the bands site stating that they have spent the last few weeks recording five new tracks for a demo and that they are currently negotiating a new record deal.
On June 3, 2011 the band has posted a news release on their website stating that they have decided to disband after summer concerts in their native Finland.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
gothic metal
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
band from Raahe
Raahe
Raahe is a town and municipality of Finland. Founded by Swedish statesman and Governor General of Finland Count Per Brahe the younger in 1649, it is one of 10 historic wooden towns remaining in Finland. Examples of other Finnish historic wooden towns are Kaskinen , Old Rauma, Porvoo , Jakobstad ,...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
Biography
Charon was founded in 1992 by Mario Tepšić, Teemu Hautamäki, Pasi Sipilä, and Jasse Hast and was originally a brutal death metalDeath metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
act. After releasing three promo albums and two demos, all self-released, the band signed a record deal with Emanzipation Productions. Through Emanzipation, Charon released their first two full-length albums Sorrowburn
Sorrowburn
Sorrowburn is the debut album of the Finnish gothic metal band Charon. The style of the album is markedly different from most of Charon's music - the tentative foray into death metal territory evident on Sorrowburn was not to last, and the band soon found their sound naturally transforming into...
and Tearstained
Tearstained
Tearstained is Charon's second studio album.-Track listing:# "Worthless" – 3:35# "Sorrowbringer" – 4:44# "4 Seasons Rush" – 4:05# "Deepest Scar" – 4:29# "Christina Bleeds" – 3:06# "The Drift" – 2:35...
in 1998 and 2000 respectively. After touring with fellow Finlanders Sentenced
Sentenced
Sentenced was a Finnish heavy metal band that played melodic death metal in their early years. The band formed in 1989, in the town of Muhos, Finland, and broke up in 2005.-Early years :...
, the band parted ways with Emanzipation and signed to Spinefarm Records
Spinefarm Records
Spinefarm Records is a Finland-based record label focusing mainly on heavy metal artists. In 1999, a sub-label titled Spikefarm Records was started by Sami Tenetz from Thy Serpent...
.
During the summer of 2001 Charon recorded their third studio album Downhearted
Downhearted (album)
Downhearted is the third studio album by the Finnish gothic metal band Charon.-Track listing:#Bitter Joy - 3:53#At the End of Our Day - 3:19#Craving - 4:27#Little Angel - 3:32#Fall - 3:44#Erase Me - 3:30#Desire You - 3:22#Come Tonight - 3:10...
. Prior to the release of the full album, the single Little Angel
Little Angel (song)
"Little Angel" is the first single from the Finnish gothic metal band Charon, from their album Downhearted. The single rose to number 5 on the Finnish singles chart....
, which rose to number 5 on the Finnish singles chart, was released. In early 2002, Downhearted
Downhearted (album)
Downhearted is the third studio album by the Finnish gothic metal band Charon.-Track listing:#Bitter Joy - 3:53#At the End of Our Day - 3:19#Craving - 4:27#Little Angel - 3:32#Fall - 3:44#Erase Me - 3:30#Desire You - 3:22#Come Tonight - 3:10...
was released, and it proved to be just as popular as the single. The album rose to the number 3 slot on the Finnish Album Charts while the video for the song "Little Angel" hit #1 on the Nordic Video List.
The summer following the release of Downhearted
Downhearted (album)
Downhearted is the third studio album by the Finnish gothic metal band Charon.-Track listing:#Bitter Joy - 3:53#At the End of Our Day - 3:19#Craving - 4:27#Little Angel - 3:32#Fall - 3:44#Erase Me - 3:30#Desire You - 3:22#Come Tonight - 3:10...
the band went on tour in their native Finland, and directly thereafter the band toured through Europe with Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
and After Forever
After Forever
After Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded.-Biography:...
. Then in April 2003, the band released another single, In Trust of No One
In Trust of No One
"In Trust of No One" is a single from the Finnish gothic metal band Charon, from their album The Dying Daylights. The single entered the Finnish charts at number one.- Credits :* Recorded by Juha Matinheikki at BRR Studios in February–March 2003...
, which made its debut at #1 on the Finnish Singles Chart. Five months later the Religious/Delicious
Religious/Delicious
"Religious/Delicious" is a single by the Finnish gothic metal band Charon from their album The Dying Daylights....
single was released, followed quickly by the band's fourth studio album The Dying Daylights
The Dying Daylights
The Dying Daylights is Charon's fourth studio album.-Track listing:# "Failed" - 3:50# "Religious/Delicious" - 3:26# "Death Can Dance" - 3:41# "In Brief War" - 3:49# "Guilt on Skin" - 3:16# "Unbreak, Unchain" - 5:21# "Drive" - 3:36...
. Immediately after the releases the band went on tour in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
to support the album.
In November 2003, guitarist Jasse von Hast left the band, citing a lack of interest in playing for the group and boredom with band-related activities as reason for doing so. Lauri Tuohimaa stepped in and officially became the band's new guitarist in January 2004. Charon then went on yet another tour through Finland to support The Dying Daylights
The Dying Daylights
The Dying Daylights is Charon's fourth studio album.-Track listing:# "Failed" - 3:50# "Religious/Delicious" - 3:26# "Death Can Dance" - 3:41# "In Brief War" - 3:49# "Guilt on Skin" - 3:16# "Unbreak, Unchain" - 5:21# "Drive" - 3:36...
.
After several more tours and the release of the single Colder, the band released its fifth album Songs for the Sinners
Songs for the Sinners
Songs for the Sinners is the fifth and last full-length album by the Finnish gothic metal act Charon.- Track listing :# "Colder" - 4:50# "Deep Water" - 4:15# "Bullet" - 4:11# "Rain" - 3:57# "Air" - 3:31# "She Hates" - 4:21# "Ride on Tears" - 3:38...
on August 31, 2005. Since then the band has toured extensively in Europe and Russia. Concerning further releases, the band stated, during the summer, that they had six new tracks ready to record. Then, that autumn, another update was posted on the bands site stating that they have spent the last few weeks recording five new tracks for a demo and that they are currently negotiating a new record deal.
On June 3, 2011 the band has posted a news release on their website stating that they have decided to disband after summer concerts in their native Finland.
Current members
- Juha-Pekka "JP" Leppäluoto - Vocals, piano
- Lauri TuohimaaLauri TuohimaaLauri Tuohimaa is a musician from Oulu, Finland. He plays guitar in Charon , For My Pain... and Embraze , in which he was also the lead vocalist. Lauri first played in a band called Maple Cross before forming Embraze with drummer Ilkka Leskelä, Petri Hennell and Mikko Aaltonen under the name...
- Guitar - Antti Karihtala - Drums
- Teemu Hautamäki - Bass
Albums
- SorrowburnSorrowburnSorrowburn is the debut album of the Finnish gothic metal band Charon. The style of the album is markedly different from most of Charon's music - the tentative foray into death metal territory evident on Sorrowburn was not to last, and the band soon found their sound naturally transforming into...
(1998) - TearstainedTearstainedTearstained is Charon's second studio album.-Track listing:# "Worthless" – 3:35# "Sorrowbringer" – 4:44# "4 Seasons Rush" – 4:05# "Deepest Scar" – 4:29# "Christina Bleeds" – 3:06# "The Drift" – 2:35...
(2000) - DownheartedDownhearted (album)Downhearted is the third studio album by the Finnish gothic metal band Charon.-Track listing:#Bitter Joy - 3:53#At the End of Our Day - 3:19#Craving - 4:27#Little Angel - 3:32#Fall - 3:44#Erase Me - 3:30#Desire You - 3:22#Come Tonight - 3:10...
(2001) - The Dying DaylightsThe Dying DaylightsThe Dying Daylights is Charon's fourth studio album.-Track listing:# "Failed" - 3:50# "Religious/Delicious" - 3:26# "Death Can Dance" - 3:41# "In Brief War" - 3:49# "Guilt on Skin" - 3:16# "Unbreak, Unchain" - 5:21# "Drive" - 3:36...
(2003) - Songs for the SinnersSongs for the SinnersSongs for the Sinners is the fifth and last full-length album by the Finnish gothic metal act Charon.- Track listing :# "Colder" - 4:50# "Deep Water" - 4:15# "Bullet" - 4:11# "Rain" - 3:57# "Air" - 3:31# "She Hates" - 4:21# "Ride on Tears" - 3:38...
(2005)
Singles
- "Little AngelLittle Angel (song)"Little Angel" is the first single from the Finnish gothic metal band Charon, from their album Downhearted. The single rose to number 5 on the Finnish singles chart....
" (2001) - "In Trust of No OneIn Trust of No One"In Trust of No One" is a single from the Finnish gothic metal band Charon, from their album The Dying Daylights. The single entered the Finnish charts at number one.- Credits :* Recorded by Juha Matinheikki at BRR Studios in February–March 2003...
" (2003) - "Religious/DeliciousReligious/Delicious"Religious/Delicious" is a single by the Finnish gothic metal band Charon from their album The Dying Daylights....
" (2003) - "Ride on TearsRide on Tears"Ride on Tears" is a single by the Finnish gothic metal band Charon from their album Songs for the Sinners.- Credits :* Produced by Mikko Karmila* Recorded and mixed by Mikko Karmila at Finnvox Studios and Studio 303, Helsinki in February-March 2005...
" (2005) - "Colder" (2005)
Official videos
- "November's Eve"
- "Little AngelLittle Angel (song)"Little Angel" is the first single from the Finnish gothic metal band Charon, from their album Downhearted. The single rose to number 5 on the Finnish singles chart....
" - "Colder"
- "Ride on TearsRide on Tears"Ride on Tears" is a single by the Finnish gothic metal band Charon from their album Songs for the Sinners.- Credits :* Produced by Mikko Karmila* Recorded and mixed by Mikko Karmila at Finnvox Studios and Studio 303, Helsinki in February-March 2005...
"