My Kantele

Released in 1997, the My Kantele EP serves as a crucial bridge between Amorphis's landmark 'Elegy' album and their further explorations into progressive rock. While the title track is a reimagining of the standout song from 'Elegy,' this version emphasizes the traditional Finnish kantele (a plucked string instrument) and clean vocals, signaling the band's move away from their death metal origins. The EP is notable for its inclusion of diverse covers, such as Hawkwind's 'Levitation' and Kingston Wall's 'And I Hear You Call,' which highlight the band's burgeoning interest in 1970s psychedelia and space rock. This release solidified Pasi Koskinen's role as a versatile vocalist capable of delivering both folk-inflected cleans and psychedelic-tinged rock performances. Critics often point to this EP as the moment Amorphis transcended the 'melodic death metal' label to become a truly unique progressive entity in the European scene.