The Black League

 Today in 2001 The Black league released the album Utopia A.D.

Helsinki,Finland Gothic Metal,Stoner Metal

Status:Split-up

Years active: 1998-2014

Taneli Jarva's departure from Sentenced after that band's 1995 release Amok was mourned by many fans, and it can be argued that Sentenced hasn't quite been the same since. Five years later, Jarva returned in a new band, The Black League, with a style that is very much a continuation of the Amok style of dark metal, though in places the band stretches out a bit, such as on the excellent "Winter Winds Sing" and "The Everlasting", both of which would sound at home on Tiamat's A Deeper Kind Of Slumber. While Ichor and its followup Utopia A.D. fit solidly in the old Sentenced mold, the band's third album, 2004's Man's Ruin Revisited, was quite a different beast. Could the title be an homage to the now-defunct stoner rock record label Man's Ruin? Maybe not, and it may be just a coincidence, but this album, unlike its predecessors, isn't a dark metal album, but more a spirited, 70's-influenced hard rock album -- i.e. an album that would have fit perfectly on the Man's Ruin roster back in the day. A largely different lineup continued the progression away from their early style, with albums released in 2005 and 2009 before breaking up in 2014.

Spinefarm Records

Taneli Jarva Vocals, Lyrics

Alexi Ranta Guitars

Maike Valanne Guitars

Mikko "Florida" Laurila Bass

Kimmo "Sir" Luttinen Drums

Guest/Session

Mika Pohjola Keyboards (tracks 1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 13)

Nattu Khan Percussion (tracks 1, 6, 7, 12, 13)

1. Transit Gloria Mundi 02:41

2. Empiria 04:58

3. Voice of God 03:23

4. Day One 05:17

5. To Suffer & to Smile 05:02

6. Tedium Vitae 04:03

7. Harbour of Hatred 05:59

8. The Everlasting - Pt. IV 03:31

9. Rex Talionis 02:23

10. Blue Sky Magic 04:47

11. Citizen Cain 03:59

12. α/Ω, the Desert Song 04:01

13. Utopia Anno Zero 09:48

59:52

Front cover design and metallurgy by Susanna Jarva

Graphic design by Janne Peltonen

with art direction by Taneli Jarva

Live band photos by Pekka Ala-Aho

Transit and Utopia photos by Timo Mankinen

Keyboards on tracks 1/4/5/7/12/13 by Mika Pohjola

Percussion on tracks 1/6/7/12/13 by Nattu Khan alias Jarkko Latho

All music by The Leaguesmen, All lyrics by T. Jarva

Produced by Taneli Jarva

Recording information:

Recorded during the dog days of 2001 (June-August)

Drums recorded at TICO TICO, Kemi, with Ahti Kortelainen

Other instruments at SoundMix, Oulu with Mika Pohjola

Mixed in September 2001 at FINNVOX, Helsinki, by Mikko Karmila

and mastered by Mika Jussila