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Fall Of The Leafe - Biography


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1996-2007

Biography

Fall of the Leafe was established in 1996 in the small town of Uusikaupunki, where people mostly manufacture cars. The demo Storm of the Autumnfall was a hit release among tape traders and led to a recording deal with the small independent label Defiled Records. The band's debut album Evanescent, Everfading was recorded at Tico-Tico Studios with Mr. Ahti Kortelainen in charge. Perhaps aided the success of the first demo, or the general popularity of melodic death at the time, the album's first and only edition sold out very quickly. Which fact did little to help Defiled Records from bankruptcy.
In 1999, Fall of the Leafe signed to the Argentinian label Icarus Music, and recorded the album August Wernicke shortly thereafter. The album delivers complex and oppressive melodic death metal, and introduced two new members - the vocalist Tuomas Tuominen and keyboard player Petri Hannuniemi. Also, the guitar player Mika Rostedt appeared as a replacement for Kaj Gustafsson.
Ending the band's time with Icarus Music, came the release of Fermina in the early days of 2002. Atmospheric and deep as ever, the album was however a significant change for the band. It was performed by a fragile group that had recently undergone major line-up changes - the most notable of which the re-introduction of Kaj Gustafsson on the guitars. Aggressive death metal vocals were mostly gone, and along with a different vocal approach the general sound of the band took a dramatic change for something entirely different.

With three releases in North and South America, Fall of the Leafe had built an underground following on the other side of Atlantic, but remained deep below radar in Europe. The band played live scarcely and its records, apart from a small German edition of Fermina, trickled in as rare imports. This challenge in mind, the band's signing into the roster of the British independent metal specialist Rage of Achilles Records was a significant new development. Aside this homecoming to Europe, Fall of the Leafe had undergone major changes in its rhythm department. Matias Aaltonen replaced Marko Hyytiä on the drums, and bass player Juha Kouhi left the band. Fall of the Leafe entered Mika Haapasalo's Popstudio in the fall of 2003 to begin recording their fourth album titled Volvere. The album was clearly the band's most mature work to date. It featured Fall of the Leafe's trademark songwriting and weaved together a thick texture of atmospheric metal and shameless groove.

In addition to Volvere, the year 2004 saw other significant events. Most importantly, the band inked a recording deal with the Finnish record company Firebox Records. Furthermore, the band appeared on stage for the first time in few years and played some dozen club gigs in Finland, culminating in a special acoustic evening for a limited audience. During 2004 Fall of the Leafe followed the example of most of its line-up and moved most of its practical functions to the city of Turku. Also, bass player Miska Lehtivuori was enrolled in the group.
Year 2005 saw Fall of the Leafe recording material for the Vantage album, released at year's end through Firebox Records. Even more down-to-earth than it's predecessor, Vantage is an important milestone for Fall of the Leafe. It is a solid album that breathes a live sound and comes with the band's standard atmospheric texture.

(Source: http://www.firebox.fi/records/bands_fotl.html)

(From Blabbermouth.net)
In 2007 the band broke up. The group's singer Tuomas Tuominen has issued the following statement on the matter:

"It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce that after our last remaining shows in September, FALL OF THE LEAFE is no more.

"The reasons that led to this this decision are many and the biggest one I cannot put my finger on. I think we were lead and ultimately forced into this decision by each other, by the same very different tastes and likings that made our music so special, by our private lives and perhaps finally by our own faults as people.

"For me, it has been a ten year experience and adventure with my friends and all of you who have shared FALL OF THE LEAFE with us. For that I thank you all. Thank you Jussi, Kaj, Matias, Petri, Miska ? it's been a blast."