SINISTHRA has been in existence for a good five years by now, formerly operating under the name NEVERGREEN. The band comes from Helsinki Finland. Their brand of music is basically metal, drawing from a wide source of different influences and blending them to a sound that can't really be compared to any one single band.
An apt description would be metal with all the most common metal clichés removed. The members have a long history of playing in various Finnish metal bands, starting from Protected Illusion who caused quite a stir in the thrash metal circuit in the early 90's, and most recently with Amorphis. Their musical past is not forgotten but it's not heavily present in their sound, either.
The name SINISTHRA derives from the italian word sinistra, meaning "the left side" and representing the allegory of creativity, femininity, individuality and general free thinking pathways of the Left Hand, without the hollow "satanic" or any other religious connotations. The lyrics steer clear of the most commonly used themes and phrases and focus heavily on more personal and intimate subjects.
SINISTHRA is all about contrasts, frail yet crushing, sad yet content, silent but roaring. Melancholy without utter despair. Darkness tinged with light. The only dogma is never to acknowledge musical boundaries, and never to use the words "love" and "death" in the lyrics..
With the 2005 release of their first full lenght album "Last Of The Stories Of Long Past Glories" on Arise records SINISTHRA moved further on along the road they've chosen and welcomed the option to finally bring their music to larger audiences. The road has been long and winding but this is only the beginning.
Currently the band is working on demos for new songs at an leisurely pace and the first results are now uploaded here. Deadlines are something not very applicable to Sinisthra so let's just say that things move on when the time is ripe for them to move on. Naturally Mr. Joutsen continues to be very busy with Amorphis but even without that involvement the way of Sinisthra would be to move slow and give the music time to find its' shape.
Random quotes from reviews of the first album:
Sinisthra will be of specific interest to those who are looking for a nice blend of dark ambience and thunderous progressive metal… Listen for Sinisthra's name to be popping up a great deal amongst metal circles in the approaching year. (http://www.thegauntlet.com) …very sophisticated melodic amalgamation that is sometimes dreamy, and often downright jaw-droppingly beautiful. The music and arrangements certainly stretch the boundaries of traditional "metal." Sinisthra are original, agile, and memorable. They successfully put a contemporary spin on symphonic structure. (http://www.maelstrom.nu)
"Last of the Stories of Long Past Glories" is a surprising debut for this young Finnish band. Their sound is split between slow, gentle, accoustic songs, and slow, yet powerful and dynamic tracks…Some constants on this release are that it is richly atmospheric, well-produced, well-arranged, and fully conceptualized….the emotion and passion of the music won me over instantly. (http://www.enslain.net)
Few bands blend hard and heavy with softer moments as dynamically and organically as Sinisthra does, moving from powerful riffage to gorgeous, lighter melodic passages seemingly effortlessly, seldom predictably... Pathos and complexity distinguish Sinisthra's emotional content, and are conveyed through varied musical tones, brilliant lyrics, and an amazing singer….rich, lush textures, strong emotional qualities, potent blendings of beauty and power, heaviness and sophistication-- major sources of Sinisthra's appeal. (http://www.tartareandesire.com)
The very original voice of Joutsen brings the music a depth that many bands are missing today… buy the album, I assure you that it's worth it, Sinisthra has made a great first album and I really think this band can go really far, and I hope they will, because I want more of their music. (http://www.metalstorm.ee)
For a debut this is actually a fine release and there's not a great deal that could be improved about it… this is pretty faultless in its own right and I like it more with every listen. (http://www.power-metal.co.uk)
Sinisthra, a Finnish band that really delivers a well crafted gem with the year's longest album title "Last Of The Stories Of Long Past Glories", the group's debut… takes a completely different path, one that is clever and intelligent… If you are looking for a release that immediately grabs you then Sinisthra probably isn't going to be the one for you. However if you like an album to slowly engulf you, slowly but surely becoming a favorite, then this album comes highly recommended by me. The more I listen to "Last Of The Stories Of Long Past Glories" the more I like it. (http://www.maximummetal.com)
There's a sweetness inside that anger.. Sinisthra have made a fine solid album, a good step and they make us think about their next "strike" with nothing but a huge smile. Welcome! (http://www.rockpages.gr)
..the band holds some great tracks, which will do well on the German market. Don't ask me why, but this kind of music is huge in Germany…If you're about to buy this record, beware! This disc will grow on you and before you know it you'll be playing it over and over and over again. Don't say I didn't warn you! (http://www.lordsofmetal.nl)
It’s hard to write a review of an album that just comes out perfect. There is so much you want to write about it, but yet, you want to remain silent, so that the one who haven’t heard the album can get his or hers own vision about it.. There is nothing more I can say, but go buy this masterpiece. I promise, you won’t get disappointed.
(http://www.soundofmetal.se)