POISONBLACK - FINLAND

Escapexstacy – 2003 – Century Media
Lust Stained Despair – 2006 - Century Media
A Dead Heavy Day – 2008 – Century Media
Of Rust And Bones – 2010 - Century Media
Drive – 2011 - Hype
Lyijy – 2013- Warner

Poisonblack image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Charon>>J.P. Leppaluoto>>Charon, Northern Kings, Raskasta Joulua, Harmaja, Dark Sarah – Sentenced>>VILLE LAIHIALA>>Sentenced, S-Tool

Guitar
VILLE LAIHIALA>>S-Tool – Dead City Babies, Breed, Audacity, Human-X>>Janne Dahlgren>>Human-X, Fiasco General – Sacred Crucifix, The Man-Eating Tree>>Janne Markus>>Sacred Crucifix, The Mean-Eating Tree

Bass
Janne Kukkonen – Mythos, Audacity, Damage S.F.P.>>ANTTI REMES>>Audacity, Damage S.F.P.

Drum
Solution 13, Sentenced>>TARMO KANERVA>>Solution 13, Afire

Keyboard
Afterworld, Mental Voice, Kalmah, Stargazery, Nothnegal>>MARCO SNECK>>Afterworld, Mental Voice, Kalmah, Stargazery, Nothnegal, The Man-Eating Tree, Solo




History & Biography
Poisonblack was the side-project of Sentenced’s Ville Laihala, which would have made sense if side-projects ever made sense and if one band took a different tack than the other. Poisonblack was announced in late 1999, by which time Sentenced itself had abandoned underground extreme metal and gone soft and doomy. Poisonblack mixed goth with metal, which is very Finnish (all little boys and girls learn piano and cello at school in Finland). Ville and Tarmo were childhood friends. The band’s monicker stemmed from an unfinished track.

The band was founded as a secondary act in 2000 and became the primary band as Sentenced threw in the towel in 2005. In the meantime, Sentenced’s label Century Media had issued the band’s debut in 2003. Artwork was done by Sentenced’s Vesa Ranta. It entered the Finnish charts and the band opened for Iron Maiden in Finland. J.P. had joined in 2001 and left in 2003. Ville took over the vocals, which was his position in Sentenced. Lust Stained Despair was preceded in Finland by Rush, no not the band; the single. The band opened for Lacuna Coil in Europe. This album landed in the Finnish charts as well. Where Death Is Most Alove Tour 2008 was also a CD featuring the band, Fear My Thoughts and Dark Tranquillity. Drive was recorded at Antfarm Studio in Finland and issued by something called Hype Productions. The band was booked for the Sonisphere Finland 2011 and Bloodstock festivals, as well as a Brazilian concert. Lyijy was issued by Warner Music in Finland and was the act’s swan song.


Reviews

POISONBLACK - LUST STAINED DESPAIR - CENTURY MEDIA  
The second release by, the ex-Sentenced vocalist led, Poisonblack starts with a European-tinged Metallica wannabe Nothing Else Remains. The quintet is probably really keen to rip off Enter Sandman with even Ville Laihiala sounding like James Hetfield. Hollow Be My Name takes the melancholic In Flames, Evergrey sound and adds some Sentenced to it. The Darkest Lie is too much like the '80s European pop rock sounds of U2 and is mixed with some Type O Negative in its darker moments. Any metal sections are at best reminiscent of Insomnium. Rush starts with a slightly more promising heavier riff with shades of In Flames again. Nail features what sounds suspiciously too close to the classic Phantasm movie music, unfortunately though, no sign of the Tall Man here. Raivotar and Soul In Flames are in much the same Swedish/Finnish almost metal mould. Pain Becomes Me is a dark ballad, which is not catchy enough to really affect the listener. Never Enough, Love Controlled Despair and The Living Dead don’t present any surprises or outstanding moments either and the stain remains on the band for this below average release. - Anna Tergel


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