SENTENCED ARE:
Ville Laihiala - vocals
Sami Lopakka - guitar
Milka Tenkula - guitar
 Vesa Ranta - drums
Sami Kukkovi - bass

There comes a time when certain bands are deemed legendary, when their dues have been paid and their appeal and influence on others seems overwhelming. Sentenced are indeed legendary. Formed in 1989 by Milka Tenkula, Sami Lopakka and Vesa Ranta, Sentenced began playing a brutal style of European death metal long before the genre became popular. After recording their first demo in 1990, new vocalist and bass player Taneli Jarva joined and helped the band develop a more song-oriented approach. As a result, the band was signed to a small French label who released their debut album, Shadows Of The Past, in 1991. The band recorded their second album North From Here for the Finnish label Spinefarm in late '92, followed by The Trooper EP (which of course contained a cover version of the Iron Maiden classic later the same year). At the time of the EP's release, Century Media Records got into contact with the band and signed them to a world-wide contract, including the re-release of the band's first two albums. Sentenced's 1994 Century Media debut, Amok, was the band's breakthrough album with more than 35,000 copies sold world-wide. Simultaneously, some of their older fans were disappointed with the group's melodic direction, although it was nearly impossible not to appreciate the advancement of their craft. Amok was followed by the 1995 EP, Love & Death, which featured four new tracks and the band's second cover song, Billy Idol's "White Wedding". In the same year Sentenced completed two high-profile European tours with labelmates Tiamat and Samael respectfully, which underscored their reputation as an excellent live band able to match the intensity and power of their recorded material on stage. After learning that frontman Jarva could no longer meet the expectations and demands of their increasing success, Ville Laihiala was hired, and it quickly became clear that his varied delivery would add a more dramatic element to the band's music. After bassist Sami Kukkovi was added, Sentenced began writing and recording their next album. Down was named Album of the Month in several successful magazines (such as Germany's Rock Hard and Metal Hammer) upon its release in 1996, and the band once again set out to tour extensively with acts such as The Gathering, My Dying Bride and Therion, as well as a Finnish headlining tour. In 1997 Sentenced played the Dynamo festival in front of more than 16,000 people, which was not only very successful, but also one of the fulfilling moments of their careers. Small tours in North America and Japan followed their Dynamo appearance, and soon it was time to gather some of the band's more outstanding material for the compilation album, (Story) Greatest Kills, which was released late in the year. In May of 1998 Sentenced again entered Germany's famous Woodhouse Studios to compose their latest work of art, Frozen, with Waldemar Sorychta as producer. This time Sentenced used an array of emotions as well as several different kinds of guitars and amps, resulting in an album that sees the band at their peak. Even more melodic than it's predecessor, Frozen is equipped with a wider variety of song styles, as Sentenced also worked hard to capture the agony and sorrow felt in the writing of each of the songs. Lyrically, Frozen takes the listener through worlds of loss, suicidal depression and general negativity, subjects which only experience can portray. Sentenced once again find themselves advancing beyond the mediocrity of the metal scene's competition, while continuing to show what it means to be progressing musicians and songwriters.