Catamenia

Biography

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Catamenia (1995-present): a Progressive Metal band from Oulu, Finland.

ounded in 1995 Catamenia was started by original members guitarist Riku Hopeakoski and vocalist Mika Tönning in Oulu, Finland and within a year they had recruited the rest of the band to feature Olli Nissinen (guitar), Timo Lehtinen (bass), Toni Tervo (drums), Sampo Ukkola (guitars) and Heidi Riihinen (keyboards). Their debut demo, titled simply Demo '95 would follow later that same year. The second demo, Winds, (1996), followed shortly later and led to a four-album-contract with 'Massacre Records' in 1997, resulting in their first full-length album, Halls of Frozen North (1997), under the revised membership of Sampo Ukkola (guitar) taking over from Nissinen, Timo Lehtinen assuming bass, Toni Tervo taking over drums and Heidi Riihinen added on keyboards.

A year after the release of the full length debut, Halls of Frozen North they recorded their second album, Morning Crimson (1999), an album that followed the Massacre Classix (Shape-CD; 1999). In 2000, their third opus followed in the form of Eternal Winter's Prophecy and another line-up shift with Sir Kimmo Luttinen taking over the drums, while Ari Nissilä took over guitar duties from Ukkola.

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Now it was time to record their last contractual album with 'Massacre' and Eskhata (2002) was the result featuring Janne Kusmin on drums. Both operations subsequently renewed their business relationships and to celebrate, a line-up change ensued with Veikko "Moottorisaha" Jumisko taking on drums, Tero "Vitun Hippi" Nevala also on keyboards and Tero "Vitun Hippi" Nevala assumed the other keyboards spot, while the other members assumed pseudonyms of Riku "K-oz" Hopeakoski (guitar), Ari "WarTechs" Nissilä (guitar) and Timo "Lede" Lehtinen (bass), Tönning was not in the membership as his vocals were not needed; the bulk of the changes occurring during rehearsals. The line-up remained stable (with Tönning returning) for Chaos Born (2003), an album that combined melodies and aggression with balance.

Winternight Tragedies (2005) featuring Mikko "D-Stroy" Hepo-Oja (bass) and O.J. "Topi" Mustonen (vocals (harsh)), Location: Cold (2006) with Toni Kansanoja (bass/vocals (backing)), VIII - The Time Unchained (2008) which was followed by a poorly promoted and aborted Canadian tour called Brothers of Cold and a very amended membership of Toni Kansanoja (bass/vocals (low)), Kari Vähäkuopus (vocals (clean)) and Mikko Nevanlahti (drums), Cavalcade (2010) and the compilation The Rewritten Chapters (2012) followed. The compilation completed because there was no band. All members left amicably, leaving Hopeakoski and Hepo-Oja to recruit Tony Qvick (drums/vocals (clean)), Sauli Jauhiainen (guitars), Juha-Matti Perttunen (vocals (lead)), Jussi Sauvola (keyboards).