There aren’t many booking agents in Helsinki with a sixth sense for reviving old favorites, but Sami Silvennoinen of Nahka Agency definitely has the gift. Not only did he resurrect KIUAS, this time he’s gone full necromancer and summoned Finnish technical death metal legends AMORAL from the afterlife. The occasion was the 20th anniversary of their album “Decrowning.” On August 2nd, 2025, they took over Tavastia in Helsinki, joined by support acts VERENIAN and SHADE EMPIRE.
Now, full disclosure: I moved to Finland in 2013, and AMORAL never really made it onto my playlist—unless you count that one song, “Wrapped In Barbwire,” featuring Ari Koivunen, which I later learned sounds absolutely nothing like their earlier stuff. Still, I went in with an open mind and walked out completely blown away.
It’s always a bit strange jumping into someone else’s nostalgia ride. I’ve felt it before at KIUAS shows—people belting out lyrics from the depths of their souls, eyes glistening, possibly from tears, possibly from beer. AMORAL‘s gig hit the same note. Even though this wasn’t part of my musical coming-of-age, it was genuinely fun to be swept up in the vibe.
The crowd was surprisingly rowdy for a Finnish audience. Mosh pits formed, elbows flew, and I got showered in more than one mystery drink. In fact, at the end of the evening I reeked of beer, lonkero, and sweat. I didn’t recognize any of the songs, but the album itself was a blast, and the band nailed it from start to finish. Fans were ecstatic, and after playing “Decrowning” in full, they threw in a couple of bangers for good measure—including a sneaky little CHILDREN OF BODOM tribute that got a massive cheer. Check our photo gallery of the evening here…
Verenian
Shade Empire
Amoral
Photos by Laureline Tilkin
