Albums in this post:
Shadows of the past - 1991
North from here - 1993
Amok - 1995
Down - 1996
Frozen - 1998
Crimson - 2000
The cold white light - 2002
The-funeral-album-2005

Sentenced's predecessor Deformity got started back in 1988, but in 1989, as the band's line-up changed, the name also changed to Sentenced. The original line-up consisted of Miika Tenkula (lead guitar & vocals), Sami Lopakka (guitar), Vesa Ranta (drums) and Lari Kylmänen (bass). They recorded two demo tapes: When Death Joins Us... in 1990 and Rotting Ways To Misery in 1991. The band actually got their very first record deal (with the infamous French label Thrash Records) already with their first demo.

In 1991 bassist Taneli Jarva joined the band, replacing Kylmänen just as the band was about to record their debut album Shadows Of The Past. At that time, their musical style was fast and pure European death metal. In springtime 1992 they recorded a new three-song promotional tape Journey To Pohjola to flirt around labels. As a result, they got themselves a deal with the Finnish Spinefarm Records, which was just starting its career, a fledgling company.

The sophomore album North From Here (and later during the ongoing year, The Trooper EP) saw the light of the day in spring 1993. The new tracks showed (or shoved) the world a totally renewed Sentenced. Technically adept and aggressive as hell, a straight-to-your-face burst of northern hatred would probably be the best way to describe it. The boys' playing skills had taken a huge step upwards and this time they really had their own thing going on. It was North From Here that earned the band the undivided attention of a German record label Century Media Records, and in 1994 Sentenced abandoned Spinefarm in order to head towards a wider market with a new multi-album contract under Century Media's wing.

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