YEAR 1997...

Iisalmi based guitarists Heikki Matero and Esa-Mikko Lappalainen start jamming together. Heikki is strongly influenced by Metallica and Kirk Hammet whereas Esa-Mikko has played more hard rock oriented music like Guns ’n Roses and Slash’s Snakepit. Their different approaches start to sound very unique together from the very beginning and they start expanding each others musical horizons from the day one. Soon they hook up with drummer Otto Aminoff and foundation of a new band is settled. Esmi’s brother J-P is brought on bass duties and line-up is later completed with vocalist Juha Härkin.

This line up plays it’s first years only cover songs from such bands as Metallica, Iron Maiden, Guns ‘n Roses, Ac/Dc, The Offspring, Pantera and Hurriganes (!).

Band starts to call theirselves Farewell.

YEAR 1999...

When new millenium approaches Farewell begins thinking of writing music of their own. A first Farewell song is written, but at the same time band decides to separate ways with vocalist Härkin. New singer Markus Makkonen is brought in. The song number one gets a title “Path Of Thorns”.  At the same year band writes two more songs still, titled “Road Under Feet” and “Hermit Song”. All of them get surprisingly enthusiastic response from local band scene and each of them will remain in Farewell live set for years to come.

YEAR 2000...

Inspired by the positive feedback of their songs Farewell-camp feels that a demo tape is needed. A new song called “Until The Bitter End” is written and in may band begins demo recordings in their rehearsal space. Demo tape is recorded “live” to maintain the atmosphere of a live situation. “Community of the Wicked” is completed within a weekend. After the demo tape is done, Farewell begins to play increasingly live and a reputation as a band of energetic live performers is earned in local band scene.

YEAR 2002...

After some new songs added in their roster Farewell decides to record their first full album. “Cure For Sympathy”, “Sold”, “Cold Autumn Ride” and “Son Of Mourning Star” are recorded alongside new versions of “Communitys” songs. Album is recorded and mixed in four weekends and is finally titled “Cold Autumn Ride”. During the recording process Otto announces that he’ll be leaving Farewell after the album is done. Farewell plays last show with him in august at the album’s release show.

New drummer is desperately needed. After some consideration former band mate of Markus and Fall Of Man drummer, Toni Balk, gets the post.

YEAR 2003...

Year 2003 is spent rehearsing with Toni and writing new material. New Farewell plays a bunch of gigs and is obvious to everyone that Toni fits in perfectly. Three songs “On One Card, “Deeper Down” and “Grey Days Gone By” are written.

YEAR 2004...

Farewell records a promotional single called “On One Card” consisting of the new songs done in previous year. At the same time three new songs “Down With The Damned, “From Alpha to Omega” and “Here Comes The Fear” are completed. New Farewell is beginning to sound more and more heavy. New songs are recorded later in the same year for a new promotional single, titled “Down With The Damned”. Both singles were recorded within a weekend with british producer Richard Stockdale.

New energy of Farwell is noticed and they finally get to play abroad. A three-date Irish tour in november is organised with local metalheads Madra. Farewell and Madra play in Derry, Dublin and Belfast and the Derry show is totally packed.  The Irish tour turns out to be an awesome experience, both bands enjoy their selves and aftershow parties will be remembered as notorius.

YEAR 2005...

To return the favour, Farewell tours with Madra again, this time in Finland. Three dates in Kuopio, Iisalmi and Kajaani are played. When the tour, titled as “Old Painless”, is completed it’s time to start looking forward in Farewell’s career. Two tours with Irish trash maestros inspires Farewell to explore even further in the world of heavy riffing. Three new songs “All Is Lost”, “One Day” and “Ever-Misery” are written. Each of them expanding Farewell’s sound to new extent. It’s time to record again!

YEAR 2006...

In february band starts to work with their forthcoming album which will include songs from two singles, all re-recorded and those three new ones. Album is mixed, produced, engineered, edited and mastered by Toni and Markus. Album artwork is provided once again by mr. Sami Kaarakainen, who has worked with Farewell since “Community..”. New album is titled as “Do You Think You Know Me”. Title represents the tremendeous change of recent years in Farewells sound. “D.Y.T.Y.K.M.” will surprise many of groups old fans with it’s heavier approach.

YEAR 2007...

With new album in their sleeves, Farewell started their tenth year in music by returning to live scene after a year spent in studio. Several shows were played, most important one being the 10-year aniversary show in Iisalmi. It was a special and memorable night to all who attended, not least to Farewell theirselves. Farewell's first promotional video for song Ever-Misery was released also. It was the closest thing Fwell's ever gotten to a "hit"! End of the year was spent writing new generation of music for Farewell's decade number two.

YEAR 2008...

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Farewell opened a brand new chapter in their career in 2008. After ten years spent composing, decomposing, gigging, recording and spreading Uncontrolled Farewell Reaction (c.), Farewell dropped some jaws that year. New songs had definitely taken a big step since "Do you think you know me" and band was set to explode! Studio works started in early summer/late spring, with a producer Samu Männikkö. His professionalism and vision was a breath of fresh air needed and the three-tracker called "Receive" was recorded with a new found steam and accuracy. New tracks made it finally to myspace-release in october 2008 and did it with a bang. Phonecalls, e-mails and text messages started flooding in. Our audience had noticed the same progress we had seen coming and with this confidence Farewell went to tour with Irish metallers Countervela. Three date tour across Finland was done in November.

YEAR 2009...

12th year of Farewell was opened again with a writing of new material for 2009. Farewell also shot a follow up to "ever-misery", when they did a promo video for "Receive". It was a huge step forward and a really professional work from the video crew and the director Toni Hiltunen. Thumbs up!! Cd-format of Receive was released at the same time with the video and boosted with such visibility, it sold out within months. Propably the most succesful year of Farewell was concluded with a international tour, featuring dates in Finland, Ireland and Northern-Ireland. Somewhere along the way some new songs came to be and they're to be manifested worldwide somewhere along 2010. Yes, F-well saga goes on and the train rolls steadily. Jump aboard - NOW!!

“YEAH! HEAVY METAL!!!!”
–mr.Matero
(when asked by three Irish girls what kind of music we play)