Their first album Spell of Iron was a moderate success, but after that, they fell to obscurity. Despite their strong underground following, they never received much mainstream attention until 2002, when Marko joined Nightwish, though they still remain relatively underground, despite being active for 28 years and releasing 8 albums.
Current Line-up:
- Marko Hietala: Lead and backing vocals, bass guitar (1982-present)
- Zachary Hietala: Lead guitar (1982-present)
- Janne Tolsa: Keyboard (1988-present)
- Tommi "Tuple" Salmela: Backing and lead vocals, samples, keyboards (2006-present; unofficial 1996–2006)
Former Members:
- Mako H: Guitar (1982-1988)
- Pecu Cinnari: Drums (1982-2016; died in 2016)
Studio Discography:
- Spell of Iron (1986)
- Follow Me Into Madness (1988)
- To Live Forever (1993)
- Stigmata (1995)
- For the Glory of Nothing (1998)
- Suffer Our Pleasures (2003)
- Crows Fly Black (2006)
- Gravity of Light (2010)
- The Spell of Iron MMXI (2011)
Tarot has examples of:
- Ascended Extra: Vocalist Tommi Salmela was originally the band's roadie and unofficial backing vocalist between 1996 and 2006, when he was promoted to full band member.
- Blood Knight: The narrator of "Follow the Blind" wants death and destruction for the sake of death and destruction.We need no gods of war,
petty excuses no more.
Just what we always wanted,
the blood of our kind - Cover Version: They have covered "Children of the Grave", "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", "Generation Clash", "Turn Me On", "Veteran of the Psychic Wars", "Locomotive Breath" and "Mama".
- Epic Rocking: "The Invisible Hand", "Iron Stars", "Guardian Angel", "E.T.I.", "Stigmata (I Feel for You)", "Shining Black", "Rider of the Last Day", "Crows Fly Black", "Hell Knows" and "Gone"..
- Expy: Their 80s Hair and glam metal makeup made them look like expies of a more famous Swedish band. Their vocalist Tommi sounds like Ozzy.
- Fade Out: Very common on their albums.
- Large Ham: Marko, on nearly every song.
- Lead Bassist: Marko is the frontman.
- Long Runner Lineup: Type 1. After Tommi Salmela joined Tarot permanently in 2006, the band's lineup remained unchanged until drummer Cinnari's death in 2016.
- Never Be Hurt Again: Theme of the song "Love's Not Made for My Kind".I've had more than my share of pain
Love's not made for my kind
My heart's turning to stone
Love's not made for my kind
Better to leave me alone - Our Vampires Are Different: "Follow Me Into Madness" seems to be narrated by a vampire turning his lover into other vampire while waxing lyrical about the beauty of the night.
- Rearrange the Song: The Spell of Iron MMXI is the whole debut album re-recorded and -arranged.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: "Dancing on the Wire".From my love you were delighted
Though it was clear that we sailed on different streams
Like the stars we are divided and I'll be lost in your dreams
So bitter so sweet - Things That Go "Bump" in the Night: "Things That Crawl at Night", from the perspective of that thing.The frost grows on your window at the touch of my icy fingertips
I come to give you a kiss to suck the warmth from your lips
And I just slip away
As the night turns into a new day
Leaving you to lie cold and still in your bed - Villain Song:Bowels of a grave turned loose,
spat out the one the reaper couldn't use.
Time to burn the inhuman torch.
Rip and slash, impale and scorch!- The narrator of "Follow The Blind" is a Blood Knight who wants death and destruction for the sake of death and destruction.
- Villainous Lament: "Things That Crawl At Night" is sung from the perspective of the monster lurking in the shadows and has this line:There is no rescue from this hell in which I am now
- Vocal Tag Team: The new team of Tommi and Marko.
- War Is Hell: "Crows Fly Black", about the aftermath of war.Earth and sky as one in countless pieces.
Time stands still, frozen in the flow.
In the dust the faces of the fallen.
They're erased in the fall of snow. - Was Once a Man: Implied in "Things That Crawl at Night" with the narrator saying, "I have become one of the things that crawl at night."
