Amorphis: Skyforger (2009)
http://www.myspace.com/amorphis
http://www.amorphis.net/
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Overview
Amorphis is now a band that really has been around for a long time, with it’s first release having come out in 1993, but various line up changes have seen the band continue to come up with fresh ideas. Since 2005, when singer Tomi Joutsen joined the band they have enjoyed stability and a fair amount of success, releasing two albums (Eclipse and Silent Waters) before Skyforger in May 2009. Of late they certainly play the lighter side of metal and this helps create some variation in track lists loaded with the heavier stuff. It’s also a good place to start off getting into metal if your not particularly fond of screaming, with most songs being almost entirely cleanly sung (with a few exceptions). This album really isn’t for the headbangers, so bear that in mind.
Sampo
Length – 6:08
The introduction to the album begins with a nice mix of piano and guitar melody, and quickly sets into a tone that is both enjoyable and relaxing at the same time. The song has some lengthy guitar sections without any vocals, although just some relatively simple rhythms, although it picks up towards the second half. The vocals are strong throughout, more low pitched at the start, and theres a bit of growling in the second half, alongside a nice use of the keyboard. A solid start to the album. Rating: 6/10
Silver Bride
Length – 4:13
I really like this song, and it is the first single of the album. A fairly innocuous start is swiftly offset by a powerful yet gentle guitar melody, which continues throughout. The lyrics in this song are really interesting, retelling the story of the blacksmith Ilmarinen, a figure of Finnish mythology recorded in poem. After losing his first wife, he attempts to build a second from gold and silver, only to find her hard and cold. Perhaps a metaphor for trophy wives having little of worth on the inside? Some really strong vocals show through, particularly in the chorus which is guaranteed to stay in your head for a fair while. We see some change in the second half of the song, with a short section given over to the guitars before ending on a sort of second mini chorus that features a little bit of growling alongside choral-style singing. Give it a listen here (I should point out the video cuts off the intro). Rating: 8/10
From the Heaven of my Heart
Length – 5:20
Opens with a slow piano section before slowly shifting the weight of the rhythm onto the guitar and then picking up a lot of pace as both guitars come in fully, one doing the first bit of proper riffing on the album. The vocals throughout are similar to those at the start of Sampo, but the chorus is very light singing, interestingly contrasted with both guitars clearly audible in the background. Theres a nice guitar solo towards the end and overall the song is very comparable to Sampo, so another solid one. Rating: 6/10
Sky is Mine
Length – 4:20
A different start to those previous, straight away utilising the guitar which continues in the same way through the song. The points to pick up on this song are in the chorus which features both choral and deeper than usual vocals from Joutsen, who you can probably tell by now has a pretty large vocal range. Again we see the use of a keyboard if only for a very short while offset by the closest to a guitar solo as we have seen so far. Another solid song (if you don’t mind the spoiler, in case you hadn’t guessed by now the album continues in this general vein). Rating: 6/10
Majestic Beast
Length – 4:19
A very different song from the rest here, starting off on a heavier tone, with a slow beat and growled vocals. In fact, all the vocals are mostly growled aside from the chorus, and while I appreciate the fact that its different to the other songs, its pretty clear Joutsen’s strengths lie in clean vocals. The songs not bad but a bit boring and samey, picking up a little towards the end. Its probably one of the weakest tracks on the album, which considering its not bad I suppose you could say is a good thing. Rating: 5/10
My Sun
Length – 4:05
Back to the tried and tested guitar/piano combination for the intro here, and yet again it works pretty well setting a tone for the song. The rhythm guitar is a bit different through this song, with a slow, soft chug through the verses and picking up through the chorus whereupon the second guitar comes into the equation as well. The chorus is the most notable section of the song, with the vocals being good, and there a bit of decent lower fret work towards the end as well as some atmospheric backing growls. I’m getting bored of saying solid now, so I’m going to spend the rest of the review thinking up different ways of saying it. A song that I cannot directly critisize nor give overt praise to. Rating: 6/10
Highest Star
Length – 4:44
I like the start of this one, led by the drums and none other than a flute. The vocals that follow are very slow paced but both they and the instruments pick up a lot of tempo for the chorus which is actually really good, one of the best on the album, followed by a well placed section of growling. The continuing changes in tempo make this song one to watch out for in the album as they mark it out as being different to the others (although good different unlike Majestic Beast). The slight let down is the end of the song which I wasn’t particularly a fan of (another growl section). I really, really want to give this song a 7, if anything just to give my poor 6 button a rest, but I don’t feel it quite deserves it. So yet another….higher end of the average range song. Rating: 6/10
Skyforger
Length – 5:15
As the slow acoustic melody swept over me when this song began, you know what I thought? I thought oh bloody hell, this has a 6 written all over it. However, this extended intro causes me to become complacent and it very suddenly changes to an ominous rhythm guitar that causes me to prick up my ears, slowly picking up alongside the vocals and exploding into life under the chorus in a full blown guitar riff. How about that. The song actually continues to gather tempo before slowing down in the second half to a really great break involving a piano and a violin, and then slowly picking up again back to the chorus. It ends in the fashion of which it first came to life, with a steady rhythm guitar and also some growling. Rating: 7/10
Course of Fate
Length – 4:15
A lead guitar section backed by an acoustic guitar followed by some powerful rhythm guitar. Thank you Course of Fate for keeping this momentum going. Sadly I’m not that much of a fan of the chorus, but I do like all the instruments in the song, and I can almost, almost grasp a word I want to use to describe it….I wonder what it could be…It’s actually quite slow for a song that keeps up the slightly heavier guitar use, although the lead again pops up just after the middle with a nice distorted section backed up with a good keyboard melody. It’s getting better by this point, but not enough to avoid the inevitable fate I can see it hurtling towards. This song is just…er…well if you punched it it would hurt….because its not a liquid….or a gas… Rating: 6/10
From Earth I Rose
Length – 5:04
More guitar momentum! Great! Just make it good enough for a 7 damn you! Screaming section? Ok it didn’t work with Majestic Beast but now I’m feeling more open minded having dished out so many 6s. Whats that? You want to kill the momentum and then proceed to a bad chorus? FINE! You stupid song. I’ll give you a 5 becuase your actually worse than the others. That’ll teach you to avoid a 7. To be fair it gets better with the clean vocals, but I’m not changing my mind, even with you funky instrumental section towards the end. Actually your getting increasingly funky. I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU SO MUCH! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!?!?!? Rating: 6/10
Godlike Machine
Length – 5:18
A steady backing guitar, good vocals and then some tempo changing (different from momentum killing). Pretty good so far, with a fair bit of growling in the first half as the lead happily blares alongside in a similar manner to Silver Bride. In fact it gets quite heavy at parts, probably one of the heaviest tracks on the album in these sections. An interesting vocal twist in the second half in what can only be described as powerful whispering is accompanied by some really nice guitar work and I think I like this song. More than a 6. I sense it. I’m going to do it. It’s your lucky day, and your the bonus track, well done you, try harder to get in the final album next time. Rating: 7/10
Conclusion
I have honestly never suffered more listening to an album that, to all intents and purposes, wasn’t bad. It’s just so infuriating that, apart from the genuinly good Silver Bride, not one of the songs really stands out and begs to be good or bad. The overall tone of the album certainly changes towards the end, focusing more on slightly higher tempo guitar rhythms than the slower first half notable for it’s (good) use of a piano. This is a welcome change, and this album makes for good listening if your sort of not paying attention, focusing on something else and it is there as a backing tune, blending melodiously into a pleasing pattern. It’s certainly easy listening, but god forbid the man who tries to pay close attention to each individual song. The rating I’m giving this album may be a little harsh considering all the songs are solid (FUCKING FUCKING FUCK) but it is this very factor why I’m giving it a 6.
Rating: 6/10
