Amorphis contradicts itself

By Greg Manning
Collegian Staff
April 26, 2006

Amorphis, as its name suggests, has never been a band content to rest on its laurels. Over the span of its 15-year career, the Finnish rockers have yet to release two albums that sound exactly alike. From the melodic, folk-inspired death metal of The Karelian Isthmus (1993) and Tales from the Thousand Lakes (1994), to the mix of death metal and psychedelic ’70s prog-rock of Elegy (1996), to the lush melodic rock tapestries of Tuonela (1999) and AM Universum (2001), the band has managed to do what few musicians in any genre have done: evolve without completely losing its identity.

Yet, for all the stylistic risk-taking, the band’s last effort, 2003’s Far From the Sun, left many fans with a lukewarm feeling. The band sounded tired and uninspired on that record, and adopted a simplified, stripped down sound that failed do the group’s past discography justice.

As a longtime fan, I am happy to announce that the band’s latest release, Eclipse, is more than a return to form for Amorphis. To say that the act has gone back to its roots with this record wouldn’t be entirely true; a more accurate description would be to say that the group has come full circle. Eclipse encompasses the entire spectrum of Amorphis’ eclectic musical career. It’s all here, people: the folk-inspired guitar melodies, the proggy keyboards and the crunchy death-metal heaviness.

The vocals on the album also cover all the bases. Although I was disappointed to hear that long-time vocalist Pasi Koskinen (who first joined the band for Elegy) chose to leave the group, new frontman Tomi Joutsen proves himself more than capable of filling his predecessor’s shoes. The singing on the album is top-notch. Joutsen’s voice is multi-faceted and fits the diverse style of Amorphis perfectly. His vocals sound much richer than Koskinen’s, enhancing the atmosphere of the music.

Fans of the band’s early material will be happy to hear that Joutsen brings back the death growls on Eclipse in a big way. Consequently, the rest of the band has followed suit, penning some of its heaviest material since Tales from the Thousand Lakes.

The addition of Joutsen seems to have breathed new life into the rest of the band, as all the songs on the record pulse with an enthusiasm and energy that was sorely missing on the group’s last outing. Just as it did on Tales from the Thousand Lakes, Amorphis turns once again to The Kalevala, the national epic of Finland, for lyrical inspiration.

The songs tell the tragic story of a figure named Kullervo, and the dramatic scope of the tale provides a perfect backdrop for the band’s music. Opener “Two Moons” sets the tone for the entire album, starting out with a melodic keyboard line and building into an energetic guitar-driven rocker.

The next song and first single from the album, “House of Sleep,” features a piano-laden verse that gives way to an incredibly catchy chorus. Joutsen’s vocals on this track are particularly emotive, while the lead guitar of Esa Holopainen weaves a melody so memorable, you’ll be humming it for weeks. In fact, Eclipse as a whole showcases Holopainen’s most memorable and tasteful lead work to date.

Overall, Eclipse is quickly becoming my favorite Amorphis album since Elegy, and may even surpass it given more time. There are no weak songs here, but my personal highlights include the folk-inspired chord progressions of “Leaves Scar,” the catchy lead-guitar lines of “Brother Moon” and the sinister death-metal growls and grooves of “Perkele (The God of Fire).” Though it is still too early to tell, this record could feasibly end up as my pick for album of the year. I haven’t had this much fun listening to music since I was 15. Open-minded fans of quality rock music shouldn’t pass this one up.

manningg1@lasalle.edu