Year : 2025 (Reigning Phoenix Music Edition)
Style : Heavy Metal
Country : Finland
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 158 mb
Bio:
Amorphis is a Finnish heavy metal band founded by Jan Rechberger, Tomi Koivusaari, and Esa Holopainen in 1990. Initially, the band was a death metal act, but on later albums they evolved into playing other genres, including heavy metal, progressive metal, and folk metal. They frequently use the Kalevala, the Epic Poem of Finland, as a source for their lyrics.In 1989, Jan Rechberger and Esa Holopainen played in a thrash metal band called Violent Solution, which Tomi Koivusaari had left the previous year to form the death metal band Abhorrence. Violent Solution slowly dissolved and Jan Rechberger and Esa Holopainen put together another death metal band.In early 1990, Tomi Koivusaari became the vocalist and Oppu Laine became their bassist.During that time, Koivusaari also performed rhythm guitar, leading to the band dumping all original compositions and starting over again.Koivusaari's other band, Abhorrence, split up and he found himself with more time to put into Amorphis. A demo tape, Disment of Soul, was recorded in 1991 by Timo Tolkki at TTT studios.After the band recorded their first studio demo tape, Relapse Records offered Abhorrence a recording contract. Since Abhorrence was no longer active, they sent their own demo in the return mail and got signed to a worldwide recording deal. Soon after getting signed they released their death metal debut, The Karelian Isthmus under the new name Amorphis and later released the Privilege of Evil EP. The EP featured Abhorrence's original vocalist, Jukka Kolehmainen, on vocals on the Abhorrence cover song "Vulgar Necrolatry".In 1994, Amorphis released their second studio album, Tales from the Thousand Lakes, a concept album based on the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala. This 1994 release, while still rooted in death metal, was their first step toward a new direction as melodic clean vocals were added,provided by Ville Tuomi. Tales from the Thousand Lakes won the band a fan base thanks to its innovative sound and fusion of death metal with traditional folk, psychedelia, and progressive elements. This album went on to influence the signature Amorphis sound.During the subsequent tours Kasper (keyboards) left the band, to be replaced by Kim Rantala. Jan was replaced by Pekka Kasari (ex-Stone), and a sixth member was recruited, singer Pasi Koskinen. The third album, Elegy was released in 1996. Lyrics were again adapted from Finnish mythology, in this case, the Kanteletar, a collection of ancient folk poetry. Pasi and Tomi shared the vocals on an equal basis, with Pasi's providing only clean parts.After a year and a half of touring following the release of Elegy, the band members took a time-out. Their next offering, 1999's Tuonela was a mellow guitar album, although toward the end of the studio sessions, Santeri Kallio of Kyyria was brought in to add some keyboard tracks to the songs. New instruments were introduced (Tomi playing sitar in the song "Greed", Sakari Kukko on saxophone and flute providing a foreign accent) and the death growls were reduced, as all vocals were performed by Pasi.The tenth-anniversary compilation Story was produced, and the band experienced another line-up change. Following the breakup of Kyyria, Santeri joined Amorphis as a full-time member. Bassist Oppu was replaced by another ex-Kyyria member, Niclas Etelävuori, to tour with Amorphis on their third U.S. tour.On August 21, 2012, Amorphis announced on their website that a new album was in the works.On January 17, 2013, the band announced the title and release date for their next record. Circle was released on April 19 in Europe and April 30th in North America. Tomi Joutsen on the new album, "Circle represents integrity. Back in the days, when there was something special to talk about, wise men used to sit in circle. Not everyone was invited to join them. But in this story, the protagonist was invited among the wise men's circle.” On September 16, 2013, Circle won Metal Hammer´s “The Album of The Year” award. Esa Holopainen on the award, "For us, Album of the Year award is a great recognition for the work done so far. Especially when we got it from our 11th studio album."On August 4, 2014, Amorphis announced on their website and through social media that they would be playing a number of special Tales from the Thousand Lakes 20th Anniversary shows where their 1994 album would be performed in its entirety. Tales from the Thousand Lakes 20th Anniversary shows included festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Maryland Deathfest, and 70000 Tons of Metal with many other tour dates and festivals included.The band began demoing new songs at the start of 2015, and in 4 March of that same year, it was announced that Amorphis will begin to record a new in album in April 2015, at Fascination Street Studio, Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren and with an album release date sometime in September 2015.The lyrics will be written once again by Pekka Kainulainen, who says "Like 'Kalevala', they are descriptions of natural phenomena, seasons and the human mind. Reoccuring situations where hope and uncertainty alternate. Attempting to gain advice from higher powers. The poems do not form a complete story per se, but they are drawn together by a certain theme. We live under a red cloud and once again, time weighs us."The release of the new album will be followed by a world tour, starting with shows in the band's home country of Finland, then other parts of Europe with Nightwish & Arch Enemy in November 2015.In 15 June 2015, it was announced that the title for the Twelfth Studio Full-length LP Album is Under The Red Cloud, with the artwork and tracklist revealed and with a release date of 4 September 2015.
Album:
A few more years pass hazily by, and somehow AMORPHIS are still not one of the biggest metal bands on the planet. There really is no justice. Last time out, the Finnish veterans excelled themselves even more than usual. "Halo" was a strong record, even by their usual standards, and seemed to indicate another surge of confidence and creative belief (in a career that has hardly struggled to conjure such things). AMORPHIS have been on great form for most of their 30-year career, and it is only their consistency and quiet way of doing things that has prevented them from making more noise on a commercial basis. "Borderland" is unlikely to make a huge difference to their status as solid guardians of Finnish folklore in a progressive, heavy metal context, but it really deserves to. This is, with crushing but reassuring inevitability, another unequivocal triumph. It also showcases a subtle, evolutionary forward shuffle that should give the band another decade or two of fresh impetus.In many respects, "Borderland" is business as usual. The riffs, the melodies, the contrast between clean and brutal vocals: AMORPHIS haven't changed hugely since "Halo", and everything that fans expect and demand is present and as vital and invigorating as ever. The difference this time around is that they have rolled back some of the intricacy and knottiness that fueled "Halo", opting instead for an even more direct and melodic approach, albeit with a few notable detours into new territory. Opener "The Circle" is gleaming, none-more-classic AMORPHIS, built on a lushly atmospheric bedrock, full of delayed guitars and soaring, light-up-the-sky hooks. In contrast, "Bones" is a partial return to the exotic scales and fervent aggression of "Death of a King" (from 2015's "Under The Red Cloud"),with a chorus melody that is a model of sweet simplicity, and wonderfully prog-friendly moments of instrumental indulgence. As always, Tomi Joutsen is a formidable presence, as he celebrates 20 years as AMORPHIS's frontman with one of his most commanding performances to date. "Borderland" has several such songs: bigger and bolder than past counterparts, but essentially in line with the sound that the Finns have nurtured over more than three decades. But things are changing too. "Dancing Shadow" is one of the most overtly catchy and upbeat things they have produced in years. Frolicking along on a feisty, almost disco-style pulse, it would be perfect for a raucous, festival singalong, absolutely reeking of sunshine and positive energy. Similarly, after the wistful melodies and windswept bravado of "Fog to Fog", "The Strange" takes another off-piste sidestep, with a delicately convoluted structure, rich with unusual twists and unexpected chord changes, and another blissfully powerful vocal from Joutsen. Jacob Hansen's production ensures that everything sounds huge when necessary, but there is great intimacy to be enjoyed in AMORPHIS's songwriting, and the straightforward nature of these songs hinges on their ability to truly breathe.This album's unspoken theme of seeking balance between ancient wisdom and the grinding pressures of modern life makes perfect sense. Here the bombastic daydreaming of the past is given a brisk shake-up by the realities of living in 2025, and "Borderland" revels in that conflict, wringing great drama from the resultant tumult. "Tempest" is a glittering miasma of folk-fueled prettiness and strident, metallic oomph; "Light and Shadow" is a joyous hymn to the human experience, and one of the catchiest AMORPHIS songs ever; and "The Lantern" is a synth-laced, prog metal barnburner with not-so-hidden depths, ingenious changes of mood, a lithe and psychedelic keyboard solo, and an undulating 7/8 rhythm that mesmerizes with its ghostly gait. The title track stays rooted in the more adventurous end of the band's musical tradition, with Joutsen adrift on a beautiful, free-flowing collage of riffs and hooks, and big budget crescendos hovering over the horizon like gifts from the ancient gods. Meanwhile, grand finale "Despair" is simply stunning: all the intrigue and invention of the preceding 45 minutes crammed into one, last act of thunderous romance, rendered in vivid Technicolor, and as mysterious and compelling as a mist-covered shoreline at dawn.Still, after all these years, nobody else is making music like this. AMORPHIS are masters of their own domain, and "Borderland" is another remarkably rousing addition to one of the most impressive catalogues in all of heavy music. Laudable behavior.
Line Up:
Tomi Joutsen - Vocals (2004-present) - See also: Corpse Molester Cult, Hallatar, Sinisthra, ex-Funeral Jacket, ex-Käsi, ex-Tuska20, ex-Nevergreen, Feelings, ex-The Candles Burning Blue
Esa Holopainen - Guitars (lead) (1990-present) - See also: ex-Chaosbreed, ex-Tuska20, ex-Violent Solution
Tomi Koivusaari - Guitars (rhythm) (1990-present), Vocals (1990-1997, 2010) - See also: Abhorrence, Verenpisara, ex-Ajattara, ex-Violent Solution, ex-Jam-Bore, ex-Karuselli, ex-Rebirth, ex-Velcra
Olli-Pekka Laine - Bass (1990-2000, 2017-present) - See also: Barren Earth, Mannhai, ex-Chaosbreed, ex-Nuxvomica, Kiljuvelka-70, ex-Rytmihäiriö
Jan Rechberger - Drums (1990-1995, 2002-present), Keyboards (1992-1993) - See also: Jonne, ex-Violent Solution, Grease Helmet, ex-Ajattara
Santeri Kallio - Keyboards (1999-present) - See also: Jonne, ex-Kyyria, ex-Tuska20, Verenpisara
Tracklist:
01. The Circle 04:34
02. Bones 04:55
03. Dancing Shadow 04:58
04. Fog to Fog 05:28
05. The Strange 04:18
06. Tempest 05:20
07. Light and Shadow 04:17
08. The Lantern 04:59
09. Borderland 05:30
10. Despair 05:19
11. Weavers 05:21 (Bonus Track)
12. War Band 05:08 (Bonus Track)
13. Rowan And The Cloud 04:34 (Bonus Track)
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