Amorphis - Skyforger

January 27, 2010

Reviewer: Dinah

With Skyforger, Amorphis continues their well-documented tradition of creating albums around the stories of the Finnish Kalevala. More importantly though, they continue their other well-documented tradition: making absorbing, awesome music. There are few bands that produce music as consistently good as Amorphis does, especially with their last three albums coming out in a space of only three years, a timetable rarely seen by bands who have been around as long as they have. It is clearly a concept album; songs connect together with perfect fluidity and follow similar patterns all while maintaining their own individual identities. The opening track, “Sampo”, throws you right into a catchy, folky riff, which blossoms into a complex and thoughtful melody, conjuring images of rivers rolling through golden fields. But it doesn’t just stay there; it evolves, creating a progression usually only found between songs, not in them. An epic start is probably the most essential part of a good album, in my eyes, and “Sampo” delivers. The sprinkling of growls in between the beautiful vocals is like icing on the cake. “Sky Is Mine” is one of my favorite songs, probably because of the harmonizing; I am a sucker for harmony.

The only bad thing I could possibly say about this album is that I found Eclipse to be a more impressive album, but what sort of criticism is that? Eclipse was fantastic. Skyforger is almost as fantastic, but not as catchy. Go buy it.

Release Date: June 16th, 2009
Label: Nuclear Blast Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Sampo
2.  Silver Bride
3.  From the Heaven of My Heart
4.  Sky is Mine
5.  Majestic Beast
6.  My Sun
7.  Highest Star
8.  Skyforger
9.  Course of Fate
10.  From Earth I Rose
11.  Godlike Machine
        (Bonus Track)

Total playing time:  57:07

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