Am Universum

[godmachine12]

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite albums of the year. I heard a lot of shit about it, but damn I love it. It is awesome. Even better than their last album, which I also liked a lot. I'd put it at a tie for 3rd favorite of the year with Soilwork.

N/P: Amorphis-Am Universum

 

[Mikael is God]

It kinda moved down alot when some of the other 2001 releases came out.... but at first it was in the top 3 fav of 2001... its still awesome now though!!!! its fucking great!

 

[foxdvd]

Same here...top 5 of the year for sure. If I had to rate the best albums of the year I would go...

1: Hollenthon "With Vilest of Worms to Dwell"
2: Amorphis "Am Universum"
3: Opeth "Blackwater Park"



but just from the MP3 files, Virgin Black is making a strong bid for number 2....but I will have to wait for the cd before I can make a full choice...

 

[Liquid Tension]

Foxdvd,

I thought that was the picture of the Virgin Black cd. I listened to it again today and it would make my top 10 of the year list. How come you don't own it already?


Enjoy the moment....

 

[foxdvd]

I actually won a contest at this forum to get a copy a while back, but it had to ship from overseas, so it is taking a while to get here. After winning the contest I went ahead and downloaded the album, and just love it. Until I can hear a high quality version of it, it is hard to say how I will feel in the end. No matter what, I can tell it is top 10.

 

[D Mullholand]

Bzzzzt. I disagree... Am Universum is a big disappointment to me when compared to Tuonela, which is one of my all-time favourites. Am Universum seems to be an exercise in banality, where the band tries to sound simpler and more accesible, and come ou sounding unnatural. Compared to the magic of Elegy and Tuonela, this is a record which is superficially ok, but has little depth for me.

------------------------------
NP: Gentle Giant - Octopus

 

[E V I L]

I agree with Mullholand,

too often that album borders on the cheesy. Add to this fact that the singing is "banal" and the songs are simple. If I wanted this crap I would listen to mtv.


arrghuuhuh (<--- digusted noise) I can hear the singing still " a captured mind is a captured state...." arrruguhghgu, grossed out snotty cheesiness. The singing especially reeks of cheese, some kind of affected shnazz. How am I supposed to get into that? You tell me.

No offense intended! Just trying to be honest about my own views.

 

[foxdvd]

D Mullholand….you also used the word banal when talking about AU, in another thread that someone brought Amorphis up in. Personally I feel Tuonela is a poor-mans version of Am Universum. The ideas and direction set forth in Tuonela were just a stepping stone for the more brilliant AU. After the excellent Elegy, I was extremly disappointed in the direction Amorphis was taking. AU shut me up on that.

You call the album banal. I feel Am Universum is their best album, and more fresh and original then just about anything this year. In a time when bands like Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir garner attention from music fans, with their garbage (my apologies to fans of their music, this is just my opinion) a band like Amorphis continues to put out high quality work.

 

[Slynt]

I didn't know there were people around who liked Amorphis after "Elegy" ... ?

 

[Orchid]

I haven't bought any of the Amorphis albums after Elegy, though I do have Tuonela in mp3s, which I listen to maybe once a year. They've gone bad - Tales From The Thousand Lakes was much much better. A great album. IMHO.

Elegy, however, is pretty good. I have never listened to it analytically, I just like it.

"two words from the priest, three verses from the cantor..."

 

[Gdc]

I personnaly prefer their older work "Tales from..." but this is a good album, I only listen to metal but there are a few bands that I like besides metal and Amorphis is one of them and of course Katatonia.

Cheers

 

[godmachine12]

Originally posted by foxdvd
D
The ideas and direction set forth in Tuonela were just a stepping stone for the more brilliant AU.

I agree with that totally. The new record is much more polished than Tuonela and the songs seem to flow better. I agree you can't really call them metal anymore, 'cause they just don't fit into that category now. They still rock regardless of how you categorize them.

 

[_Transparent_]

KATATONIA - LAST FAIR DEAL GONE DOWN

it took about 5 listens before it hit me that this is the best album of the year, if you are looking for something you will instantly like this isnt the album for you. the songs take awhile but then they get better and better until the point you think its one of the best ever!!!

A MUST FOR ANYONE WITH EARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ps. its really cheap in England and has the best covers.

 

[Mikael is God]

good call foxdvd!!! except for dimmu =p they own...... but i still totally understand what you're saying.... 100% melodic bands are just as good as 80% melodic bands (the 20 percent being the screaming vocals) i don't really give a shit how cheezy something is if its good music than i like it

 

[foxdvd]

Well I like OLD Dimmu, but started to give up on them....I have yet to even try their new stuff, though I hear it is getting better...maybe I will try them out.

 

[foxdvd]

i don't really give a shit how cheezy something is if its good music than i like it

and that is a good point. If I cared about cheese, half the metal bands out there would never get played in my player.

 

[S4R]

I can think of two albums that are the best of 2001 in my opinion. Opeth, Blackwater Park and Lacrimas Profundere, burning: a wish

 

[foxdvd]

Lacrimas Profundere is good Gothic metal, and I love how much they bring into their works, but I would not call their new album top 5...but top 10 for sure.

 

[Jim LotFP]

>>The thing about Amorphis is that they have to be taken as a rock band now, not a metal band.

After going back to some of the classic heavy metal of the 70s... Amorphis still qualifies as a heavy metal band. Not extreme metal.... not Priest/Maiden metal... but metal like it was when it first came about.

 

[Soul Forlorn]

I just can't get into Am Universum. I love Tuonela, Elegy, and Tales but this one just doesn't do it for me. As a side note, I saw Amorphis in Chicago with Opeth and I found their live show to be incredibly dull, with the exception of some of the older tunes with growling. These were the crowd's favorites as well. Damn, Pasi can sure growl though. Very powerfull!