Not only SoMe heavy, but it's basically a mobile site that looks like a clusterfuck on wide screens. I'm not judging the content that much just yet, could be a work in progress.
Amorphis Album #12 (September 4, 2015)
- Thread starter Luoto
- Start date
Absolute shit, imho. I agree that the old one needed a facelift, but this is plain ugly and useless.
There is no history, no discography or none of the cool stuff on the old one such as lyrics, Kalevala and info on the bandmembers.
There is nothing for me on this website. It gave me a headache.
In other news, our dear local NB distributor got the album early. I ordered it this morning and got it delivered in the afternoon. Plus a free poster. Because I am the biggest Amorphis fan in Bulgaria
First impressions: excellent album, the best since Skyforger. Lots of Elegy and Tuonela in it. Unlike Circle, this one is very consistent.
Like I already said, Sacrifice is the weakest song on the album. Enemy at the Gates grabbed my ears immediately - it's really good.
The album is somewhat predictable, of course, but I think we all have given up hope of Amorphis taking a new musical direction. Their experimentation years are long since over, but, then again, their current sound and style has become their trademark and it apparently sells well. If it ain't broken, don't fix it.
The artwork is brilliant. Am seriously considering having it tattooed on my back, as a colleague suggested today
I will give it a few more spins before I form a more coherent opinion.
tuonelan
Mostly Harmless
Been so long since I went to the official website.
Definitely much more impersonal than back in the day. Seems like that's the trend. I'm guess that the old school route was too much work for too little return and it attracted griefers.
Of course it attracted a few other types as well...
Definitely much more impersonal than back in the day. Seems like that's the trend. I'm guess that the old school route was too much work for too little return and it attracted griefers.
Of course it attracted a few other types as well...
Apparently others got the album early as well, because the thing leaked today.
I'm going further and say this album is a yet another evolution of sound for Amorphis. It is at least as progressive as Elegy, and their heaviest with Tomi Joutsen, but sounds completely natural in relation to their last few albums. The sheer flow of the songs despite more complicated structures is particularly ear-catching. I was in fact a little baffled to hear such an out-there break in The Skull.
My point is that there is no grand new invention like the introduction of something we haven't heard before. This is not a bad thing. I like Amorphis for what they are. Besides, all grand musical inventions have already been made and it's all been downhill since then
Anyway...
The second bonus track - Winter's Sleep is absolutely beautiful. Pure awesomeness! The keyboard work sounds like Kasper.
Anyway...
The second bonus track - Winter's Sleep is absolutely beautiful. Pure awesomeness! The keyboard work sounds like Kasper.
Yeah, depends on the context of course. No one expects them to go to a completely different musical style at this stage for example, but this is a fairly extreme emphasis on something they've done recently and it works brilliantly
tuonelan
Mostly Harmless
Thanks for the pic xptrinity, release date DownUnder is tomorrow (along with new Maiden - ouch!) but don't expect my pre-order to arrive from overseas for at least another week or probably two as hasn't been sent early unfortunately.
That said, while not a fan of digital albums (albeit do like getting digital singles and their ease of access), quite tempted to purchase a digital copy tomorrow also after reading the initial thoughts here. Skyforger remains my fave so that comparison alone excites! After years of overpricing digital media here, GooglePlay have come along and are for the mostpart offering affordable downloads. So yes, very tempted...
Wow, would think this album art would make for one heck of a tattoo!? \m/
That said, while not a fan of digital albums (albeit do like getting digital singles and their ease of access), quite tempted to purchase a digital copy tomorrow also after reading the initial thoughts here. Skyforger remains my fave so that comparison alone excites! After years of overpricing digital media here, GooglePlay have come along and are for the mostpart offering affordable downloads. So yes, very tempted...
Wow, would think this album art would make for one heck of a tattoo!? \m/
tuonelan
Mostly Harmless
I can guess what everyone here is doing today.
First note. Bogren's mix seems quite good, with lots of nuance in the individual instruments and good separation between them to give each member of the band some space. Dynamic range of the final master for iTunes is between 6 and 7 decibels throughout -- on the edge of loudness wars territory, but with just enough range to lend it some life and variety.
But so far...wow.
First note. Bogren's mix seems quite good, with lots of nuance in the individual instruments and good separation between them to give each member of the band some space. Dynamic range of the final master for iTunes is between 6 and 7 decibels throughout -- on the edge of loudness wars territory, but with just enough range to lend it some life and variety.
But so far...wow.
I can guess what everyone here is doing today.
I guess the same as what I've been doing in the past two days in every minute I have the chance, including in my sleep...
tuonelan
Mostly Harmless
I cheated as early as June 25 But that was a one-off affair with many distractions present, including Tomi Joutsen dozing in a corner. But my first impression was right. Brilliant album! After two days of listening, I daresay it's better even than Skyforger.
But that was a one-off affair with many distractions present, including Tomi Joutsen dozing in a corner. But my first impression was right. Brilliant album! After two days of listening, I daresay it's better even than Skyforger.
Eurynome
Kukkahattutäti
+1 to Trin's statement above. The experience at the listening session was rather overwhelming, but after finally getting the vinyl today, I can confirm that my first impression holds. With added points for the lyrics, which obviously I didn't pay much attention to at Suomenlinna, or during the album presentation on Radio Rock in the wee hours of this morning after coming home tired from working at a gig downtown. At least in my opinion they're a good deal stronger than on "Circle" (which I just listened to again the other day, after quite a long time - it sure is good but by far not as complete as the new one. Transitory, maybe).
My favorite new song so far is Enemy At The Gates, no idea if it will turn up in the live set but it sure wouldn't hurt. All of them are excellent, though (that painfully bred amalgamation of two separate songs which was so aptly dubbed Sacrifice is growing on me, to ), so whatever will get played at the shows shall be fine with me.
The cats slept through the whole thing, except that the girl meowed a couple of times when I didn't turn the record as soon as one side ended. (This is the same individual that on more than one occasion would meow at a photo of Koippari until I put on Amorphis, after which she fell silent with apparent satisfaction. Her approval of the new album seals my conviction. )
My favorite new song so far is Enemy At The Gates, no idea if it will turn up in the live set but it sure wouldn't hurt. All of them are excellent, though (that painfully bred amalgamation of two separate songs which was so aptly dubbed Sacrifice is growing on me, to
), so whatever will get played at the shows shall be fine with me. The cats slept through the whole thing, except that the girl meowed a couple of times when I didn't turn the record as soon as one side ended. (This is the same individual that on more than one occasion would meow at a photo of Koippari until I put on Amorphis, after which she fell silent with apparent satisfaction. Her approval of the new album seals my conviction.
)My favorite new song so far is Enemy At The Gates, no idea if it will turn up in the live set but it sure wouldn't hurt. All of them are excellent, though (that painfully bred amalgamation of two separate songs which was so aptly dubbed Sacrifice is growing on me, to
Enemy At The Gates is definitely one of the best in a magnificent album of great songs. It was the first one that impressed me and I will surely love to hear it live. But I don't raise my hopes too high, knowing from previous experience that I tend to like complex songs that are hard to perform live, hence they are not performed live, no matter how much I beg.
Track of the day for me today is White Night - another killer song
As for Sacrifice - it is not bad, but it simply pales compared to the others. That was my first impression and it holds. Still, there has to be a radio-friendly single, so I can live with that... What is upsetting about it is that being a single, it has to be played live, which means that it will take the spot of some better song from the album.
What is consoling is that Death Of A King will also have to be played live and it is a really good song.
The lyrics are also terrific
So is the sleeve design, colour scheme, fonts, print and overall production of the packaging (Sorry, I do pay attention to such stuff as well - call it professional deformation, but being a fucking pefrectionist, having worked in print media, mostly magazines, and having some knowledge of print and design, I tend to notice those things).
Obviously I can't praise the album enough
tuonelan
Mostly Harmless
Yes, and....? Could have leaked. Could have been slipped into a listening party and not reported upon (yeah, right). Someone could have bribed Niclas with some high quality shisha...
We've got resourceful people here. The possibilities are endless.
True, but apparently everyone's on the social networks and not here.
I guess we'll have to wait till Eury gets it and tells us about it.
Perhaps it will leak when it comes out. Most likely it will appear in the Russian torrent sites - I will keep an eye on them.
Eurynome
Kukkahattutäti
Circle took only two days from Tokyo to Vantaa but five from Vantaa to Helsinki, so by the time I get my copy of UTRC probably someone will already have posted the song.
Right, digipak was waiting in the letterbox today \m/
One listen through and straight off the bat standouts were the opening number and title track, excellent excellent stuff, Bad Blood its riff and melodies insane, The Skull was kick ass loved how it rolled into that kinda musical interlude after the first chous, Enemy At The Gates was great as was Tree Of Ages and White Night was sensational including the beautiful female vocals... Thankfully get the two bonus tracks both which were fantastic Come The Spring particularly!
So that's most the album already right? LOL, giving it another spin right away.
Great production and wonderful artwork/packaging etc...
One listen through and straight off the bat standouts were the opening number and title track, excellent excellent stuff, Bad Blood its riff and melodies insane, The Skull was kick ass loved how it rolled into that kinda musical interlude after the first chous, Enemy At The Gates was great as was Tree Of Ages and White Night was sensational including the beautiful female vocals... Thankfully get the two bonus tracks both which were fantastic Come The Spring particularly!
So that's most the album already right? LOL, giving it another spin right away.
Great production and wonderful artwork/packaging etc...
Tuuletar
Amokala
Good stuff in the new album
I like that there are additions like female vocals, flutes and church organs, while it's nice to hear how Tomi's singing has developed even to "black metal growls".
The Skull is one of my favourites because it's fine progressive-metal song with the beautiful interlude and Enemy At The Gates is another that I like a lot.
I really like all those oriental "kebab-vibes" in Death of A King (no wonder right after a holiday trip in Turkey ) and the folkish touch / flutes in Tree of Ages.
The title song and the bonus tracks belong to my favourites as well; besides the Moog melody in Winter's Sleep does remind me of Tales from the Thousand Lakes.
I like that there are additions like female vocals, flutes and church organs, while it's nice to hear how Tomi's singing has developed even to "black metal growls".
The Skull is one of my favourites because it's fine progressive-metal song with the beautiful interlude and Enemy At The Gates is another that I like a lot.
I really like all those oriental "kebab-vibes" in Death of A King (no wonder right after a holiday trip in Turkey
) and the folkish touch / flutes in Tree of Ages. The title song and the bonus tracks belong to my favourites as well; besides the Moog melody in Winter's Sleep does remind me of Tales from the Thousand Lakes.
