Amorphis - Am Universum

[veil the sky]

This album gets slated a lot. Probably by reviewers with pretensions about how metal should be, but it's their choice I suppose.

I think this album is an excellent work of songwriting and arrangement, not to mention production and performance.

What are people's thought on this and what are peep's fave songs?

My fave is: Shatters Within

 

[Draconamis]

I think Amorphis is one of the better metal bands around. They get almost no publicity-underground or otherwise-no one knows who they are, I don't think they've gone on tour anytime in recent years, but they still keep kicking, and they're kicking out great music.
I think it's too bad they aren't more well known, than they are.

 

[Lordenlil]

Personally I just stop listening to them. They were one of my all
time fave bands up until Tales From The Thousand Lakes... and
then I bought Elegy as it was released... and I thought
something like "What the m***f*** happened to Amorphis?!??"
I really tried to like it, and some parts were cool, but still....

I don't know all they did after that, I listened a little to Tuonela
(right?), and it seemed ok, and now I have no idea.

Maybe time for a 2nd chance ?!?

 

[ForeverScarreD]

Originally posted by Lordenlil
Personally I just stop listening to them. They were one of my all
time fave bands up until Tales From The Thousand Lakes... and
then I bought Elegy as it was released... and I thought
something like "What the m***f*** happened to Amorphis?!??"
I really tried to like it, and some parts were cool, but still....

I don't know all they did after that, I listened a little to Tuonela
(right?), and it seemed ok, and now I have no idea.

Maybe time for a 2nd chance ?!?

If you didn't like 'Elegy' or 'Tuonela' then you wont like 'Am..'. Personally I love all of their work, but 'Am...' the least. I'm not sure why, it just doesn't have the same effect on me as Elegy did when I first heard it.

Like a lot of reviewers will say, if you aren't a fan of more progressive metal or mellower metal then perhaps the more recent Amorphis efforts aren't for you.

 

[Elfbane]

Well I like Am Universum and Amorphis's more prog sound. As for favorite tracks, well, this is a good album to listen to the entire way through, but my favorites are Drifting Memories and Alone. But I really like the way the whole album "fits" together, every song fits into the context of the whole album.

I don't think that they'll ever top Tales though...

 

[Warmaster]

Am universum is a really good album.

Isn't boring, it's wonderful melancholical.
Voice is great and structure is near 70-rock.
Really a masterpiece of songwriting.

best song: veil of sin

Really this album keeps rocking.

I'm waiting for the next release.

 

[manuelgv]

I just have to agree with Veil here
I think Am Universum is probably their best work as non death metal. I just love grieve stricken heart.the sax,the keyboards,guitars and drums just match perfectly with everything,not to mention the voice.
I am a huge amorphis fan,I even have a 1000 copies limited LP

 

[veil the sky]

COOL!

So I'm not the only one who likes it. And I just noticed it has a song that sounds like me Veil of Sin. hehehe

That limited vinyl would be pretty sweet to own. It's just SUCH an influential album. I think after that Amorphis thought "well we're not going to make another 1000 lakes, so we'll move on to newer waters" (...er ..sorry . terrible pun)

I've always been into prog stuff like Camel, Rush and even Genesis (don't tell anyone I said that) so the newer stuff has never been much of a culture shock I suppose.

 

[SlaughterofSoul]

Originally posted by Warmaster

Voice is great and structure is near 70-rock.

I must now get this album. I love 70's rock. That is, if that's what he's talking about.

 

[wolf]

Yes,this is a great piece of art in the 70's style.Favourites are "Veil of Sin' And Shatters Within.

 

[manuelgv]

the 1000 copies >I have is from the vynil from black winter day with the light my fire cover
it's really good

 

[WikkidGurl]

I loved Tales from ... ALOT.
I loved that kind of metal.
I was skeptical at first of the newer style.
To me however they still display excellent musicianship and writing ability.
It grew on me after awhile.
I dont know if its the right album but I am obsessed with the song
"the way"

 

[JJPLANO]

"the way" is from Tuonela, their previus album.

in "AM..." things such as no completaly clean vocals, a sax and things like that piss off too many people. specially metal reviewers who sims to think that if you read their shit you are as closed minded as they are.

it's funny, but the artist has no fear in showing that they can/want to do different music (even if we don't share that), but a reviewer can't accept that he can listen and like non so metal music. it's sad.

 

[veil the sky]

........that's pretty much every reviewer in the world though. That's why they're reviewing CDs and not making them

That' my theory anyway.

 

[manuelgv]

I hate when some faggots start saying that amorphis are a bunch of pussies because they changed their style so much and all their albums should be like tales
tales... is amazing but also the next albums were amazing.if they had continued to do a bunch of albums like tales..
a)they could have never done another equally good
b)I would be sick and tired
c)I would be disappointed at them


finally veil the sky posted a thread without calling everyone cunts

 

[AjDeath]

I didn't like them then, I don't like them know, I don't know why, they aren't as good as some other bands that I listen to I guess, and I keep my syandards really high.

 

[Unklekronoz]

I think their newer material is very good , its well written and played . I prefer their musical progression a lot more than than say Paradise Lost or Anathema, both who I loved their earlier stuff but not the later .

 

[Mountain Man]

In my opinion these are Amorphis best albums:

Privilege Of Evil

Karelian Isthmus

Tales From The Thousand Lakes/Black Winter Day

After these albums I quit listening to them, I gave their new shit a try, but it's a no go for me. I don't know what happened to them!

 

[manuelgv]

they just evolved into something different.which in my opinion is as good as the other albums.

 

[ForeverScarreD]

Originally posted by Unklekronoz
I think their newer material is very good , its well written and played . I prefer their musical progression a lot more than than say Paradise Lost or Anathema, both who I loved their earlier stuff but not the later .

Yeah I'd agree with that. Both Anathema and PL have made great music, Anathema's later stuff is ok for the background or for hangover music or something, but other than that I'm not too keen. And PL's newer stuff is pretty cool, but not amazing, not too keen on that electro-rock kinda sound.