Things you like in Amorphis?

[Tuuletar]

To me the main thing is probably their "uncategorized" musical style, I find this kind of combo of metal and various influences from other genres intriguing. I like especially those folk influences, they bring certain feeling in the songs. In this way I have even become interested in those other genres and my music taste has become much more wider. And somehow the mood of their music (and lyrics) is also very inspiring to me.

Gigs are the another thing. I like that certain atmosphere at their gigs and I actually started to properly like the band after seeing a couple of live performs. Maybe it tells something, heh.

Third thing which comes to mind, are their album artworks. As long as I have listened to them, I have also liked this nature-themed stuff - I think that they fit the mood of the music well.

 

[orcslayr23]

I've never seen them live and i'm relatively new to their music, but I like how they can incorporate a lot of different styles while still having their own sound. They have some songs with very strong folk influences and others with not as much but it all seems natural, with nothing coming out of left field.

Plus (at least from Eclipse onward) I love how powerful and emotional the singer's voice is (it's a bonus that he screams, and that they are added in artfully rather than sticking to a formula). That's what drew me in to their music actually.

I really like the lyrics too and how well-written they are and that they tell a story.

 

[papajohnny]

Things that initially attracted me to Amorphis are not overly present in their music nowadays. It was the gloominess of the earlier releases (Tales in particular), the 'watery' production and feel of that album, and the unique atmosphere it created for me. I also linked Amorphis with some...well, let's say specific 'childhood' (more like early-to-mid teens) memories which I cherish.

From Eclipse and onward, the band has certainly developed a vastly different approach, but the whole nature and mythological feel is of great appeal to me. Not to mention the so-well-crafted lyrics, and of course, the aforementioned style that cannot fit into any genre limitations.

As for their proggy years, which were the last ones I fully got into, there is some specific atmosphere too. Especially on Tuonela. At moments melancholic, at moments very up-lifting. Similar feel is present in later works, but with Tomi J. it's a bit different than with Pasi. Great with both guys, but different. It's weird, the best way I'd put it is like the difference between late summer (Tomi) and early autumn (Pasi). There is in general a seasonal difference, but the weather is still similar. It depends on the mood more. Hope you get what I mean...

 

[tuonelan]

I love that the songs are epic and have a shamanistic worldview. That's a big one that resonates for me.

Beyond that I love the flow and the communication that the band has as an ensemble. They work together well as a unit. Also, I'm glad that they do not limit themselves to making 'metal' music -- the non-metal influences are crucial to the overall sound.

 

[Eurynome]

The guitar work - even before they line-up morphed into a stable entity, the interplay between Mssrs Koivusaari and Holopainen was the continuing thread that held it all together and created a recognizable "Amorphis sound". For example, Karelian Isthmus and Far From The Sun could hardly sound more different from each other, but you still find the common denominator of memorable guitar melodies. (Only on Am Universum they are largely missing, and to this day I have a problem with that album.)

More generally nowadays, the compositions, rhythms and instrumentation/arrangements on the whole, topped by Mr Joutsen's exceptional voice. The gigs are addictive - in my case quite literally, but I'm still refusing therapy.

The lyrics' strong connection to Finnish heritage is an added bonus, but to be honest, I usually listen to the music more than the words. Whenever Amorphis release a new album, I'm quicker to learn the songs on guitar than to memorize their lyrics, but that's ok because I can't sing anyway.

 

[Brell]

Things that initially attracted me to Amorphis are not overly present in their music nowadays. It was the gloominess of the earlier releases (Tales in particular), the 'watery' production and feel of that album, and the unique atmosphere it created for me.

This is exactly the same thing that drew me to the band at first. With a lot of the heavy bands I was listening to at the time, my favorite parts of songs would be any section that had sad, minor scale guitar melodies. Amorphis was the first band I ever heard where the majority of their songs seemed to be those types of parts. They had that dirty guitar tone that a lot of the Swedish death metal bands had, but their approach to death metal was completely different from anything I had heard up until then.

The reason Elegy blew me away because it was so different from Tales. The tone of the album was much brighter and diverse, more uplifting, but still had those gloomy guitar parts I craved. I never heard a band that could make songs sound happy, and sad, at the same time.

What I love about the Tomi J albums, is that they have a little bit of everything. Great singing, great growling, heavy riffs, gloomy guitar melodies, atmosphere, progressive elements, and catchy as hell. It scratches almost every itch that I have. If Jan starts adding in blast beats, there would be no reason for any other band to continue making music lol!