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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: ? on June 28, 2013, 09:22:05 AM
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So here it is, the Amorphis list thread! There aren't lots of Amorphis fans here, but the ones who like them seem to know their discography quite well, so I bet there will be at least a bit of interest in a thread like this. If you aren't familiar with Amorphis yet, but want to try and get into them, you can follow these lists and get good song recommendations ;)
I'm the first one to go and the following people are waiting for their turn:
-aprilethereal
-gazinwales
-MoraWintersoul
-eviljust
If you want to make a list as well, tell me and I'll add your name there :)
The reason there isn't any specific number in the thread title is that you can include as many songs as you want, although I think 40 would be a good maximum. I'm going to do separate top 20 lists for the 1992-2003 albums and the Tomi Joutsen era stuff, because Amorphis have so many great songs and I want the albums to be represented fairly. Besides, the amount of albums in each list is pretty equal (6 in the first, 5 in the second) and I think this is a good way to split the discography, because the line-up and sound of Amorphis have remained stable since Joutsen joined the band.
I'm not a great writer, so sorry if these writeups are subpar. Anyway, here we go - the first 6 albums are represented first:
20. Goddess (of the Sad Man) (Am Universum)
"Inhale all mists from the shadows
And hide before the dawn
Face your mortal horror
You won't be reborn"
I had a hard time deciding whether this song or Captured State (a criminally underrated piece!) would make my list, but in the end I chose Goddess because of its captivating atmosphere. The intro is very explosive, although not heavy, and the song has many interesting, effect-laden guitar parts. Pasi also sounds really good here and I love the way he sings the last line in the quote above (both times). The lyrics are also cryptic and interesting, making you wonder who/what the "goddess" in the song is.
19. Elegy (Elegy)
"Beneath the grass my treasure
Under the sand my sweet one"
The title-track of Elegy is the longest Amorphis song ever and the only song Kim Rantala composed all by himself while he was still in the band. I've heard he wrote it when he was 14, but I don't know if it's just a rumor. Kim's piano playing is very beautiful and towards the end it becomes especially clear that this song was written by a keyboard player - you can hear piano, lead synth and Hammond organ at the same time! The lyrics deal with the subject of losing your loved one (ancient Finns were goths before it was cool :neverusethis:), which fits the melancholic nature of the music. Elegy is a song full of emotion and I'm obviously a fan of emotional and sad music, so it shouldn't be hard to guess why I like the song :D
18. Weeper on the Shore (Elegy)
"What sorrow and smart
So pierces your heart
That even at midnight it will not depart?"
Weeper on the Shore is a kind of hidden gem, since it doesn't seem to be very popular compared to other songs on Elegy and it's the only one from that album they haven't played live since Tomi Joutsen joined the band. This song has some gorgeous acoustic guitar playing and neat keyboard work. One of the aspects I love about Elegy is that the growl/clean ratio in the vocals is equal in many songs, which gives the music a nice balance, and WOTS is a great example of that. After the second chorus the song starts to explore other territories with a great instrumental section. Words fail to describe how much I love the unison when it comes back at the end of the song in a higher key and as a harmonized version :heart
17. Day of Your Beliefs (Far from the Sun)
"It's a day of the ruins
The time of your relief
It's a day of the judgments
The day of your beliefs"
Day of Your Beliefs has a special meaning to me, because it's the first Amorphis song I ever heard - it was played on the radio upon its release (I didn't become a fan until 2008, though). It stands out on Far from the Sun because it has a nice folky melody. I'm not the biggest folk metal fan out there, so I'm not sure if folk elements would've made the rest of the album better, but DOYB is the only tune that I really like on the record. It has some actual energy and lots of catchiness, which is why it's the only FFTS song on my list (spoiler!).
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I don't know any of these! :metal :metal
But I will now go listen to them.
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That's the right thing to do! :tup
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Hmm, after listening to all the songs, I'd say Goddess was my favorite. Both songs from Elegy seemed a bit muddy, but that's probably just YouTube quality.
Looking forward to the rest!
and then I'll have to buy all the albums
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The production of Elegy is a bit muddy, so I bet it isn't just the YT quality. It's a really good album nonetheless.
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And it's underway! :popcorn: Love all of these, not much to say!
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I'll be following this. I tend to prefer the Joutsen era, so not all of the songs so far are among my favorites, but it's still interesting to read the commentary.
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Great choices so far, although I would rank Elegy at leat 15 places higher :D
-aprilethereal (probably?)
I'd defintely like to do one, but it will be one list for all Amorphis eras.
Unfortunately I won't be able to visit DTF next week, but after that, I'll be following again.
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I confirmed your spot! :tup I'll post another batch right away (I'll try to update this every day, so I should be done in approximately two weeks):
16. Divinity (Tuonela)
"Last day brings the grace
For bearers of forbidden name
Step into five fold mace
As son as father in a frame"
Divinity begins with atmospheric keyboards and some subtle drum strokes before the heavy guitars join the "DA-DAM DA-DAM" and Pasi starts singing. Although this song was the single and video track for Tuonela, it isn't as obviously catchy as modern day Amorphis hits. That said, it is a really powerful song with great melodies. There are some moments of sheer brilliance like the unison at the end and the way Pasi growls the last word at the end of each chorus.
15. The Castaway (Tales from the Thousand Lakes)
"A bird flew out of Lapland
An eagle from the North East
One wing ruffled the water
And the other swept the sky"
The Castaway shows how versatile Amorphis can be: it begins with a folky melody, but suddenly they travel from Finland to Arabia when the Eastern-sounding riff kicks in. The growls give the song heaviness and after the "fake ending" there's a cool 70s style chillout section before Mr. Koivusaari plays his only Amorphis solo to date. And what a brilliant solo it is... :hefdaddy The Castaway is also famous for the fact that during the recording of this song producer Tomas Skogsberg asked the Amorphis guys if their record label knew what they were doing :D Although Tales... was a very unique album at its time, this song is probably even further away from standard death metal than the rest of the songs.
14. On Rich and Poor (Elegy)
"At the time we lived
Without the sunshine
Who had covered up our sun
And who had hidden our moon?"
On Rich and Poor is full of melodies in the typical Amorphis fashion, but it's a very balanced song. Not only is the amount of growls and clean vocals almost equal, but the folky melody after the first clean vocal part offers some brightness after the slightly melancholic beginning, despite not sounding exactly happy. This actually fits the lyrics that deal with living in constant darkness; it's like this brighter melody is the part where the people finally get some light. Anyway, that's just my interpretation :lol I also love the drumming at the end - Pekka Kasari has good feet for double pedal work, having played with speed metallers Stone when he was younger.
13. Thousand Lakes/Into Hiding (Tales from the Thousand Lakes)
"Wanted to soar heavenward
The sun burnt his cheeks
The moon lit his brows"
This may be cheating, but these 2 pieces are simply one of the best ways to open an album I've ever heard, and one of my favorite Amorphis live experiences was last December when Thousand Lakes started playing and they came back, beginning the encore with Into Hiding. Thousand Lakes is a neat intro for the record and I love playing it on piano (maybe I should post a cover? :P). It flows nicely into Into Hiding (lol), which happens to be Tomi Joutsen's favorite Amorphis song. Although I don't love it as much, IH kicks all kinds of ass with its awesome riffs. It also gave the world the first taste of Amorphis with clean vocals and in the end there's a really cool bass solo. What's there not to like? :biggrin:
Also, some of these songs have been released as new versions on the Magic & Mayhem compilation, but I'm writing about the original versions, although I have to admit most of the remakes are better. I tried to rank these songs based on the songwriting itself, not any particular version or recording.
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Of Rich And Poor should be about 10 places higher :P
Awesome songs. The outro of The Castaway is one of the best moments of the band's carreer :tup
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Of Rich And Poor should be about 10 places higher :P
Don't give too many spoilers about your list! :biggrin:
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I said "should", not "is" :D
But you're probably right.
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Well, you didn't reveal the exact position, but it makes guessing easier :P
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I haven't finished my list yet, so I don't even know :biggrin:
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Add me to the list please, I'll work on mine over the next few days.
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Add me to the list please, I'll work on mine over the next few days.
Done!
12. Better Unborn (Elegy)
"Better it would be for me
And better it would have been
Had I not been born, not grown
Not been brought into the world
Not had to come to this earth
Not been suckled for the world"
Some fans have called the Eastern-influenced Amorphis songs "kebab metal" and I guess Better Unborn is one of the first in this category, if not THE first. It's also clear that Amorphis members had been listening to Kingston Wall in those days - actually Petri Walli was asked to play sitar on Elegy, but he committed suicide before the recording of the album, so Esa ended up playing it instead. Anyway, the sitar sounds really cool and I love the exotic yet heavy feel of this song. Pasi also makes a good debut appearance as the singer of Amorphis on this tune. I think the outro could've been a tad shorter, but it doesn't bother me too much.
11. Greed (Tuonela)
"My blood flows ever skywawrd
And pools where thy black is white
Alone am I to raise my head
In the starless forest night"
And here comes another kebab metal piece! Greed is pretty different from the rest of Tuonela due to being the only song that employs grunts for more than just one word or line. It was also the first song written for the album, so it was like a farewell to their death metal roots. Just like in Better Unborn, there's some sitar (this time played by Koivusaari) and the influence of Kingston Wall is strong, especially in the clean vocals. The whole song is awesome and Pasi's growling rules, but I especially love the riff before and after the clean vocal part and think it's one of the best Amorphis have ever come up with. It's depressive to think that Greed is the only Tuonela song I've heard live, but hopefully that will change in the future. That said, I'll never forget how much ass it kicked in 2011! :2metal:
10. Exile of the Sons of Uisliu (The Karelian Isthmus)
"For him I poured out - hero of heroes
The deadly drink that killed him"
I'm not really a fan of standard (read: not melodic or proggy) death metal, so Amorphis' debut doesn't include a lot of stuff I can say I love. However, even before hearing the 2010 remake I thought this song was great and stood out as the best one on the album. Exile... is a great death metal song with some phenomenal riffs, like the one after the part quoted above (which was also kind of recycled in the middle section of Hopeless Days). As a fan of doom metal I love the slow section with the amazing guitar harmonies. Also, is it just me or does Koippari's growl at the beginning of the song sound like he's taking a dump? :lol It always sounds pretty funny to me.
9. Rusty Moon (Tuonela)
"Iron does as iron's told
And drinks of life's red gold
But shame won't leave with dying breath
The life that wants its own death"
Rusty Moon is a really relaxing song that I absolutely adore. It never fails to make me smile, although the lyrics are slightly bleak. Sakari Kukko's flute work is amazing and he really steals the show here, despite being just a guest musician. It's great that we got to hear him play flute again on Circle. What else can I say? I chattered quite a bit about the previous few songs, but I don't have enough words to describe how much I love Rusty Moon. If you haven't seen the acoustic version Amorphis played last year on the Finnish concert hall tour (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXc4hxAPmkM), check it out immediately! I'm still sad I didn't get to see any of those shows... :sad:
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I think I'm matching 3 or 4 of your choices, but I haven't done the first 3 albums yet and it will only be Tales and Elegy as I have never heard the first album.
I'm almost afraid to hear it ???
Not to piss on anything, but also found on, 'Tuonela' album, is another song with death vocals, 'Northern Lights' is the last song on my Aussie version of the CD ;D
I think it was also on the Japanese and other territories version of the album too.
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Yeah, I know Northern Lights and it's a neat song, but Greed was the only song with growls on the standard edition of Tuonela.
TKI is worth a listen if you're curious to hear how it all began, but the best songs on the album were re-recorded for Magic & Mayhem, so it's not a huge loss if you haven't heard it.
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So far not a single song from the only two albums I know. Does this mean they are ahead of us or too far behind to be seen? ::)
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As I said in the OP, I'm doing 2 lists: this first one only includes songs from the first 6 albums and the next will be dedicated to the newer stuff. The Joutsen-era list will have its fair share of Skyforger and Circle, so there will be familiar songs ;) And of course you could give at least some of these unfamiliar tunes a listen if my writeups sound interesting :biggrin:
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Time for a few obscure non-metal songs:
8. Veil of Sin (Am Universum)
"Is it just an omen
Is it me walking blindly
I will find the answer
When I wake up from my dream"
Am Universum on the whole is an album that takes a lot of time to click, but I didn't start loving Veil of Sin until earlier this year (basically 4½ years after I had heard it for the first time!), because I always found it kind of boring and never gave it a proper chance. What a fool I was! This song is incredibly melancholic - Esa's lead during the pre-chorus and the chord progression underneath it are really beautiful, and so are the piano, acoustic guitars, sax... everything! My only little gripe is that the lyrics suffer from an abundance of grammar mistakes, but fortunately they don't lessen the impact of the music. A little piece of trivia: Amorphis premiered this song live at a show in Oulu in March 2009 and it was dedicated to Sentenced guitarist Miika Tenkula, who had passed away a couple of weeks earlier and lived in the municipality of Muhos in the same area. Classy move, I'd say!
7. Summer's End (Tuonela)
"Tread my path to summer's end
This bequest I leave you she says
You will see what could be evergreen
Turn to copper and fade to gray"
More melancholy... Due to its title Summer's End always reminds me of how depressed I've felt every time my summer vacation has ended. The music truly captures the feeling of a change of seasons and the end of something beautiful. The lyrics also remind us that nothing lasts forever. Just like Veil of Sin, Summer's End is a touching song and one of those pieces of music that really make you feel something. I also have to point out how great Pasi's vocals are here: he shows he's (or at least was) not a one-trick pony as a vocalist, sounding soft, but also using a harsher tone when needed.
6. Shatters Within (Am Universum)
"It's an old man's pride
That climbs over understanding
It wasn't your child
That I was hurting"
Shatters Within is a really underrated song that most people seem to ignore completely. I don't get that at all, because I think it's amazing :hefdaddy Like Veil of Sin, it took some time to grow, but now I just can't help loving the build-up, brilliant guitar work, strong vocals, etc. The lyrics are really cryptic, which is usual for mid-era Amorphis, and it kind of annoys me that I can't come up with any good interpretation of them. Anyway, I know I mentioned the guitars earlier, but I have to say Esa truly shines here - his role on Am Universum isn't as big as on other albums, but every time he plays a lead it's a very tasty one.
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I have a good idea what your #1 will be :-X
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I bet you're not the only one... :lol
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One more Amorphis fan calling in.
Will follow this thread and maybe even make some comments, but be warned that most times I'm just too lazy to post.
List is looking good so far.
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One more Amorphis fan calling in.
:metal
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Oh crap, I forgot to listen to these. I shall do so later tonight.
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A little colony of Amorphis fans :heart
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A little colony of Amorphis fans :heart
I'm moving ever so close to this destination as well.
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Yesterday's update included some less popular songs, but these 3 are well-known classics:
5. Black Winter Day (Tales from the Thousand Lakes)
"A black winter day
No, darker than that
Gloomier than an autumn night"
Hearing someone shout the title of Black Winter Day at an Amorphis show isn't unusual at all, because it's always been one of their most popular songs. It was the first Amorphis song to get a music video (which is awful IMO) and it was also released as an EP. Kasper Mårtenson's father Lasse Mårtenson is a legendary Finnish musician who has written many waltzes and Black Winter Day is like a melodeath waltz, so Kasper may have been subconsciously influenced by his dad. Black Winter Day sounds very Finnish, both musically and lyrically - there's a deep sense of gloom. I love Kasper's signature piano/Moog intro and the Moog solo, and Esa's leads and Tomi K's growls also make this song very memorable. Unfortunately Ville Tuomi's clean vocals don't sound too great, but luckily we have the version with Tomi Joutsen.
4. My Kantele (Elegy)
"So it will not play, will not rejoice at all
Music will not play to please
Give off the right sort of joy
For it was fashioned from cares
Moulded from sorrow"
My Kantele is another immortal classic and could be called Amorphis' signature song, because it combines the different elements of their music so well. The "electric" version has great vocals by both Tomi K and Pasi, cool keyboards and of course there are Esa's signature leads. If I was forced to choose between it and the acoustic version, I'd pick the latter, because I love the feel of it a bit more and the accordion solo and the sitar outro are simply so great. That said, the ultimate rendition has to be the one on the Magic & Mayhem compilation, because it combines both. Anyway, Mike Antele (lol) is also a very Finnish song - the lyrics deal with our national instrument and how it was "moulded from sorrow". Because of that I've always thought Amorphis should've used an actual kantele on this song. My sister is a kantele player, so maybe I should ask her to learn the outro of the acoustic version? :P
3. Drowned Maid (Tales from the Thousand Lakes)
"Waters of the sea
So much blood of mine
Fishes of the sea
So much flesh of mine"
Drowned Maid is one of the more metallic songs on Thousand Lakes, yet its full of melodies at the same time. This may sound paradoxical, but that's exactly what makes this song so freaking awesome! It's really heavy and badass, but you can hum along to the pleasant melodies. The chorus melody is magnificient :hefdaddy I've heard half the songs from Tales live, but never this one. However, they've been playing it recently, so I need to keep my fingers crossed! One more fun fact (I've told you many of these :lol): Tomi K heard one of the melodies in this song in his dream and recorded it immediately after waking up. It would've been a tragedy if he had forgotten about it!
Top 2 will be revealed tomorrow, any guesses?
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I'm hoping Sampo is one if the two (pretty much the only Amorphis song I've heard, although I'm going to use your list as an introduction).
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Sampo -> Tomi Joutsen era -> separate top 20, so it will come later, if it comes at all
I'd like to mention that any top 20 without including "The Way" would be sincerely incomplete.
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Sampo -> Tomi Joutsen era -> separate top 20, so it will come later, if it comes at all
Ah, I must have missed that.
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My money was on My Kantele for #1
But I'm going to go with 2 Elegy songs in you last 2.
One will be Against Widows and the other I'm not quite sure...
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I always referred to BWD as a melodeath waltz!
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I always referred to BWD as a melodeath waltz!
:hifive:
Off-topic, but have you noticed any similarities between BWD and Forlorn Waves by Barren Earth?
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Not consciously, but now I know why FW is my favorite Barren Earth song :lol
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It is a great song indeed :metal I've noticed some structrural similarities, but I won't go into detail here, because it would derail the thread.
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Like, with ADTOE and I&W? :neverusethis:
Seriously, though, cool list. I only know TftTL from that early batch, though I have Elegy ordered. Castaway and Drowned Maid are my favourites from that album, so cool to see them here as well.
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Like, with ADTOE and I&W? :neverusethis:
:lol
Elegy is a really good album and I think you might also like Tuonela, although it's pretty different :)
Anyway, before I forget, here's the list so far for those who are too lazy to check through page 1:
20. Goddess (of the Sad Man)
19. Elegy
18. Weeper on the Shore
17. Day of Your Beliefs
16. Divinity
15. The Castaway
14. On Rich and Poor
13. Thousand Lakes/Into Hiding
12. Better Unborn
11. Greed
10. Exile of the Sons of Uisliu
9. Rusty Moon
8. Veil of Sin
7. Summer's End
6. Shatters Within
5. Black Winter Day
4. Mike Antele
3. Drowned Maid
I can already tell that one of you guessed one of the top 2 songs right - whether it was Kwyjibo or Gaz and which the other song is will be revealed tomorrow, so keep speculating! ;)
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Are you ready for the grand finale? :zydar:
2. The Way (Tuonela)
"As the flowers wither
I will forget my pain
Since the stars have shone
The devil has shown me the way"
As Kwyjibo said, it would be a shame if this song didn't appear on a list of the best pre-Joutsen Amorphis songs. The Way opens Tuonela and is clearly more modern-sounding than anything on the first 3 albums. It's also the first Amorphis song to feature the use of delay on guitars, which would become a signature element of Amorphis' music. Everything about The Way is simply perfect: the atmospheric intro, Tomi K's cool pinch harmonics, the proggy rhythm during the verse, the wah-laden part, the soaring chorus, Santeri's nice keyboard lead and Esa's incredible solo, which is easily one of his best. This song manages to send crazy shivers up and down my spine... :hefdaddy
1. Alone (Am Universum)
"There are no flowers on your grave
There are no chains
There I keep chanting for the forgotten name"
Alone is a very Floyd-influenced song: the main riff with the delay effect has a clear Run Like Hell vibe. However, it doesn't sound like a rip-off at all, because Amorphis have managed to make it very unique. Alone has a cool atmospheric intro and an excellent buildup, becoming incredibly powerful when the catchy chorus begins. If it doesn't grab you by your throat, then nothing will. The little "stand up!" growl sounds so commanding - it's like "YOU WILL STAND UP RIGHT NOW, MOTHERFUCKER!" and of course it's even more awesome when growled by Mr. Joutsen. Alone also includes the best sax solo of all time (sorry Another Day!) and the guitar solo in the outro is jaw-dropping to say the least: the fact that I always have to rewind and listen to it at least 3 times before I can move on to another song says something! I could listen to it forever, too bad they always end the song right before it live... :sad:
tl;dr version: Alone (as well as The Way) is sheer perfection - listen to it immediately if you haven't heard it before!
Thanks to everyone who followed, hopefully you'll stay tuned when I start the Joutsen era list tomorrow! :) Who knows, maybe there will be even more people in for the ride?
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Truly great choices. :metal
How could I have forgotten Alone :facepalm: it is definitely one of the best, though personally I would put Alone at No. 2 and The Way at No. 1. But maybe that has to do with the fact that The Way was my introduction to Amorphis.
Tuonela was my first Amorphis record, lend to me by a friend and right from the start (The Way) I liked what I heard.
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Yeah, I'm surprised no-one mentioned Alone, because it's pretty well-known and there had already been other songs from AU on my list.
BTW, I copied the lyrics from Song Meanings website and one of the comments on Alone was this: "very bad ass song, its about being alone" :orly:
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And here we go again...
20. Majestic Beast (Skyforger)
"In the bowels of rocky mountain
A fiery bird I forged
Forged from iron, from molten steel
A flaming eagle, majestic beast"
Majestic Beast is a majestic song (see what I did there? :neverusethis:) and definitely the heaviest on Skyforger. It's slightly reminiscent of Ghost Reveries-era Opeth while retaining the recognizable Amorphis sound. Tomi J delivers what may be his most brutal growl performance prior to Circle and the transition from the final chorus to the growled ending is the quickest change of vocal styles I have witnessed live (it's also awesome on the DVD). I also love Esa's lead during the chorus. Not much else to say here; Majestic Beast is a really good heavier Amorphis tune.
19. Crack in a Stone (The Beginning of Times)
"One path there to be known
One sign in a dream
In time just one direction
One star in my mind"
When I saw Amorphis live on the TBOT tour, Tomi J introduced Crack in a Stone saying it reminds him of a chasing scene in some movie. That's a pretty good description, since it has to be the most cinematic-sounding song Amorphis have released - the keyboards are symphonic and the whole song has an epic feel. I love the big chorus and Santeri's keyboard solo, and the ending is simply badass! :metal
18. Skyforger (Skyforger)
"In solitude I measure out
The range of barren lands
I drain unto the nothingness
The intersecting curves"
The title-track of Skyforger starts in a folky way with a melody reminiscent of Born from Fire. Skyforger is a powerful song that would work well as an opener (unfortunately I've only heard the intro tape instead of the full song live) and the chorus and the middle part feature some awesome vocals by Joutsen. The ending with the call-and-response vocals is also a great sing-along moment.
17. Shades of Gray (Circle)
"These nights I should fear
These lights I should not follow
This road to nowhere leads
I wander around in circles"
I have a special relationship with Shades of Gray: the first time I heard the main riff in the studio report I was blown away, then I heard it live in December when it was still called Mehtä, and in April I finally got to listen to the song on CD, so the circle was complete. Shades of Gray is a kickass opener and offers some of the most crushing music Amorphis have played in almost two decades. I thought it was pretty good when I heard it in December, but the album version convinced me even more, thanks to Joutsen's surprising screams and the awesome vocal harmonies in the chorus - the song felt slightly incomplete without those two elements. Oh, and let's not forget the amazing interlude! Dat melody... :heart
Unfortunately I have to put the list on hiatus until Monday because I'll have other things to do over the weekend, but that will only give others more time to compile their own lists, so hopefully you won't mind.
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Hey! There's finally some I know! (well, one, Majestic Beast) :metal
Anyway, sorry I haven't been commenting, but I have been reading, and listening.
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You know what? Over the course of your last list, I have discovered that I probably prefer the earlier stuff to the Tomi J era. I mean, yeah, the latter is more consistent, and doesn't have clunkers like Far from the Sun or The Karelian Isthmus, but it's much more varied - who'd think that Am Universum and Tales would be the same band? :hefdaddy - and with far higher highs. Better Unborn, Drowned Maid, Alone, to only name a few are all better than any track from the Tomi J era, in my opinion.
The ones listed are very cool, though. Majestic Beast is one of my favourites from Skyforger, along with From Earth I Rose and Sampo, so I'm hoping that those two make an appearance as well. I haven't checked out TBOT out yet, since the consensus seems to be that it's more of the same, only slightly weaker.
As with what's still to come, I'm thinking Sampo, Nightbird's Song and Enchanted by the Moon, definitely. I'm sure I'm also forgetting some others that will have me facepalming, but oh well.
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You know what? Over the course of your last list, I have discovered that I probably prefer the earlier stuff to the Tomi J era. I mean, yeah, the latter is more consistent, and doesn't have clunkers like Far from the Sun or The Karelian Isthmus, but it's much more varied - who'd think that Am Universum and Tales would be the same band? :hefdaddy - and with far higher highs. Better Unborn, Drowned Maid, Alone, to only name a few are all better than any track from the Tomi J era, in my opinion.
Actually I think I agree with you in a way. Of course I love the new stuff (Skyforger is my favorite album) and its highs are just as high as on the older records, they've stayed really consistent and Tomi J is easily the best singer this band has ever had, but at the same time I kind of wish they could surprise me with each new album, at least slightly. Well, they've found a formula they're happy with and Circle proves that they can still mix things up a little bit, but I hope they won't stop trying new things altogether.
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This is my main gripe when it comes to Joutsen era Amorphis. The singer is better, the songs are not worse, mostly the sound and the production is better, but they have lost the will (or maybe need) to change. Haven't heard Circle yet, so can't comment on that one.
When I look at their discography I see a change after each two records. From the death metal of Karelian Isthmus/TFTTL to the more melodic but still growly Elegy/Tuonela, then on to the least metal and more hard rocking Am Universum/FFTS and a kind of reboot and mixture of all previous styles with Eclipse and Silent Waters.
So after Silent Waters I kind of expected another turn in a slightly different direction but Skyforger and TBOT are mostly the same records with different songs. I get that they found their style that they are happy and successful with, but for me it sometimes feels like they have entered a comfort zone and are not wanting to experiment or take any risks any more. Not that every change brought better songs but at least it kept things interesting.
I know that this is complaining on a very high level because their music is still great and hopefully remains so.
Back to topic: I especially love Skyforger and the ending with the choir and the growls is just awesome.
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This is my main gripe when it comes to Joutsen era Amorphis. The singer is better, the songs are not worse, mostly the sound and the production is better, but they have lost the will (or maybe need) to change. Haven't heard Circle yet, so can't comment on that one.
Circle is a bit different from the previous albums, so it's definitely worth listening to! The changes aren't drastic, but there are songs that I can't imagine fitting on the previous 4 albums. Make sure you also listen to the bonus tracks ;)
I realized I can give you guys one more update before Monday, so here it comes:
16. I of Crimson Blood (Silent Waters)
"Ablaze are my eyes
My soul consumed by woe
My braids weaved by the wind
An image in my mind"
I read a review of Silent Waters where it was said that you can recognize the performer of this song to be Amorphis after the first few piano notes and I think that's true. It's a typical Amorphis song, but not in a bad way: the main melody is great, Joutsen's vocals are passionate and there's plenty of dynamics. I of Crimson Blood also works surprisingly well as a gig opener - before the show I saw in December I thought it would be too slow and not energetic enough, but I was proven wrong.
15. My Future (Circle sessions)
"I heard the call
I knew the form
I ran no more
From what I can't escape"
When I heard My Future for the first time all I could think was "WHY IS THIS NOT ON THE ALBUM?!". It's quite proggy and epic by Amorphis standards and the longest song they've written since Elegy. I love the piano intro and the melodic main part of the song, but the climax is definitely the instrumental section that starts with the cool bass riff, continues with nice female vocals and ends with some awesome soloing and a unison by Esa and Santeri. This is the closest Amorphis have ever got to sounding like Dream Theater! My Future is one of the most interesting Amorphis songs ever and I think it was a huge mistake on the band's part to make it a bonus track. I hope there will be more stuff like this on the next album...
14. Leaves Scar (Eclipse)
"Now I know how to do things
No longer will I listen to any talk
Now I know and it's working
Everything hurts inside of me"
Leaves Scar is the song that introduced Tomi Joutsen's mighty death growl to the world and also showed that Amorphis are metal again. The moment the acoustic guitars and flute get replaced with distorted guitars and drums is one of the most crushing transitions in the Amorphis catalogue! :metal The verses and the chorus are really powerful, but I also love the part where the acoustic guitars come back and Tomi sings in a more fragile way.
13. Towards and Against (Silent Waters)
"Because of treason I now shall leave
Because of my blood burning my soul
And now I raise this flaming sword
Towards darkness, against everyone"
The beginning of Towards and Against may make you wonder if Amo have gone electronic, but soon the delay riff (which reminds me of On Most Surfaces by The Gathering) proves you wrong. Towards and Against is a bit like Leaves Scar in a way, being a very powerful song, but due to its longer duration it's more effective. The heavier version of the delay riff kicks ass, Joutsen proves his versatility once again and the chorus just begs to be sung along to!
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Bumping this in case someone missed the last update.
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I did! Now that I am exam-free, I can comment:
19. Crack in a Stone (The Beginning of Times)
18. Skyforger (Skyforger)
17. Shades of Gray (Circle)
Crack In A Stone is pretty unusual as TBOT tracks go - sometimes I even skip it, at other times I just throw myself into it. Skyforger is similar really, whenever I play random tracks off Skyforger I almost never play it. However, I love them both to death. I had the exact same experience with Shades Of Gray, except with the "seeing Amo live" part :biggrin:
16. I of Crimson Blood (Silent Waters)
15. My Future (Circle sessions)
13. Towards and Against (Silent Waters)
If I said these are my two favorites off Silent Waters, I'd be spoiling my list... and I just did :lol My Future definitely should have been a part of Circle.
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Here's my top 20 from the 'old' era, kept the same good format as you did.
20. Morning Star – (Tuonela)
“Watch to the eyes of morning star
beckon for the savior
but it’s much too far”
This is the song that heralds the new Amorphis sound gone are the growls, the guitars are less metallic and OP bass is high in the mix.
19. Rusty Moon – (Tuonela)
“Bathed in the rust of moon
is the dead bed’s lullaby”
The Tuonela album is a tough album to pick highlights from, as it was my first real taste of Amorphis (after a false start with Elegy, but that is a another story). This song is rather unusual, as the flute pretty much dominates, Pasi’s lyrics are pretty strange (as usual), combined, and this song is almost hypnotic.
18. Summers End – (Tuonela)
“Tread my path to summers end”
Another OP bass driven song, that evokes images of the end of a long hot summer, watching the sunset, drifting off into the night sky and darkness.
17. Day Of Your Beliefs – (Far From The Sun)
“I can hear your yearnings, your anguished cries”
Probably my least liked Amorphis album, but has a couple of songs that stand out. This is one of them, the Hammond like sounds remind me a of Deep Purple a lot. I saw them on this tour, they looked bored, tired and pissed off.
16. Evil Inside – (Far From The Sun)
“Kiss the devil’s mark, like a self-denial without temptation”
Again some very Deep Purple-esque keyboards, with some great riffing in the chorus. Pasi has some strange effect on his vocals, that are almost creepy.
15. The Castaway (Tales From The Thousand Lakes)
“A bird flew out of Lapland
An eagle from the North East”
I actually could never make out the lyrics to this song, until I looked them up for this. Love the guitars on this one, the melody and the riffs.
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14. The Brother Slayer/The Lost Son (Brother Slayer Part II) (My Kantele EP)
“Why is there blood upon your feet
my son, my merry son?”
Well technically 2 songs, but often forgotten on the lost gem that is the, ‘My Kantele’ EP.
13. Grief Stricken Heart (Am Universum)
“Your helping hand is killing me
If you see me suffer it's not your victory”
More strange lyrics from Pasi, a lot of his words are very interesting, to the point of I have no idea!
12. Drifting Memories (Am Universum)
“Drifting in your shady memories
Where to go when sorrow breeds”
I am a sucker for metal mixed with a sax and this song is the perfect combination.
11. The Way (Tuonela)
“Since the stars have shone
The devil has shown me the way”
Tuonela, was the first album where Pasi took care of all the lyrics, with this came the change in music too and this opener is perfect.
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I hadn't finished my list yet, but since I need to take a break, I'll let you go ahead. Morning Star, The Brother-Slayer, Drifting Memories and GSH are all really good (especially Morning Star), but I don't like Evil Inside at all. The rest appeared on my list, so it's needless to say that I love them :tup
16. I of Crimson Blood (Silent Waters)
15. My Future (Circle sessions)
13. Towards and Against (Silent Waters)
If I said these are my two favorites off Silent Waters, I'd be spoiling my list... and I just did :lol
You didn't give out any spoilers during my previous list, so that's ok :D
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10. Black Winter Day (Tales From The Thousand Lakes)
“But how do I feel
In my gloomy depths?”
An old favourite, probably a classic, so I have to include this.
09. The Orphan (Elegy)
“The calloo's spirits are low
Swimming on the chill water”
The opening intro to this is just so eerie and perfect.
08. Against Widows (Elegy)
“The Devils weds a widow
Death another's leftovers”
That riff, that melody and the fast part at the end, and some strange lyrics.
07. Elegy (Elegy)
“In the soil she's mouldering
Under the sand my sweet one
Beneath the grass my treasure
The one I grieve for”
The title track from the colossal, ‘Elegy’ album, no doubt my favourite album from the old era.
06. Cares (Elegy)
“Drag my cares away
Carry off my griefs”
This song has it all, the great riffs, growls, disco beats!
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05. Smithereens ( Far From The Sun)
“this fire hunts the soulless and the weak
bursting out the madness in me”
The final song, on the last album with Pasi, a fitting ending.
04. Song of the Troubled One (Elegy)
Yes another, ‘Elegy’ song, Tomi’s growls here are working well, and I’m not a massive fan of his cookie monster vox.
03. Weeper On The Shore (Elegy)
“I cast my eyes downward upon the seaside
And a fair young girl on the shore I espied”
Pasi and Tomi’s vocals working in perfect harmony here, as is everything else.
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By this point it's pretty clear which album is your favorite :lol The disco beat in Cares is funny and the melody towards the end of Smithereens reminds me of The Phantom of the Opera. The message of the poem used in Against Widows is that it's sinful to marry (or sleep with) a widow and you belong to the devil if you do that.
I think Alone may be in the top 2...
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02. Alone (Am Universum)
“There are no flowers on your grave
There are no chains
There I keep chanting for the forgotten name”
Floyd influences, some great sax and great vocals from Pasi, love the ‘stand up’ line.
01. My Kantele (Elegy)
I think that this was the first Amorphis song that really stuck me and made me take notice that this band were pretty damned good. One of my fave ever keyboard solo’s too.
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I was just about to edit my post to add that My Kantele is also a safe bet :lol Lots of good picks and songs that don't get much love (even from me), good job! :tup If the next list progresses as quickly, then I can probably continue mine on Monday as I originally intended.
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Thanks mate, was pretty tough to pick this list, but the Tomi J list will be even tougher, so many great songs.
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I'll go on a trip tomorrow and another on Thursday, so I need to take a longer hiatus than I expected - I promise I'll give the next update by next Monday. Anyway, this means that Gaz won't have to hurry with his second list.
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What the hell, I'll give you the new update now, so you won't have to wait for so long:
12. Song of the Sage (The Beginning of Times)
"No man nor a god, with a sword he carved
With a feather he conjured
An instrument from the bone of fish
A kantele from the jaws of a pike"
Song of the Sage is a really folky tune with some Tullcore (thanks to black_floyd for the term!). The flute playing is awesome, Santeri's keyboard leads after the second and final chorus are cool and I love the acoustic guitar-driven part in the middle. Too bad this song didn't really work when I heard it live - there should've been an additional vocalist to help with the call-and-response vocals in the verses. However, I love the studio version and that's all that matters.
11. Nightbird's Song (Circle)
"They run beneath the stars
They rush on the road of night
They glide on the glass of time
They ride on a pale and frozen lake"
Nightbird's Song begins like a typical Amorphis song, but the first heavy riff says hello to the land of fjords and even Joutsen's vocals are very black metalish. In one interview Esa said he thought Tägtgren had performed the vocals in the chorus when he listened to it for the first time! Despite the brutality Nightbird's Song also has some Tullcore - it's like an evil twin to Song of the Sage :D Judging by reviews and fans' comments on the Internet this song seems to be the most popular tune on Circle, but it's not my favorite despite being really great (wink wink!).
10. Battle for Light (The Beginning of Times)
"I’m thrown on barren wastelands
In feverish swamps I’m lost
I stagger through white-rimed lands
I drown in diseased black mire"
Battle for Light is a rather epic piece with a majestic chorus and some crushing heavier parts. It starts The Beginning of Times with a folky melody, just like Day of Your Beliefs kicks off Far from the Sun. There's also an Ukonvasara on the cover of both albums and both are often considered slightly weaker compared to the surrounding records - OMG TBOT IS THE NEW FFTS!!!1111! :omg: J/k... Although I absolutely love Battle for Light, I've always thought it was a weird choice for an opening track because of its slow tempo - Song of the Sage would've worked better IMO. That said, the intro tape based on BFL that they used on the TBOT tour was really amazing!
9. Sky Is Mine (Skyforger)
"The sky stirred
The lights of space flared
Beneath my feet
The living earth started to breathe"
By now it should be pretty obvious that I tend to love Amorphis songs with delay on guitars... :lol Sky Is Mine is an up-tempo song, but also sounds pretty spacey thanks to the familiar guitar effect. This combination makes it a very memorable standout song, although the chorus isn't extremely catchy. The solos are great and the ending with the double-bass drumming and the "this sky is mine... etc." backing vocals just rocks. Obligatory fun fact: the main melody/riff was originally supposed to be played on keyboards.
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Not the biggest fan of SOTS, but the other three are great choices :tup
Cool to see a Circle song this high on the list, especially considering there's still at least one to come (and I think I know which one ;))
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I'm too lazy to make a list, or even comment on them, but as someone who owns all of their albums rest assured I'm reading them.
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8. Into the Abyss (Circle)
"Flowers wither… lights and stars go out
I blindly fall down
Into the abyss of sleep and death"
Amorphis haven't experimented with unusual time signatures too often, which is why the 7/4 verses in Into the Abyss sound really fresh and interesting. The chorus is catchy (thanks to Tägtgren for the great vocal ideas!), but what makes this song truly amazing are the solos: Santeri and Esa are at the top of their game in the instrumental section! :hefdaddy
7. A Servant (Silent Waters)
"I'm righteous if I so desire
Until I reveal my worth
And take to myself
What was denied from me"
A Servant is based on just one melody, but it's a brilliant one and gets easily stuck in your head. Although the song is mostly growled, the aforementioned melody is so infectious that I bet people who don't enjoy harsh vocals could begin to warm up to them thanks to this tune, because it doesn't have any overly heavy riffs. Esa's solo is cool and the end of the last growled verse never fails to amaze me thanks to Joutsen's performance.
6. Under a Soil and Black Stone (Eclipse)
"And I was listening
And felt no pain
To the sunrise to east
I'll leave my grief"
Under a Soil and Black Stone has a perfect build-up: the piano-driven beginning is beautiful, the second chorus is just massive and then the delay lead kicks in and the song reaches levels of awesomeness few pieces of music have made me experience. Esa plays yet another mindblowing solo and I like how the song slows down a bit at the end before flowing into Perkele.
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Into The Abyss is my favorite song off Circle :heart
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Into The Abyss is extremely catchy and a fine song indeed, but I like Nightbird's Song more, I believe ;)
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Into The Abyss is my favorite song off Circle :heart
Hmm... Another hint! ;D
I'll be able to finish this list within the following 2 days after all. Gaz, will you start your Joutsen-era list after that or wait for your turn, which is at the end of the waiting list? You started your list so suddenly that I got confused... Milena will be next, unless you're really quick.
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My list is just about done, only need to add comments.
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Alright, you can begin after my list is over and if Milena is ok with it.
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I'm totally okay, gooo ooon aheaaad :biggrin:
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Into The Abyss is great, although it's probably either my least or my second least favourite song off Circle.
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Into The Abyss is great, although it's probably either my least or my second least favourite song off Circle.
:sadpanda:
I think it's much better than Mission, which is easily my least favorite song on Circle (although it's ok).
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I love Mission :D
But Circle is just such a great album overall that even the weakest songs kick so much ass :2metal:
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5. Shaman (Silent Waters)
"I'll send you plagues unnumbered
Destruction upon your house
I lay to waste your treasures
And slay your fairest daughter"
Just like A Servant, Shaman is from Silent Waters and based on one melody that gets repeated throughout the song, either in G minor or C minor. If there was one melody in the world I wish I had written, then it's probably this one! It's so freaking catchy and makes this song get stuck in your head, although there isn't a proper chorus in the tune. The wind instrument section is a nice break from the main part of the song. Shaman is really underrated and deserves more love than it gets!
4. Empty Opening (Eclipse)
"Beautiful yard, trees against the sky
There is an empty opening
They only live for one summer
This world is too good for me"
I'm one of the few weirdos who think Eclipse is the weakest Joutsen-era Amorphis album, but I have to admit that the few highlights it has are really amazing, especially Empty Opening. This song took a long time to grow on me and I always found it boring and thought it was the weakest song on Eclipse, until last year when it just... clicked. Empty Opening sounds closer to the Am Universum stuff than any other song on the newer releases - the delay riff is awesome (how surprising!), Tomi's vocals are powerful, the melody at 1:54 is beautiful and the whole song is a perfect closer. The lyrics are fitting, telling the sad end of Kullervo's story - he commits suicide after the death of his family, hence "nobody will bury [him]".
3. From Earth I Rose (Skyforger)
"Darkness was my light
Muteness was my tongue
Death was my life
Matter was my spirit"
Another closing song! From Earth I Rose starts similarly to Drowned Maid and A Servant, but after that it becomes something more unique and rhythmically interesting, perhaps due to the fact that it was composed by Tomi Joutsen. It's actually quite ironic that the last 2 minutes of the song don't include any vocals - it's like the new version of The Orphan. What makes FEIR so amazing for me is the instrumental ending: the overlapping guitar and keyboard soloing is awesome and makes you imagine the Amorphis guys jamming and having fun. That vision makes me smile and makes it nice to listen to this song. Hearing the third live performance (ever!) of FEIR last December was awesome, too bad I didn't have a camera with me, because there are no full live videos on YT.
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I guess my top 2 is pretty obvious, but here's a summary of the list:
20. Majestic Beast
19. Crack in a Stone
18. Skyforger
17. Shades of Gray
16. I of Crimson Blood
15. My Future
14. Leaves Scar
13. Towards and Against
12. Song of the Sage
11. Nightbird's Song
10. Battle for Light
9. Sky Is Mine
8. Into the Abyss
7. A Servant
6. Under a Soil and Black Stone
5. Shaman
4. Empty Opening
3. From Earth I Rose
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I love Empty Opening, but every time I listen to it I think the chorus is just a little bit too similar to the The Way chorus ;)
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I love The Way, so maybe that explains my love for Empty Opening as well :lol
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Me too :hearts:
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Me too :hearts:
:hifive:
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And here it is, my top 2!
2. Sampo (Skyforger)
"The days they blend into the night
The moon, the sun unite
Order of stars expires
A wonder is born"
Sampo (named after the machine that gives its owner endless wealth in Kalevala) is a song that does a good job at summing up everything Amorphis is about in 6 minutes: there are both clean and harsh vocals, heavy and mellow moments, catchy melodies and leads and even a tempo change. The whole song is just absolute perfection, but the chorus is especially amazing and so is the beautiful section with the flute, not to mention the kickass part with growls. Every time I listen to Sampo I'm reminded of the first time I listened to Skyforger: it was my first new Amorphis album (waiting for a new album has rarely been as exciting for me as it was back then!) and this song was such a perfect opening. It quickly became my favorite Amo song and remained my #1 until this year when it was surpassed by...
wait for it... WOOF! (hi fellow Dark Tranquillity fans!)
1. Enchanted by the Moon (Circle)
"A sword cleaved my skull
An arrow pierced my heart
A sword cleaved my skull
And the wind took my soul"
When the lyric video for Enchanted by the Moon was released I was like "holy motherfucking shit!" and I had to listen to it twice in a row - the song was so powerful that it felt like somebody had broken my bones and crushed my chest. Enchanted... is by far the doomiest song Amorphis have released since the early days and the influence of Paradise Lost (another band I love) is notable. I love how it's really heavy and massive yet also very melancholic and sad at the same time. I bet the song wouldn't sound nearly as heavy without the new elements introduced on Circle: the church organ, 5-string bass and Joutsen's screams ("the wind took my soul" always gives me shivers!) all make it stand out. Tomi gives us his best vocal performance to date, the tempo changes keep things interesting, Sande's keyboard lead towards the end is really cool and so is the little shred part. Enchanted by the Moon is a 100/10 song for me and perfect in every possible way. Although I knew I'd like Circle, I didn't expect there to be anything THIS mindblowing. Luckily I was proven wrong! I need to keep my fingers crossed that Amo will play this masterpiece next time I see them live, although it seems kind of unlikely.
Once again, thanks for following! :)
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Sampo! And that chorus :tup
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wait for it... WOOF! (hi fellow Dark Tranquillity fans!)
the song was so powerful that it felt like somebody had broken my bones and crushed my chest.
:neverusethis:
Sampo was one of the songs that made me become an Amorphis fan, and it definitely deserves to be this high on the list. Really interesting choice with EBTM, it's an awesome song and probably in my Top ten as well :tup
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Seeing so much from Circle in the top 20 I have to get this album sooner, not later.
Also: Sampo :metal :metal :metal
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Genuinely surprised with some of the choices and top 2 definitely not what I was expecting.
Then again, mine is going to be the same for you, hopefully have mine done by Monday.
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Thanks for all the comments, guys! :tup
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Oh, and this is how the albums were represented in my lists:
The Karelian Isthmus: 1
Tales from the Thousand Lakes: 4
Elegy: 5
Tuonela: 5
Am Universum: 4
Far from the Sun: 1
Eclipse: 3
Silent Waters: 4
Skyforger: 5
The Beginning of Times: 3
Circle: 5 (if you count My Future)
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And here it is, my top 2!
2. Sampo (Skyforger)
"The days they blend into the night
The moon, the sun unite
Order of stars expires
A wonder is born"
Sampo (named after the machine that gives its owner endless wealth in Kalevala) is a song that does a good job at summing up everything Amorphis is about in 6 minutes: there are both clean and harsh vocals, heavy and mellow moments, catchy melodies and leads and even a tempo change. The whole song is just absolute perfection, but the chorus is especially amazing and so is the beautiful section with the flute, not to mention the kickass part with growls. Every time I listen to Sampo I'm reminded of the first time I listened to Skyforger: it was my first new Amorphis album (waiting for a new album has rarely been as exciting for me as it was back then!) and this song was such a perfect opening. It quickly became my favorite Amo song and remained my #1 until this year when it was surpassed by...
wait for it... WOOF! (hi fellow Dark Tranquillity fans!)
1. Enchanted by the Moon (Circle)
"A sword cleaved my skull
An arrow pierced my heart
A sword cleaved my skull
And the wind took my soul"
When the lyric video for Enchanted by the Moon was released I was like "holy motherfucking shit!" and I had to listen to it twice in a row - the song was so powerful that it felt like somebody had broken my bones and crushed my chest. Enchanted... is by far the doomiest song Amorphis have released since the early days and the influence of Paradise Lost (another band I love) is notable. I love how it's really heavy and massive yet also very melancholic and sad at the same time. I bet the song wouldn't sound nearly as heavy without the new elements introduced on Circle: the church organ, 5-string bass and Joutsen's screams ("the wind took my soul" always gives me shivers!) all make it stand out. Tomi gives us his best vocal performance to date, the tempo changes keep things interesting, Sande's keyboard lead towards the end is really cool and so is the little shred part. Enchanted by the Moon is a 100/10 song for me and perfect in every possible way. Although I knew I'd like Circle, I didn't expect there to be anything THIS mindblowing. Luckily I was proven wrong! I need to keep my fingers crossed that Amo will play this masterpiece next time I see them live, although it seems kind of unlikely.
Once again, thanks for following! :)
I don't know those two either! :metal
But I shall listen to them.
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Do it, they're absolutely amazing!
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Do it, they're absolutely amazing!
Ths guy speaks the truth.
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Just listened to them. :metal I agree with your placement of them. I think the Joutsen era is by far my favorite.
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:tup
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I think the Joutsen era is by far my favorite.
I thought so too, until I bought Elegy :D
Tomi J era might still be my favourite over all though and I listen to these albums the most, but Elegy is just such an incredible masterpiece :heart :heart :heart
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I agree 100%, it's definitely Amorphis masterpiece. To think I really hated it when I first heard it ???
I can only imagine how it would sound with Tomi J doing the vox :metal
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I can only imagine how it would sound with Tomi J doing the vox :metal
Do you have Tales From The Early Years? The Elegy songs on there with Tomi J are just :jawdrop:
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And the remaining Elegy songs (except Weeper on the Shore) can be found on YT as live versions with Tomi J ;)
Gaz, will you start your second list today?
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Nope, sorry not ready, still have comments to write and after playing Eclipse and Skyforger on the weekend, and Silent Waters today, the list is going to change.
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Alright, we'll wait then!
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You know, I can't believe that there was no From the Heaven of My Heart on this list - it's easily Top 5 of the Tomi J era for me. Cool list otherwise, though, Enchanted is definitely deserving of a high spot, though I wouldn't give it the top spot, I think.
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FTHOMH is nice, but it has always sounded like a slightly lesser version of House of Sleep to my ears and the singles from the new albums haven't aged as well as most other songs for me anyway. However, if this had been a top 30, I can guarantee that Her Alone (there's no video for this song, but an edited version has been played on the radio in Finland) and Hopeless Days would've been there.
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I think FTHOMH is one of the weaker singles from the Joutsen Era. Silent Waters, Shaman (I think that one was a single), The Smoke, House Of Sleep, Hopeless Days, The Wanderer and Silver Bride all beat it IMO.
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Yup I agree, it's decent enough, but the chorus is very weak.
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Apart from two or three songs, Skyforger in general hasn't really agreed that well for me unfortunately. It used to be my absolute favourite Amorphis album, now it's probably #5 :\
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I think FTHOMH is one of the weaker singles from the Joutsen Era. Silent Waters, Shaman (I think that one was a single), The Smoke, House Of Sleep, Hopeless Days, The Wanderer and Silver Bride all beat it IMO.
Shaman wasn't a single. Although FTHOMH isn't a favorite of mine, I think the solo is great and I like playing the intro on piano. If I was asked to rank the Joutsen-era singles, the list would look like this:
Her Alone (as I said, this song was a promo single in Finland)
Hopeless Days
Silver Bride
The Wanderer
Silent Waters
House of Sleep
FTHOMH
You I Need
The Smoke
Judging by the recent setlists, it seems that You I Need is going to suffer the fate of FTHOMH and Silent Waters (and Her Alone), in other words losing its place as a staple song. I think the reasson for all these three getting dropped is the lack of a really catchy and climactic chorus...
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The Smoke is below You I Need on your ranking? Wow, interesting.
Silent Waters is one of my favourites for sure (spoiler :P) since it was the song that made me buy Silent Waters (the album) and well, since that point of time, I've been hooked. Such a beautiful song :heart
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The Smoke is below You I Need on your ranking? Wow, interesting.
The Smoke is the most overrated Amorphis song ever - it's based on one melody, but fails to be as interesting as Shaman and A Servant. The fact that Amorphis play it every time I see them live doesn't help either :-\ I wish they would play some better song from Eclipse instead.
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I strongly disagree ;D I think it's awesome. The chorus is absolutely magical :metal
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:bump:
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Bump again. This thread needs to stay alive :(
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I'd say Milena should start her list.
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Yeah, at this point the one who's quicker can start.
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If nobody starts till tomorrow, I will.
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Although as the creator of this thread I would prefer it if we followed the order in the OP, I'm ok with you starting because it's been almost 2 weeks since my list ended and no-one has stepped in yet.
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I agree with following the order, but neither Milena nor gaz have been active in this thread for a while now.
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Yeah, that's exactly what I meant.
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Soooo... ::)
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SOON....
Wait another 20 minutes or so. Completely forgot it yesterday :D
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:soon:
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Okay, here we go...
Unlike all previous lists, I decided to do one that includes both the Joutsen era and the previous stuff. So no two lists from me. I felt this was both easier and more interesting to compile. This way I needed to compare all the different styles with each other, for example, how does a song from Tales From The Thousand Lakes compare to one off Skyforger?
Originally I planned to do a Top 20 list, which then became a Top 25 and now it's actually a Top 29. But since I'm a lazy fuck and I didn't really want to to that or add one more song for a Top 30, I decided that only 25 songs would get writeups and I'd just mention the other four as honorable mentions.
I'm not really a great writer and I don't have any of these writeups pre-written but instead I'll do them spontaneously as I post in this thread, so I apologize if they turn out to be boring or short or whatever. Sorry :D
All albums but one are featured on this list, with the number of songs per album ranging from one up to six.
Enough of the jabbering, let's get to it:
These are the four songs that didn't make the cut and eventually became honorable mentions:
Day Of Your Beliefs (Far From The Sun, 2003)
Against Widows (Elegy, 1996)
House Of Sleep (Eclipse, 2006)
Song Of The Troubled One (Elegy, 1996)
And now: the "real" list:
25) The Wanderer (Circle, 2013)
When I first listened to Circle , The Wanderer was one of the songs that initially stood out to me. It's the second single of the album after Hopeless Days, and as much as I like that song, I have to admit that The Wanderer gets the "single-job" done even better, making it one of my favourite singles from the Joutsen era. It's nothing super innovative, but just a great song that features everything typical for an Amorphis single from the last couple of years: a catchy main guitar riff/melody, a spectacular chorus that sticks in your head for ages, a "singable" guitar solo and (of course ;)) a modulation of the chorus at the end.
My favourite part is probably the "the spirit roams" section after the chorus which is absolutely huge. Wow.
24) Skyforger (Skyforger, 2009)
Skyforger was not my first album by these guys, but the one that made me realise that they are a truly phenomenal band, and its title track definitely added to this. Although I'm not the biggest fan of the album anymore and most of its songs haven't really aged that well for me, this one is still really special I think. Unlike in lots of other Amorphis songs from the Joutsen era, the most catchy, melodic and memorable part of this song is not the chorus but either the verses or the bridge in the middle. Still, the last chorus and Tomi letting his growling skills shine at the end deserves only one word: epic.
23) Nightbird's Song (Circle, 2013)
Another Circle song? Yes, and probably one of the most unique and surprising of the whole album. Nightbird's Song is another proof that when rhythm guitarist Tomi Koivusaari decides to write a song for Amorphis (which unfortuately doesn't seem to happen that often), the result is spectacular. Tomi Joutsen tries some black metal vocals in this song, and man, they are surely impressive. Combined with the clean vocal prechorus part that serves as a nice contrast to the otherwise pretty damn heavy song, the huuuuge chorus and the completely unexpected and strangely fitting flute solo interlude in the middle, this song is one of the main factors why Circle exceeded my expectations so tremendously.
EDIT: okay one hour, not twenty minutes :lol
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Nice picks so far - most of them appeared in my lists and the rest are good songs as well. I'm surprised The Wanderer wasn't the lead single for Circle, but maybe they wanted to surprise the fans with Hopeless Days. Then again, the record label people in different countries had suggested Nightbird's Song and Enchanted by the Moon :lol
Going to a lower key instead of a higher one in the final chorus also seems to be an Amorphis trademark for the hit singles :D
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Then again, the record label people in different countries had suggested Nightbird's Song and Enchanted by the Moon :lol
I'd like to live in a country like that :tup ;D
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Then again, the record label people in different countries had suggested Nightbird's Song and Enchanted by the Moon :lol
I'd like to live in a country like that :tup ;D
Americans were interested in Nightbird's Song, in England people had been thinking about Enchanted by the Moon.
Maybe they didn't realize Amorphis actually gets played on the radio in Finland, so picking a more radio-friendly song wouldn't be totally pointless :laugh:
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The next three songs:
22) Empty Opening (Eclipse, 2006)
Could you think of a better way to end these guys' first album with Tomi Joutsen in the band? The (back then) new singer get's a great chance to show the variety of his clean singing abilities, switching between the soothing verses and the comparatively agressive chorus, all dominated by one of those delay driven lead guitar riffs that are typical for Amorphis. Fans of the band's older material might notice some similarities between Empty Opening's chorus and the one of the opener of the 1999 album Tuonela, The Way (at least this was something I noticed instantly when I first listened to Eclipse :D). But honestly, if anything reminds you of the masterpiece that is The Way, it can only be awesome as well. And so is this song.
21) Divinity (Tuonela, 1999)
Speaking of Tunela, Divinity was the first single from exactly that album (I'm actually not sure if it is the only one or not ;D). The calm intro with the simple, yet addictive drum pattern that always kind of reminds me of the intro to Slayer's Raining Blood builds a menacing atmosphere which continues during the verses and then makes room for one of the most memorable choruses in the entire Amorphis catalogue. Although all that and Esa's guitar solo are pretty awesome, my favourite part is this song's outro. It's something I could listen to over and over (and over and over and over) again without getting tired of it.
20) Alone (Am Universum, 2001)
Alone is one of the most popular Amorphis songs and due to this it was one of the first I heard. And let me tell you, I was blown away. There's just something absolutely fascinating to this song, from the Pink Floyd ripoff intro (;)) to the fantastic keyboard solo to the outro with Esa showing that he can play amazing solos if he wants to. And of course Pasi Koskinen. He truly shines in this song. Needless to say that I was incredibly pumped when I finally got Am Universum, and how disappointed I was when I heard the rest of the album. I know most Amorphis fans love it, but for me, Alone is the only song off Am Universum I actually enjoy. I guess I should put an end to this before this turns to an endless rant why exactly I cannot stand the album. I really can't. Alone is amazing nonetheless.
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I ranked all of those higher, but it's good to see them nevertheless. Also, Am Universum isn't loved by most fans, which is a pity :sadpanda:
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I'm pretty sure that at this point, only ? and me are still following this thread, but whatever :lol
19) Perkele (The God Of Fire) (Eclipse, 2006)
This song is the only Amorphis song I can think of that (according to the booklet) is written solely by bassist Niclas SomeNameICantSpell. Which is a shame, since it is fantastic. Perkele is probably the most :metal song on Eclipse, but at the same time features one of the most catchy choruses of the whole record. I'm not sure what else to say about this song (not really in a creative mood today :P), but it's absolutely kickass.
18) Greed (Tuonela, 1999)
Who would have expected this song to be what it is after the calm "oriental" intro? Greed is the only song on Tuonela that still has death metal vocals, but unlike previously, they are handled by Pasi instead of Tomi Koivusaari and that's something I'm actually pretty happy about. I'm not sure if Pasi had done some growling with other artists previously, but his performance here is really good and prefectly fits the dissonant riffing and overall atmosphere of the song.
17) My Enemy (The Beginning Of Times, 2011)
After two songs that can pretty much be considered classics, this one might be a bit unexpected. The guitar/keyboard melody in the intro of the song is also played in the chorus, and damn, that chorus is one of the catchiest I've heard in my whole life. In contrast to that the verses are probably the heaviest stuff Amorphis have done in ages (although they topped that with some parts on Circle).
My Enemy had the potential to be a pretty much perfect song, but there is one problem I have with it: its simplicity. I don't expext Amorphis to write progressive epics, but this is the only song by this band I can think of that gets dragged down by how simple it is. If they had worked on the middle part a bit more I could see this one being around 10 places higher. But even the way it is, My Enemy is (IMO) the best song off TBOT and deserves way more appreciation than it gets :tup
Sorry for the kind of sucky writeups today, especially the first two :D
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I'm following, but I'm not familiar with most of the material so I can't comment much.
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The lack of followers is disappointing indeed. Where are you, Amorphis fans?!
Niclas SomeNameICantSpell
Etelävuori shouldn't be that hard to spell :laugh:
18) Greed (Tuonela, 1999)
I'm not sure if Pasi had done some growling with other artists previously, but his performance here is really good and prefectly fits the dissonant riffing and overall atmosphere of the song.
Pasi was with a band called St. Mucus (now Am I Blood) prior to joining Amorphis, but I don't know if there were any growls on the release(s) with him, since I haven't heard their music. He has growled for Shape of Despair and some grindcore band that also featured Niclas, and Ajattara was his main band after quitting Amorphis, so he got to scream quite a lot. Maybe you knew all that already and this comment was pointless, but whatever :lol
My Enemy is a good song that got me pumped for TBOT, but it is a bit too simplistic indeed. That said, I love the heavy riffing at the end of each verse and the song was a kickass opener when I heard it live. I'm still surprised it was dropped from the setlist in the middle of the tour, but on the other hand they also replaced Greed and Magic & Mayhem with Against Widows and Black Winter Day... ::)
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Niclas SomeNameICantSpell
Etelävuori shouldn't be that hard to spell :laugh:
Surely not for a Finn :D
But I even managed to spell Koivusaari over time, so it should be possible :lol
Maybe you knew all that already and this comment was pointless, but whatever :lol
I didn't, so thanks for the information!
I'm following, but I'm not familiar with most of the material so I can't comment much.
:tup
Check the songs out, there's a good chance you'll become a huge fan once you get hooked. What of their material are you familiar with already?
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I'm a bit late with this one.
16) Into Hiding (Tales From The Thousand Lakes, 1994)
The first TFTTL song to appear on this list! I don't consider that album to be as fantastic as lots of other people do, but nobody can deny how revolutional it was when it came out. Amorphis' first album was pretty unspectacular, but with this one, they introduced synths, some folk influence and even clean vocals and recorded what turned out to be one of the first and most influental melodic death metal albums of all time. After the instrumental "semi-title track", Into Hiding is the first real song on there. The riffing in both the intro and the outro forces you to bang your head, whereas the more melodic verse/chorus section in the middle, although "deathy", is memorable as fuck. Unfortunately, only a small numer of songs on TFTTL reach this level of awesomeness, but the ones that do truly deserve their popularity.
15) Better Unborn (Elegy, 1996)
Tales From The Thousand Lakes is a classic, but with their next album, Elegy, Amorphis outdid themselves once again to craft not only one of the very best melodic death metal albums, but one of the best albums ever recorded in general in my opinion. Better Unborn kicks off this masterpiece on a slightly oriental note. As soon as the guitar kicks in, you can see a very big difference to the guitar playing on TFTTL: everything on Elegy seems to be based around breathtaking melodies that invade the listener's brain and never let go. Also, the vocal contribution by new vocalist Pasi Koskinen constitutes the majority of the vocals in this song, so although Tomi Koivusaari still shines, Pasi absolutely steals his show. However, the true star on this song for me is actually none of the vocalists, but the keyboader Kim Rantala, who is one of the biggest reasons why I hold Elegy in such high regard, and he already shows in the album's opener that he's going to blow our minds.
14) Towards And Against (Silent Waters, 2007)
Eleven years later, Silent Waters' fourth song starts with some pretty strange electronic effect, but shortly afterwards, the band begins to kick our asses once again with an unusual, but amazing song, that manages to combine mellow sections with death metal assaults nearly flawlessly. If you can listen to this song without wanting to headbang and dance and do all kinds of weird movements at the same time, you should pretty much stop listening to music in general. Towards And Against is one of the first go-to songs if I want to feel good and just rock out. Not because it's really a happy song, in fact, it definitely isn't, but this song is SO ENERGY, POWAH! Anybody doubts that Tomi Joutsen is an amazing vocalist? Show them this song and kill everybody who doesn't immediately become an Amorphis fan.
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What can I say, awesome songs :metal It's true that the guitar playing on Elegy is pretty different compared to the earlier stuff: the music got more melody-oriented than riff-based.
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13) Sampo (Skyforger, 2009)
My first Amorphis album was Silent Waters, and honestly, I didn't really like it (now it's my second favourite :D). However, I decided to give them another chance, and Skyforger was the album I chose for that, simply because of the beautiful album cover. When Skyforger's opening track Sampo came on, I was already in love after the first couple of seconds. DAT PIANO is all I need to say. Even after countless listens, Sampo's intro captivates me every time. The song is pretty long and complex (maybe even "progressive") for Amorphis standards and features a nice variety of different sections.
I can really see why this song is #1 for so many fans of the band, but in my opinion, there are 12 songs that are even better.
12) Black Winter Day (Tales From The Thousand Lakes, 1994)
I really don't know what to say about this song that hasn't already been said. Black Winter Day is probably the ultimate Amorphis classic. The atmosphere of this song is simply Finnish (at least that's what I feel, being someone who has never been to Finland :biggrin:). And strangely enough, not even the relatively poor clean vocals on TFTTL bother me in this song.
As with a lot of early Amorphis material, it was the rerecorded version off the 2010 compilation Tales From The Early Years that showed me how great this song really is. Although objectively, pretty much everything about the rerecorded version is better than the original, I've leart to never underestimate the feeling when you listen to the original on a, well, black winter day :metal
11) The Smoke (Eclipse, 2006)
Some people (? :smiley:) might not be the biggest fan of The Smoke, but honestly, I don't get the criticism. The whole song, which was the second single off Eclipse after House Of Sleep, is pretty much based around one melody, but as simple as it is, it's amazing at the same time. Tomi's growls in the chorus only add to the overall catchyness, and exactly that is probably the main reason why I'm so addicted to this one. I'm listening to it as I write this and I can barely concentrate on what I'm writing. I'm going to stop this post right now, since otherwise this might turn into me writing stuff like YELLOW WITH FLOOOOOWEEEEEERS I AM SMOKE DAAAA DAAA DA DA
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Sampo and BWD are amazing, but The Smoke is what it is :lol It's ok if people like it, but I truly think it would deserve to get kicked out of the setlist at least for a little while.
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I wanted to do the next part tonight, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to do that. If not, I'll post it tomorrow morning.
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Only two today. And we enter the top 10 :laugh:
10) Enchanted By The Moon (Circle, 2013)
I have to admit that when I first saw the lyric video that was released for this song prior to Circle's release, I was a bit underwhelmed. Nothing really stood out for me and the song seemed to go nowhere. Well it grew on me. A lot. Enchanted By The Moon is a very unusual song for the modern Amorphis. It's not really based around catchy melodies and choruses, but instead bone-breaking and chest-crushing riffs (sorry, I had to make that joke as well :biggrin:) and more subtle melody lines to support Tomi's growls that are absolutely furious in this song and even come close to black metal territory in some places again. And I LOVE the chorus. As I said, it's not their catchiest, and that's a good thing, because a "typical" Amorphis chorus would have ruined the atmosphere that this song creates, but instead it's absolutely soaring and fitting for the brutality of EBTM.
As you probably have noticed, I love this song. But Amorphis managed to top it with another one off the same album, so there is one more to come ;)
9) The Way (Tuonela, 1999)
This song is absolutely essential for every top 20 (or something like that) Amorphis list. It's just way (:neverusethis:) too great not to be mentioned. Honestly, when I got into Amorphis and the first couple of times I heard The Way, I absolutely didn't get the hype. I thought it was kinda cool, but nothing more. My first listen to Tuonela as a whole opened my eyes. The Way works perfectly as an album opener, since it introduces the sound and atmosphere of the record in a very nice way. And that is, what Tuonela in general and specifically The Way is all about: atmosphere. There's something really calm and relaxing, but at the same time captivating to this song. Guitar wise, it's dominated by Esa's delay riffs that attain perfection here. And he also plays one of his finest solos ever in the middle part, before the song goes back into the simply magical chorus that gets even better when it's modulated as an outro to the song ("The Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay"). Although Tuonela is one of my favourite Amorphis albums, no other song off it comes close to this masterpiece :metal.
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Two excellent songs :heart
Hopefully the new thread title will help :lol
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:lol
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Seems like nothing changes though :lol
8) Dead Man's Dream (Circle bonus track, 2013)
This might seem like an odd choice, but Dead Man's Dream is my favourite song off Circle, even though it's not even on the regular edition of the album! When Circle came out and I listened to it for the first time, I don't know what I expected from that bonus track that came with it, but I was definitely not prepared for the assault that blew me away and still does every time I listen to it. The intro riffing and the verses are probably the most brutal Amorphis material since The Karelian Isthmus. The pre-chorus part is my favoutite section, when the heavy as fuck guitars and vocals are combined with some absolutely gorgeous piano in the background :heart. The chorus is one of the absolute best of the whole album, it is memorable and catchy, yet still fits the overall mood of the song. Solo-wise it's pretty awesome too, Esa tries some shredding, and Santeri's keyboard solo is without a doubt one of the best in the band's catalogue. The section before the last chorus with Tomi delivering some beautiful clean singing over the main riff is stunning as well, just like the entire song is.
If there's something that seriously pisses me off about Cicle, it's that some of the best songs from the sessions were left off the album and made available only one some kind of weird pre-order-bonus-limited-special-something editions. The album was promoted as being heavier than the last few, so the decision not to include what is without a doubt the heaviest song seems exceptionally strange. Seriously, Nuclear Blast, what were you thinking :huh:
7) Magic And Mayhem (Tales From The Thousand Lakes, 1994)
There's just something to this song that sets it apart from all the other TFTTL songs and makes me love it to death. Some of the other songs from that era seem a bit uninspired or maybe even uncreative to me, but with Magic And Mayhem, everything comes together prefectly. Although the riffs are a bit unspectacular, they work very well in the context of this song, and the kind of doomy intro riff is one of my favourite intros to any song ever. What is worth mentioning as well is the "disco section". I have no idea why, but Amorphis made that one fit into a death metal song without seeming out of place at all :lol
6) Weaving The Incantation (Silent Waters, 2007)
Weaving The Incantation is the epitome of an opener for a melodic death metal album. It's brutal, catchy, beautiful, heavy and just overall awesome at the same time. The inclusion of female vocals to back up the amazing riffs in this song was a great choice and makes it even more impressive than it already is. And then the acoustic part in the middle comes on. It's simply gorgeous. And can you think of a better end to that part than Esa's solo? If you're not already convinced that you are listening to an exceptional song at this point, Tomi's clean vocal section after the solo will clear up every doubt. What a great start to a great album.
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Don't know Silent Waters, and therefore not Weaving the Incantation, but the other two are incredibly awesome. I agree, what was the label thinking with Dead Man's Dream?
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GET. SILENT. WATERS. NOW.
and awesome to have somebody else post here other than ? and me :D
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Jeez I love Amorphis so bad! Will wait my turn :)
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Jeez I love Amorphis so bad! Will wait my turn :)
Great to see another fan :tup
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Aaaaaaaaaaaand we enter the Top 5:
5) Silent Waters (Silent Waters, 2007)
Back when I just got into Opeth, one day I decided to search Youtube for live versions of their 1996 masterpiece The Night And The Silent Water. As I scrolled through the search results, there was a live video for the song "Silent Waters" by a band called "Amorphis". I had already heard that band name before, and I clicked on the video to check them out, since I wasn't sure what their music is actually like. Plus, a song that comes up when searching for (what was back then) one of my favourite Opeth songs couldn't potentially be bad, could it? It was that live video, taken from their DVD Forging The Land Of Thousand Lakes, that started it all. However, the title track of Amorphis' 2007 album is not only this high on my list for sentimental reasons. It is, still to this day, one of the most beautiful and touching songs I have ever heard. Just listen to that piano intro :o
Remember when I criticized My Enemy (#17 on this list) for being a bit too simplistic? Well Silent Waters might be the most simplistic Amorphis song ever, apart from the absolutely incredible solo (well that is pretty simple as well, but I love it), however, it just works so well here. Tomi's vocals are what really shines in this song, and it's one of his best performances ever, especially in the verses and the outro, when he sings pretty "mellow". Yes, it's simple. Yes, it's basically a pop song/ballad. But Silent Waters is a song that enchants me every single time I listen to it (not only the moon does so ololol Amorphis pun!!1!1!!11!!! ;)).
4) On Rich And Poor (Elegy, 1996)
On Rich And Poor was my #1 song by this band for quite some time. And although it's "only" #4 now doesn't mean it's not absolutely perfect anymore. It still is, and you know why? DEM GUITAR MELODIES is basically all that needs to be said about this song. The melodies right here are more mindblowing than, well, everything. They're awesome. Combine that with a chorus that is fairly "unmelodic" but still memorable as hell and some nice keyboard work and you have the reason why this song is so ridiculously good.
This writeup sucks, but that's simply because words can't do ORAP any justice.
3) The White Swan (Silent Waters, 2007)
Silent Waters again! Another song that is criminally underappreciated. If someone asked me what Joutsen era Amorphis sounds like, I'd show them this song. It literally has everything typical for the "modern" material by this band, and does it perfectly. Everything's here: The slow, mellow sections, the guitar melodies, the melodic and soft vocals, the more shouting-like clean vocals, the growls, the keyboard and piano, the bass, the drums, the chorus that you'll never get out of your memory again (and this one right here is one of the best I have ever heard in my life), the guitar solo (which is quite long and awesome in this song), and (obviously) the last chorus being played in a different key than the other ones and with extended lyrics. Why this masterpiece isn't universally loved is beyond me, and I recommend everbody to give it another chance or check it out if you haven't already. It's worth it, trust me.
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The White Swan would be definitely in my top 5 for sure. The first time I listened to it I couldn't believe how those melodies could be so full of strenght and so mellow at the same time. So underrated.
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The White Swan would be definitely in my top 5 for sure. The first time I listened to it I couldn't believe how those melodies could be so full of strenght and so mellow at the same time. So underrated.
:hifive:
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Woot, Silent Waters. One of the only songs I know. :lol
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You should at least get the whole album. Absolutely amazing stuff :tup
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Let's see if anybody is still reading this instead of discussing TEI! I also have no idea what happened to the most active poster of this thread (?), since he hasn't been around for a couple of days, but I'm going to finish this off now:
2) My Kantele (2010 version) (Magic & Mayhem - Tales From The Early Years, 2010, originally released on Elegy, 1996)
My Kantele is a timeless classic, although honestly, the original probably would not have made my top 5. But then, in 2010, Amorphis released an album full of rerecorded classics from their first three albums. Most songs were simply rerecorded, but My Kantele was actually re-arranged and even re-written in parts, combining the elements from both versions (the original and the "acoustic reprise", both released on Elegy) and turning all that up to 11. I love the original, but this version is simply perfect. The acoustic intro, Tomi Joutsen's breathtaking vocals, the much improved keyboards, the amazing soloing and of course the beautiful and relaxing sitar outro reminiscent of the original's acoustic reprise are probably the biggest changes made to the song. All in all, Amorphis managed to morph (:neverusethis:) an (or actually two) great song(s) into one of the most impressive and addictive pieces of music I have ever heard. If you love the original, you simply need to check this verison out, if you love this one, don't pass on the Elegy version (or the whole album), and if you're not familiar with either: do yourself a favour and let My Kantele blow you away.
and my number one iiiiissss:
1) Elegy (Elegy, 1996)
If there is one Amorphis song that deserves to be described as being "epic", it's without a doubt the title track of Amorphis biggest masterpiece, the 1996 album Elegy. Not only because of the fact that it's the band's longest song to date, but also for it's "progressive" structure culminating in an incredible climax and the overall emotion that just pours out of this song. It's very keyboard driven, which is not surprising, since Kim Rantala, the keyboarder on Elegy, wrote most of the song, however, the whole band shines here. Both vocalists (Pasi Koskinen and Tomi Koivussaari) compliment each other perfectly, and Tomi's delay laden growls in the middle section act as a nice contrast to the more laid back nature of most of the song. For me, there is no doubt that Elegy is the very best in a collection of amazing songs this band has written, and one more reason why Amorphis is one of my favourite bands.
Here's the whole list in its entirety again:
(29. Day Of Your Beliefs (Far From The Sun, 2003))
(28. Against Widows (Elegy, 1996))
(27. House Of Sleep (Eclipse, 2006))
(26. Song Of The Troubled One (Elegy, 1996))
25. The Wanderer (Circle, 2013)
24. Skyforger (Skyforger, 2009)
23. Nightbird's Song (Circle, 2013)
22. Empty Opening (Eclipse, 2006)
21. Divinity (Tuonela, 1999)
20. Alone (Am Universum, 2001)
19. Perkele (The God Of Fire) (Eclipse, 2006)
18. Greed (Tuonela, 1999)
17. My Enemy (The Beginning Of Times, 2011)
16. Into Hiding (Tales From The Thousand Lakes, 1994)
15. Better Unborn (Elegy, 1996)
14. Towards And Against (Silent Waters, 2007)
13. Sampo (Skyforger, 2009)
12. Black Winter Day (Tales From The Thousand Lakes, 1994)
11. The Smoke (Eclipse, 2006)
10. Enchanted By The Moon (Circle, 2013)
09. The Way (Tuonela, 1999)
08. Dead Man's Dream (Circle bonus track, 2013)
07. Magic And Mayhem (Tales From The Thousand Lakes, 1994)
06. Weaving The Incantation (Silent Waters, 2007)
05. Silent Waters (Silent Waters, 2007)
04. On Rich And Poor (Elegy, 1996)
03. The White Swan (Silent Waters, 2007)
02. My Kantele (2010 version) (Magic & Mayhem - Tales From The Early Years, 2010 / Elegy, 1996)
01. Elegy (Elegy, 1996)
Thank's to everybody who followed and commented, although there were not really that many of you, I still appreciate it :D
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Awesome list my man, and extra kudos for putting Elegy and My Kantele up the top, 2 of my top choices too.
The Elegy album is a classic and the more people know this the better :metal
Sorry my Tomi J era list is still not finished, I've been sick for the past week and before that had no time to complete.
I hope to get it done later this week.
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Awesome list my man, and extra kudos for putting Elegy and My Kantele up the top, 2 of my top choices too.
Thanks :tup
The Elegy album is a classic and the more people know this the better :metal
Exactly. Let's spread the awesomeness :metal
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ELEGY :2metal:
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SO ENERGY...POWAH!!! :metalol:
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Sorry about the lack of comments, I haven't visited this forum in 4 or 5 days! All I can say is that it surprised me to see some of those songs so high, especially Dead Man's Dream and Silent Waters.
Jeez I love Amorphis so bad! Will wait my turn :)
Added you to the waiting list in the OP :)
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You should at least get the whole album. Absolutely amazing stuff :tup
I do plan on it, but the backlog of albums I need to buy is becoming unbearable. :lol
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You should at least get the whole album. Absolutely amazing stuff :tup
I do plan on it, but the backlog of albums I need to buy is becoming unbearable. :lol
Same here, so I understand that :D
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Added you to the waiting list in the OP :)
Thanks a lot man :metal
Loved your list aprilethereal :tup
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Thank you, looking forward to your list :tup
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If you are interested in an Amorphis survivor this year, please tell me so in the "main" Amorphis thread: www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=366.560
I'd like to do one, but of course, it doesn't make any sense without enough participants :smiley:
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Gaz, are you ready to go?
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I'll have something tonight 12AUG13 East Coast Australian Time, GMT +10.
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That is strangely specific. :D
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Okay here it is, a little delay down to some technical issues :)
The first time I ever heard Tomi J sing, was on a bootleg audience audio recording, a mate of mine from Finland told me how awesome he was in the flesh, but the recording didn't do him any justice at all.
So when Ellipse was due to be released I didn't have a lot of hope for anything from Amorphis anymore, specially after Pasi declining last album(s).
20 - Enigma (Silent Waters 2007)
This was probably the album that confirmed me as a massive Amorphis fan. I was lucky enough to get a promo of this and it was love at first sound.
I still ended up buying the Japanese version for the bonus track, 'Sign'.
19 - Shaman (Silent Waters 2007)
Yes another SW tune, I love the acoustic guitar and every time I hear it, I still wait for it to explode, yet of course, it never does.
18 - Into The Abyss (Circle 2013)
A different kind of feel for Amorphis, odd time signature, but lots of groove and melody.
16 - Towards and Against (Silent Waters 2007)
One of many digital delay guitar FX songs, that builds up into a majestic beast. The chorus of, 'I know how to shout, I know how to sing', Tomi J sure does. Also if you listen closely there are black metal screams in the back ground.
15 - From Earth I Rose (Skyforger 2009)
Surprisingly, Skyforger is my least fave Tomi J era album, something never clicked with me, but I've gone back to it and appreciate a lot more than I did.
Esa's lead drives this one, with another great rooooooooooooar at the start from Tomi J and some viscous growls. The folky melody seals the deal for me.
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One of many digital delay guitar FX songs, that builds up into a majestic beast.
:neverusethis:
Great choices, especially Towards And Against :tup
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14 - Silver Bride (Skyforger 2009)
While some people do not like the lead off singles, I'm a sucker for them and Amorphis always put out a catchy driving song and this one is no different.
13 - On A Stranded Shore (The Beginning Of Times 2011)
A very underrated album, that I seem to enjoy quite a lot, this one oozes lots of great melodies and the lyrics are magic.
12 - My Future (Circle Bonus Track 2013)
Why this was left off the Circle album proper, I will never know, far too strong to be relegated to the bonus track category.
11 - Mission (Circle 2013)
Oh yeah, this song is perfect, from the piano intro to the driving driving guitar melody, brilliant chorus too.
10 - Under A Soil and Black Moon (Eclipse 2006)
A change of pace for Amorphis, more laid back and almost balladesque.
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I think you got the song title of #10 wrong ;)
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'I know how to fight, I know how to sing'
FTFY.
I don't care too much about On a Stranded Shore and Mission, but most of the picks are great. Enigma isn't exaclty a favorite of mine, but it's a nice break from the typical Amorphis style. I bought the Silver Bride single when it was released and listened to it quite a lot prior to the release of Skyforger, but it has aged surprisingly well despite never being among my favorites from Skyforger. However, I've learned not to listen to pre-album release singles (by any band) too frequently since then.
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09 - Narrow Path (Circle 2013)
Oh the folky melody and Thin Lizzy/Gary Moore guitars and celtic undertones makes this one special.
08 - Battle For Light (The Beginning Of Times 2011)
What a great first song, this was has it all, even the kitchen sink thrown in.
07 - You I Need (The Beginning Of Times 2011)
A very catchy song, that is pure melodic bliss, the chorus is so beautiful. One of Tomi's best ever vocals too.
06 - Sky Is Mine (Skyforger 2009)
More DD guitar, and the whispered chorus make this one stand out, on a otherwise disappointing album.
05 - Sampo (Skyforger 2009)
Another great opener, and Amorphis have many, but this one is perfect, that chorus just kills me every time I hear this.
BTW if anyone guesses my top 3, I will be so amazed that I will sent you a prize in the mail (bootleg DVD and audio) :yarr
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You I Need is by far my least favourite of the Joutsen era singles tbh.
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I guess EBTM might be in your top 3, or some other Circle song.
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Nope not even close :tup
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Great bunch of songs with the exception of You I Need - even when the song was released I thought the chorus was kind of weak.
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04 - House Of Sleep (Eclipse 2006)
Probably a surprise choice to most, but this one is a live favourite, catchy as hell and one of their best.
03 - Silent Waters (Silent Waters 2007)
I don't know why I like this so much, but it always stood out in the Amorphis catalogue to my ears. The piano driven melody and strong chorus make this one for me.
02 - Song Of The Sage (The Beginning Of Times 2011)
More folky inspired melodies and Tomi's growl's make this such a strong song.
01 - Leaves Scar (Eclipse 2006)
I didn't really appreciate this one until I saw the live version on the TftTL DVD, which took me back to the studio version, which has more acoustic guitars than the live version.
I love both versions, for different reasons, though the live version seems to be played a little faster and have a lot of energy.
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Great to see some appreciation for Silent Waters :tup
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General information on the upcoming survivor here: www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=38557
PLEASE VOTE THERE WHETHER YOU WANT BONUS TRACKS AND NON-ALBUM TRACKS TO BE INCLUDED
If you have suggestions, I'd appreciate you posting them there as well.
I hope as many of you as possible will participate :metal
Thanks :smiley:
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The singles are surprisingly high, but they're catchy songs. SOTS and Leaves Scar are worthy top 2 songs! :tup
Milena, it's time for you to post your list When You're Ready ;)
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The survivor has started: www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=38592
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:bump:
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:bump:
Holy crap, it's been almost 5 years! I announced in the main thread I'm probably going to revive this thread with a list, and here we are. Amorphis have released an album and a quarter since the last post and more people here have become more aware of the band recently, so this should be fun.
I have drafted a list of 30 songs with almost all albums represented, and I'll start doing write-ups for them. I will provide Youtube links for listening convenience.
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The amazing thing about Amorphis is that any kind of "Top X Best Songs" list could change drastically with a new album or two. Off the top of my head, Under the Red Cloud had at least five songs that could potentially make my personal "Top 30": Under the Red Cloud, Bad Blood, Death of a King, Tree of Ages, and Winter's Sleep.
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Updated the title :) Do you want to wait until the new album is out or will you start already?
The amazing thing about Amorphis is that any kind of "Top X Best Songs" list could change drastically with a new album or two. Off the top of my head, Under the Red Cloud had at least five songs that could potentially make my personal "Top 30": Under the Red Cloud, Bad Blood, Death of a King, Tree of Ages, and Winter's Sleep.
Yeah, White Night, Dark Path, Bad Blood and Death of a King would all most likely be in my top 30 now, and some of the new songs have the potential to do the same.
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Do you want to wait until the new album is out or will you start already?
Not going to wait til Queen of Time, I'll start as soon as I'm done with the first few songs.
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Following :metal
And at the moment I would probably put more than half of Under The Red Cloud in my top 30, that record is just soooo good. Under The Red Cloud, The Four Wise Ones, Bad Blood, Tree Of Ages, Death Of A King, Dark Path for sure.
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Do you want to wait until the new album is out or will you start already?
Not going to wait til Queen of Time, I'll start as soon as I'm done with the first few songs.
Cool mate, will follow.
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And we're off.
30. The Way (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZo5e_439uw) (Tuonela)
This song is a fitting way to kick off the list as it's iconic for one of their recognizable elements, the tape delay guitar. This is where Holopainen first figured out the texturous signature pattern that will be heard in different forms at various points of the list. The progressive approach left much of the responsibility of memorable hooks on Pasi Koskinen, who responds with one of his best choruses. Keyboards are also well in place here, especially during the solo section.
29. Born From Fire (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ERfR3blgBw) (Eclipse)
This track is just straight up heavy metal with a slightly gothic tinge brought by the keyboards. Instantly memorable main riff and solid vocals carry the song, and the arrangement is interesting enough to give edge.
28. Black River (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31n-l24zO3Q) (Silent Waters)
This one is quite unique for Amorphis because it has a spoken word section in the beginning, backed up by acoustic guitar and piano. It later evolves into an atmospheric power ballad of sorts and features some of my favourite lead playing from Holopainen. It's a worthy closer for the album and somewhat underrated.
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Born From Fire :metal
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I haven't heard Black River in a while. I need to play it tomorrow. Born from Fire is amazing and quintessential Eclipse. Then of course you have The Way, which is a classic. Fun list so far!
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Some solid choices there, but The Way should be much higher. Such a great tune. :metal
That song was what got me into Amorphis, I got Tuonela from a friend and the first song was The Way and I was hooked.
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I'm pretty indifferent towards Born from Fire - it almost sounds like a leftover from the FFTS era, because it reminds me a bit of Shining Turns to Gray. Black River is nice, but I never really listen to it unless I'm listening to Silent Waters in full. The Way is fantastic though, and I would (and did :D) rank it even higher.
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Black River is nice, but I never really listen to it unless I'm listening to Silent Waters in full.
It's basically the same for me, but the quality is always apparent when I do hear it.
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Let out the...
27. Bad Blood (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7O97n82CYM) (Under the Red Cloud)
Another example of the power of the Amorphis riff, this time in a more melodic death metal fashion. In fact, this is probably the closest to the "Swedish" melodeath sound they've ever come to. My personal highlight here is the melodic post-chorus riff aptly accentuated by Rechberger's drumming. Joutsen's harsh vocal performance is great as well, especially the last pre-chorus delivery.
26. I of Crimson Blood (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZiZAKNdi1U) (Silent Waters)
It's not very common that the piano is highly prominent in an Amorphis song throughout, but this is a fine example of one. The simple yet effective and catchy main motif is carried by the soft-heavy alternation, combined with a more playful bridge melody. Really nice stuff from Santeri.
25. My Future (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lg-injpyCI) (Circle bonus track)
If there ever was one bonus track that should've been on the album proper, it's My Future. It's on the proggier side of Joutsen era Amorphis, underlined by the 7 minute duration, and features an unusual jam/solo section where I believe Kallio, Holopainen and Koivusaari all contribute a solo or lead. It's just so friggin' cool! The rest isn't really overshadowed by this either, as the amount of energy matches the better half of Circle sessions.
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I never understood the amount of bonus tracks there is fir Circle. 5 I think from a 9 song album. They are all quality too, I usually listen to them all together.
Bad Blood is a terrific song.
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Bad Blood is a terrific song.
Yeah, quoted for truth :metal
And I've heard some of the Circle bonus tracks, but not this one-
I Of Crimson Blood is solid but wouldn't probably make my personal top 30.
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I Of Crimson Blood is solid but wouldn't probably make my personal top 30.
Amorphis have so much solid stuff the bottom 10 could see some rotation at another time (and some songs be even a little higher).
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27. Bad Blood (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7O97n82CYM) (Under the Red Cloud)
Another example of the power of the Amorphis riff, this time in a more melodic death metal fashion. In fact, this is probably the closest to the "Swedish" melodeath sound they've ever come to.
I noticed the same thing on first listen already - always got a bit of a modern Dark Tranquillity vibe from those riffs. A modern Amo classic and kickass live tune :metal
I of Crimson Blood is a nice pick, and so is My Future. It's a travesty that the latter didn't make it onto Circle! My main problem with the record is that most of the bonus tracks are more exciting than the lesser half of the main album. I even came up with my own tracklist by tweaking the order and replacing The Wanderer, Mission and Narrow Path with My Future, New Song and Dead Man's Dream:
1. My Future
2. Shades of Gray
3. New Song
4. Hopeless Days
5. Nightbird's Song
6. Dead Man's Dream
7. Into the Abyss
8. Enchanted by the Moon
9. A New Day