Amorphis – Far From The Sun – Review

amorphis200Amorphis

Far From The Sun (Nuclear Blast)
by Martin Popoff

There’s a pall cast over this long-delayed North American issue of Far From The Sun, originally issued in Europe on Virgin in early ’03, that pall being the departure of the band’s enigmatic lead singer, Pasi Koskinen, in my opinion, Amorphis‘ most important guy. Pasi made the band a magical live experience. His replacement has big mukluks to fill.

amorphisphotoPasi’s swansong is an interesting, not altogether successful, return to heaviness, although it’s more like a trip to a new kind of heaviness. There’s a unifying vibe to the many rockers on here, this idea of surging, washing loud chordings, as moody, mystical, and important-sounding as in the past, but also a bit marred by an ever so slightly muddy and treble-diminished recording.

My appreciation for the record has grown though, especially in the new light of it being the last of a very special band chemistry. Fans who bought the original should still pony up to the ice bar for this reissue. Why? Cos there are six bonus tracks, one being the video to “Evil Inside,” one being a dreamy acoustic (but not lazy) version of the title track, and the last four being total bonafide finished and high quality bonus tracks, best of which are “Shining Turns To Grey” and “Darkrooms” – now my friggin’ two faves on the whole album – with “Follow Me Into The Fire” being epic and doomy, “Dreams Of The Damned” being a surrendered and miserable and involved and hopeless power ballad in the fine, fine Amorphis tradition. Conclusion? A problematic album just got way better, partly because of these extras, partly by Pasi’s passing (I’ll be first in line for the solo album). The so-cool album cover gets a faithful reinterpretation for an elegant foil-stamped and embossed cardboard oversleeve.
(www.nuclearblastusa.com)