Amorphis

Tuonela (Relapse)
by Martin Popoff

As Amorphis moved through the years, they became the ultimate slash band, moving through death/doom, doom/folk and folk/death/progressive. But Tuonela wins the day over past wedgings by removing the harsh slash and weaving their disparate influences into a seamless whole. The doom’s there, but it doesn’t stick out, just like the folk, just like the death metal, all intertwining and growing jungles of lush sound that leap past previous work in much the same manner that all the progressive bands eventually embraced songs (think Abacab, and 90125 and a now-unrecognizable Marillion).

The novelty instrumentation is just that, a fleeting novelty, Tuonela being more about Celtic Zep-ified death metal guitars, near stoner rock drums and a half dozen or so enigmatic vocal intentions from Tomi that become the focal point they should be. Fave tracks would be the first and the last, “The Way” being the smartest arrangement on the record, all drama and tone, highlighted by that Frippertronic-type guitar effect of which the name escapes me, and “Summer’s End” hooking the listener post-Goth like Sentenced to the gentle wash of fat cymbal crashes. Two complaints: a sameyness of speed throughout (various slow to mid’s), and a lack of treble, although neither could be considered grave errors, given the languid, non-jarring trip intended.
(PO Box 251 Millersville, PA 17551)