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Rating: The biting cold of September breezes brings with it the marvelous notes of this true gem, sparkling in the gray skies of a Finland already ready to cradle itself in the winter darkness. Preceded by the eponymous lead single, comes this sum of total epicity, cradling us among wild atmospheres, romantic dreams, battles, and spells, all centered around the figure of the hero-warrior of the Kalevala named Lemminkäinen!
Uncontainable Amorphis, inspired once again by the national epos so dear to them, unleash a whirlwind of melodies that shine with their own light, leading the listener to feel them as their own, causing copious tears of joy and melancholy during their listening. It is the victory of originality in an increasingly inflated and monotonous market, the triumph of a pioneering and often forgotten band, which with one blow dismisses the competition, demonstrating such superiority as to dispel any doubt about who really knew how to CREATE.
Lemminkäinen, the guiding spirit of this work, is one of the protagonists, along with Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen, of the aforementioned Kalevala, and the lyrics represent the cycle of poems dedicated to him where it is told of his journey to Pohjola (the kingdom of the Lapps) to win, by any means, the hand of the daughter of Louhi, the queen of the North. An attempt that, despite the almost limitless abilities of the hero, will end in defeat and loss of life in the river of Tuonela, causing the inconsolable grief of the mother spoken of in the title track "Silent Waters".
"Weaving The Incantation" transports us into a hurricane of roaring riffs, melting into a chorus full of expressive richness between deep growls and "clean" vocal openings full of feeling, allowing us to admire the talent of superb singing. You can hear much of the Opeth in the foggy atmospheres of this piece, even though everything is arranged in the context of Amorphis’ sound, as well as in the epic urgency of "A Servant", anthemic, shining with radiant harmonies chiseled by tireless guitars and energetic vocals. "Silent Waters", a poetic soliloquy of the hero's mother, allows our eyes to moisten in the face of such passion. The melancholy solos of Esa sink their enchanting strength into Joutsen’s performance, whose voice is now an absolute protagonist and dominator.
The peak is reached with "Towards And Against", a living melodic ruby on a dreamy and velvety riff, on keys dense with solemnity and, above all, on a chorus of overflowing epic intensity. Here too, one finds changing vocal choices between harsh guttural and the sweetness of lavish, emphatic cleans, perfect in a single word.
The band's soundscapes become increasingly ethereal as the work progresses, with the sweet notes of "Her Alone", a semi-ballad of great class, where Kallio’s keyboards play like snowflakes at dusk, while pieces like "I, Of Crimson Blood" or "The White Swan" bring us close to the progressive archetypes of "Tuonela". Exhausting the work of the guitars, eternally stretched to paint naturalistic visions worthy of the Finnish painter Hugo Simberg, while the rhythm section is soft as a solitary walk among the leaves of the October Ruska. In the finale, there is even room for the folk-Celtic digression of "Enigma", a graceful acoustic play dominated by a sensational Joutsen, skilled in setting to music Louhi’s requests to the valiant Lemminkäinen and, finally, the emotional rain of "Black River". Slow piano harmonies chase the sweet and shadowy singing for an ending where the way back is paved in lyrics steeped in melancholy.
Amorphis deliver us a full-fledged emotional river, a musical sculpture to be appreciated in silence, walking on the shores of lakes abandoned to the rigors of the cold, intensely awaiting the sweet tenderness of winter. The allure of the north, intense and enchanting. Enjoy it through the genius of these six Helsinki guys who have been writing marvelous pieces for 16 years!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Weaving the Incantation (04:57)
A mind dejected, blood boiling with anger
the storm of the warpath, now sings in my heart
your pleadings, useless, I now shall disregard
I'll leave you to weep and to fear for me
I'm ready for my end
my hair I comb down
with resin into braids
I'm ready to ascend
my will burning high
summon strength from the night
I equip myself, to warfare I prepare
I put on my black cloak, enchanted adders skins
your prayers shall not reach into my heart
your despair shall not stop me now
This precious hairbrush, thrown at the wall
it came to me from my father
I give you this as a token of myself
for you to have and mourn over
And when my blood flows from it's bristles
when my sap is dripping from it's shaft
then you will know of my anguish
my destruction will be revealed
03 Silent Waters (04:50)
A day’s light told me of my son’s fate
The sun showed the way, grim and severe
Pulled under the raging waters, my child
Sank in the drowning currents, my son
My strength is not enough, my powers failed me
I need the heavens’ help, I ask for thunder’s force
I plead for you, oh lightning, forge an iron tool
A magic rake for dragging a river for my son
God of fire, bring your light
Forger of sun, help me now
Guardian of the shore will sleep in your warmth
Lull the folk of cold water
Banish the serpents of the dark
To the river let me go and fetch my son away
A rake made of iron from the Gods of skies
The spirit of bright days sent me the sun
Cold troops of Tuoni can not stand in my way
Untouched I shall walk by the river of the night
My child
My son
09 The White Swan (04:49)
I set out on the longest road
To seek the answers from Death
I set out to the black sacred stream
to seek out and shoot a white swan
On desolate and stony paths
From a mountain to a vale
I reached the shore and saw it come
Into my view, the swan
I took the arrow and raised my bow
I aimed below the graceful neck
Under the white of its breast
Inside the red of its heart
The surface of the river calm and black
Reflects the sky, the pale moon
And there a glimpse caught of myself
I’m shattered, the vision is ruined
An arrow from the water
A serpent rips my mind
Into the black river of Death
With a slash across my heart
My last sight a white swan
Behind the swan a starless sky
Under the sky a coal black river
Reflected a bone white moon
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Other reviews
By fjelltronen
"Sumptuous yet laden with fragility is the piano intro of 'Silent Waters', accompanied by the acoustic lapping of a melancholic six-string."
"The pinnacle of Finnish heavy that far surpasses dozens of useless and repetitive bands, A MUST HAVE!"
