Amorphis
Circle

There are many bands and numerous musicians who, in their own way, have contributed to writing a page of "music history" within the immense, varied, and multifaceted world that is the musical universe. In their corner of the world, in their cold Finland, Amorphis can boast of having recorded extremely important, if not fundamental, episodes of a niche genre with little "appeal" like melodic death metal. We were in the '90s, and chapters like "Tales From The Thousand Lakes" and "Elegy" made both the Scandinavian group and that unusual way of making music famous. They were not the pioneers of the genre, and perhaps they did not even reach those heights and that maturity attributed to other entities in the genre. Yet, those remain pivotal works for those who lived through those years and those kinds of sounds. Precisely in comparison with the past, one can arrive at an established certainty: the sparse, "seminal" productions of some decades ago have now been set aside in favor of a new global approach that doesn't limit itself only to the musical world. We are heading towards computerization, towards an inevitable change in methods of action. Tech triumphs, easy listening, mannerism. Elements that, for better or worse, are also inherent in "Circle," the latest effort by Holopainen and company. Not that Amorphis have suddenly started making dream pop, but it's undeniable that compared to twenty years ago, both their musical approach and the meticulousness and cloying nature of their recordings have changed. A fate common to the vast majority of contemporary bands.

Starting from this trend, one can understand how the path taken by the Finns diverges from their beginnings: a journey similar to that of other entities in the genre like Paradise Lost and Katatonia, capable of going through different "phases" in their career. Amorphis seem to have reached a melodic gothic metal yet compact and straightforward at the same time: Kallio's keyboards frame a painting where the main colors are the cold ones of the guitar duo Holopainen/Koivusaari. The opening track "Shades Of Gray" is the perfect synthesis of this dual soul: icy riffs and decidedly aggressive vocal lines, before a softer chorus that manages to leave its mark. The refrains themselves characterize one of the most successful aspects of this "Circle": they often express despair but manage to be direct and effective, contrary to what happened in "The Beginning Of Times". Moreover, compared to the previous work, "Circle" has greater variety and does not get stuck on a sappy gothic: "The Wanderer" is a little gem, "Narrow Path" has folk nuances that were missed, "Nightbird's Song" has an initial riff that recalls vintage black metal, "Enchanted By The Moon" scratches with roughness as Amorphis had not done for a while.

"Circle" is a complex work despite its apparent simplicity, it possesses changing reflections and nuances that need to be thoroughly absorbed. It has its dull moments (particularly "Mission"), and perhaps it indulges in limited and uninspired instrumental solutions. These are the Amorphis of 2013, with their strengths and weaknesses, able to lift themselves from the bland "The Beginning Of Times" but not entirely able to reinvent themselves.

Three and a half stars. How beautiful were the old stars?

1. "Shades Of Gray" (5:28)
2. "Mission" (4:33)
3. "The Wanderer" (4:44)
4. "Narrow Path" (4:23)
5. "Hopeless Days" (5:08)
6. "Nightbird's Song" (5:01)
7. "Into The Abyss" (5:37)
8. "Enchanted By The Moon" (5:32)
9. "A New Day" (6:02)