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Amorphis CIRCLE COUNTDOWN 11/11

Circle (2013)
& Record Release Show

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Can this band do no wrong? With this new release Amorphis continues it’s prog/folk/metal combo, but with more aggression and heaviness. The subtle shift in production makes a difference, now the sound is bigger and booming. We can hear pop/rock influences too.

‘Nightbird’s Song’ is the album’s darkest track, but has a delicate flute interlude:


The lyrics are based on an original story by Pekka Kainulainen. Circle tells a story of a protagonist who has always felt himself an outsider. From the past of Karelian Finland he finds his spiritual tribe and the power to turn the course of his life. So it’s a survivor’s story.

‘Mission’ has a nice lead guitar melody and an almost dancable rhytm:


The album title isn’t far fetched. Amorphis has skillfully entwined the new pop/rock elements with their early death metal sounds (best heard on The Karelian Isthmus). So they’ve come around a full circle. Wonder what’s still to come?

Video for the single ‘Hopeless Days’ captures the song’s haunting mood:


Record Release Show in Helsinki April 25th 2013

I had an opportunity to attend the Circle record release show in Helsinki. Though playing the new songs live for the first time, their performance was confident. The band seemed energetic and pleased to find many dedicated fans attending. Amorphis played through the new album and 9 encore songs (see setlist).

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The overall sound was more of a death metal style. Tomi Joutsen’s growls were amazing. And yet he sang the calmer parts beautifully. At times the keyboards and lead guitars got a bit overshadowed by the heaviness.

Concert photos by Tina Solda.


The new highlights were definitely Nightbird’s Song, Enchanted By The Moon and New Day. I was the most impressed with the pre-Tomi era songs (Into Hiding, Against Widows, My Kantele) - House of Sleep and Sampo being another memorable encores. 

www.amorphis.net

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This is obviously the last post of the Circle Countdown series. It’s been a pleasure to write and I’ve done my best to capture some essential viewpoints of every album. I hope this can function as a introduction to Amorphis’ work for new listeners too.