A new album by Finnish masters Amorphis is bound to generate curiosity and high expectations as during a successful thirty years career they conquered a seminal status in the metal scene and never really disappointed the fans therefore it is a pleasure to finally listen to the latest work of music “Queen Of Time” which feels even more cinematic and inventive featuring also an orchestra & choir.
Creating a massive sonic impact “The Bee” manages to evoke a profoundly archaic essence while being absolutely relevant in the modern metal scene skillfully mixing darkened extreme roots featuring intense guitar riffs & insanely powerful growls and a majestic catchy melodic ensemble effortlessly enhanced by the elegant creativity of Santeri’s keyboards arrangements shifting from ethereal atmospheres to complex layers that deserve your full attention.
On “Message In The Amber” the sheer beauty of the solemn choir contributes to create huge epic vibes amplifying the Finnish folklore elements that are, as always, a crucial element of the band’s signature style and here become extremely dominant in the rich melodic guitar work and the charismatic keyboards layers but you will also find harsher monumental rhythmic sections.
“Daughter Of Hate” will immediately stand out for the darkly melancholic nuances amplified by the graceful melodic guitar work as the rhythmic patterns temporarily slow down to focus on authentic emotions before fully embracing heavier guitar driven grooves accompanied by hellish growls while the saxophone piece is a deliciously unexpected addition and the ancient folk spirit will become more palpable when lyricist Kainulainen delivers a soulful narrative piece.
“Heart Of The Giant” begins with charming gloomy guitar phrases soon joined by the impeccable grandiose sound of the whole instrumentation to deliver sumptuous melodies and a shimmering rhythmic crescendo that will lead to the choir’s dramatic nuances and a spellbinding series of keyboards & guitar acrobatics.
“Amongst Stars” takes you to an ancient forest with magical folk flavors crafted by stunning uplifting melodic guitars, flute harmonies and dazzling keyboards but certainly the enchanting voice and the genuine passion of Anneke van Giersbergen will often steal the spotlight.
While keeping similar majestic tonalities “Pyres On The Coast” acquires a renewed sense of darkness as Tomi’s impeccably diabolical growls seem to emerge from a forgotten abyss and guitar melodies deliberately evoke gloomy feelings while the vibrant splendor of guitar & keyboards soloing cannot be missed.
Being a prolific band Amorphis has always delivered compelling albums and as a result of a natural evolution, forward thinking and meticulous attention for details “Queen Of Time” feels particularly mature keeping alive the quintessential Nordic nature of the band mixed with a sublime intricacy and an ex novo creative force that at this point truly feels unstoppable.
