Amorphis - Tuonela [1999]

About the Universe

The cover is unattractive. Five years have past, but still under this withered twig you can find the best album of Amorphis ever. Well, if to mention last changes in the band line-up, we can surmise this album will stay the best.

Album Tuonela is like a tale, like a Finnish folk doom-metal epos. Every song is like a parable. All of them are lofty and atmospheric, getting the hearts of the listeners. The music is powerful. The melodies are unusual and catchy. The voice of Pasi Koskinen is unique and remarkable. Tuonela is full of earth energy. One should get all intelligence and soul to understand the album, but when you succeed you will love the album till your last days.

The first track is amazingly beautiful The Way. It's a story about human being, about men power. Like Richard Bach wrote: "You are never given a wish without being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it , however ". And… "The devil has shown me the way". And you have to choose yourself.

Title track Tuonela is a masterpiece. It's heavy, serious, strained, hopeless and endless. When you hear it you feel like you should feel in Tuonela, which actually means realm of shadows, the other world. Yes , this song is beautiful. And sad. And charming. And after Tuonela there's evil metal track Greed and amazingly cute song Divinity which sounds like afflatus.

Seems like Withered is the most lively and touching song on the album. Rhythm is fast, guitars melodies are atmospheric, Pasi's voice sounds mocking. Theme of withered flows to next Rusty Mood, cruel song with ragged reed melodies.

The album is tight and quite depressive. And being overfull with hot emotions you surely feel perfect bliss when you hear the last song Summer's End. What a wonderful song! The heart is beatng and the soul is flying. Just listen to Summer's End once – and you get a holy ecstasy.

Melamory