CoC : Amorphis - Elegy : Review

Amorphis - _Elegy_
(Relapse Records, 1996)
by: Gino Filicetti (9 out of 10)

After falling in love with Amorphis' last album, the ever mystical and utterly breath-taking _Tales from the Thousand Lakes_, I was MORE than anxiously anticipating this newest release. This album starts off in fantastic Amorphis form, expanding on the sound the band has become known for a million fold. The opening track, "Better Unborn" shows that Amorphis has come quite a ways since we've last encountered them. The music has become more complex in a multitude of ways. It incorporates more of everything: guitars, keyboards, drums, and the vocals have also improved, transcending the whispered growls of before to become a truly majestic complement to the music which surrounds it. Also on this track is the first showcase of Amorphis' new 'clean' vocalist Pasi Koskinen. Although I can't say I approve of this new element, I really can't slag it because the vocals are superbly performed. All of the tracks on this album feature both styles of singing, but to my disappointment the clean vocals are predominant over the growls. My favorite track is "Song of the Troubled One", which of course features only growling, and an instrumentation that surpasses all other tracks in my opinion. Another notable mention is the multi-faceted "Cares", incorporating all of the elements that make Amorphis so diverse, from the rock guitar parts, to the intricate keyboards, to the heavy grind of the bass, to both the clean and growled vox, and even some techno-ish parts thrown in (I heard the band might be making a video for this one). The only thing I don't like about this album is what seems to be a "new" Amorphis. It seems that the band is trying to portray a new image as evidenced by the new logo which is less "metallic" than before, and also by the look of the band (all the new members look pretty alternative), but who am I to judge? I admit it does seem stupid on my part to point this out, but that's what I'm here for, to point everything out. Anyway, this album is definitely a milestone for Amorphis.

(article published 10/5/1996)

CHATS
5/19/1999	A Bromley	Amorphis: Living Up to Their Name
5/13/1997	P Azevedo	Amorphis: The Search for Perfect Melody
6/9/1996	G Filicetti	Amorphis: The Alteration of All Norms

ALBUMS
10/24/2009	K Sarampalis	9	Amorphis - Skyforger
11/19/2007	J Ulrey	9.5	Amorphis - Silent Waters
2/17/2006	P Azevedo	7.5	Amorphis - Eclipse
5/29/2003	P Azevedo	5	Amorphis - Far From the Sun
8/12/2001	P Azevedo	7	Amorphis - Am Universum
5/19/1999	P Azevedo	8	Amorphis - Tuonela