Amorphis - Circle (2013)

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Amorphis - Circle (2013)

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Feeling like they were going in circles, Amorphis chose to spice up their Joutsen-formula for something both different and similar. Circle isn’t the freshest album (as the band made it out to be) but it is everything an Amorphis fan could want. Following the post-2000 trend of every other Amorphis album being better than the one before it , this one brings back that ambitious enthusiasm the band sorely forgot on The Beginning Of Times. From the production to the stimulated, developed writing, it seems as though Amorphis have more left in them than the last album hinted at. With that said, this release is a focused, luxurious album with ripe passages rivaling Skyforger.

The production is something to note as it marks a change since the arrival of Joutsen. Peter Tägtgren is one of my favorite metal artists, with his band Hypocrisy being a melodic death band that goes way back in my metal-listening years (about as early as Amorphis). So having his production style utilized by this band is a match made in heaven. It’s not totally different from the kind the band has been using these past few albums, but there is a main distinction to be made. One is with the guitars, which are sharper and harder, adding a bite that makes the riffs a notch heavier than before. Guitars are more upfront, for sure, and that’s what embodies these songs the most. The guitars are firmer, but the instruments sound tighter without sounding flattened. It’s a fantastic balance and one polished to the tune of Amorphis’ graceful leads and vast atmosphere.

Moving to the songs, there’s not one dud on here. Every song has a chorus to fuel the energy and grasp its own momentum. There’s no lack of intensity, no performance failures, rarely any misplaced ideas (“Nightbird’s Song” and the closer could have used some vivacity), and no conflicting concepts. It’s both an album comprised of brilliant songs and unified as a collective, vibrant creation. Esa’s leads are harmonic and cosmic, Koivusaari’s riffs are aggressive, and that bass is principal in constructing the resolute, colossal low-end support. The bland, uneven cheesiness of the previous album is also gone, as this album’s gloomier manner lends direction. There are more uses of Joutsen’s cleaner, mature vocals, so don’t go getting the wrong idea that darker means adopting more death metal elements like Joutsen’s monstrous growling. There’s definitely some more death metal fleshed out like with the attitude, but that won’t take away from the songs or choruses evoking that sense of tenacity and bygone zeal.

Picking favorites on this isn’t easy. You’ve got the powerful “Shades Of Gray” with its commanding chorus and Esa’s epic leads to start this album off proudly. On the other end is the atmospheric “Hopeless Days” effectively balancing dark, crunchy verses (think Swallow The Sun) and Joutsen’s mournful cleans. The death / doom potency (think Swallow The Sun here, too) of “Enchanted By The Moon” might be another one, with its mix of spiteful growls, sorrowful cleans, gothic keys, and tasteful guitars as the spearhead all sounding so electrifying. No, you know what, it’s got to be “Mission”. It’s a contrast to “Enchanted By The Moon,” but it’s got Rechberger’s most memorable drumming as he goes for a catchy beat with lots of hat tapping. Esa’s the real showman, but Rechberger’s drumming and the melodies on this one (not to mention Joutsen’s soaring vocals) make “Mission” the zenith of the album.

This one’s caught between my favorite Amorphis albums and the great ones that don’t quite cut it. Its level of impact isn’t as high as it could have been. It’s a fantastic album, with the only two detractions being the overall quality of “Nightbird’s Song” and “A New Day”. Otherwise, it’s everything I could want in a Joutsen-Amorphis release. It doesn’t deviate from what they’re now known for, but it’s certainly a release that reaffirms their ability to craft intricate songs. It’s been nearly ten years since I first heard this band when they helped get me into metal, and hearing them still retaining their inventiveness is comforting. I just hope they have a few more in them before the inevitable end.

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