Over the years Amorphis has truly done their name justice it seems they change with every album. The evolution of Amorphis is a fascinating thing to behold. Amorphis started off as a brutal death metal band. They then started adding Finnish folk melodies to their music, they even added a little bit of psychedelia. Amorphis began including more and more clean vocals until the death growls were completely dropped. Then with Eclipse they brought them back, which I feel greatly improved the band. I had almost lost hope after hearing Far From the Sun. It has truly been an epic Journey for Amorphis.

     Now Amorphis releases their ninth full length album Skyforger. I have to say I have been looking forward to hearing this album for ages now, and when I received my advance copy of Skyforger I was quite ecstatic. I had to listen to it immediately. Skyforger opens with the track Sampo. Sampo is Amorphis at its most catchy. The chorus will be stuck with you for hours. “The days they blend into the night.” This song also has some very catchy guitar work. It reminds you that Amorphis is a metal band and not the Prog rock group some people accuse them of being. There is also some nice piano work that adds good contrast to the crunching guitar and even a little of Amorphis’s signature keyboard work from the olden days.

     After Sampo, comes Silver Bride which rivals Sampo in its catchiness. Esa shows off some great guitar work in this song. After Silver Bride comes something different. From the Heaven of My Heart is more of a slow chugger compared to the two tracks before it. The chorus is truly beautiful and it is a great change of pace.

     Sky is Mine more catchy singing and guitar work and made me wonder if there is going to be any growling vocals at all on this album. Then Majestic Beast comes along with its dark crunching guitars. If there are gonna be any growls they will be here. The beast does come and it is ferocious but the chorus shows us the beast is also has a “majestic” side, in yet another wonderful chorus.

     After the beast comes two more songs that are more mellow, My Sun and Highest Star. Or I should say My Sun is mellower Highest Star has a lot of contrasts it lulls you into thinking it is a mellow song with its soothing guitar work and beautiful flute, it then blasts off to the highest star and then comes back down, to blast off yet again.

     One of the highlights off the album is the title track Skyforger. It is a beautiful epic work that really pumps your energy up, very powerful stuff. Course of Fate shows off some more excellent guitar work that’s as catchy as the chorus. The album ends on a high note with From Earth I Rose. This track simply wonderful very powerful and catchy guitar and vocals, and the lyrics on this song are great. There is a very organic feel to the song.

     As of now I can say I have listened to Amorphis’s Skyforger five times straight through. I would recommend this album to anyone who likes Amorphis or just Metal or Rock music in general. It is everything I want and have come to expect from Amorphis. Go out and buy it you won’t be disappointed!!!