Circle

Circle is a fulfilling work on which Amorphis weaves heavy riffs, deep Nordic shading, beautiful folk-derived melody and progressive, elaborate development extremely naturally. Tomi Joutsen’s dramatic switching between growls and clean vocals, by no means breaking the songs’ rich flow, splendidly creates delicate gradations of emotion. A record where the band’s mature expression is displayed more deeply. From the powerful drive of the opener “Shades of Grey” and the drama of “Mission” to the catchiness of the signature “Hopeless Days,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “The Wanderer,” “Nightbird’s Song” and “Narrow Path” convey the work’s fullness. In the moment of shifting from weighty, powerful parts to quiet, beautiful melody, the band’s own sure narrative dwells deeply. A record that truly suits when you want to carefully savor the deep, rich sound and the rich afterglow of the singing. It also has a side as a concept work depicting the life story of a certain man. An engaging masterpiece that again powerfully showed the appeal of the fulfilling period after Tomi Joutsen joined — a record where the band’s steady ability shines.