Review by Jason Guest

Finnish metallers Amorphis have been knocking around now for twenty years and have released nine albums whose styles range from death growls to power anthems to dark melodies. Stylistically, this band never stays put. And for album number ten, The Beginning of Times, they have further broadened their horizons into more progressive territory, and at the same time, as the album title suggests, revisited their roots. The album follows the path of an "iconic hero of Finnish mythology”, Väinämöinen, and the creation of the world, hence the egg on the cover, and as you’d expect, musically, this album is as grand as its subject matter. Diverse, the album has fast rhythms, catchy choruses, memorable melodies, and covers an extensive scope of styles from the technically progressive to sheer brutality to melodic melancholy. Musically, the depths, textures and layers exhibit a band that can call on their technical prowess and aesthetic sensibilities to create songs of magnificent subtly and scope. Tomi Joutsen’s vocals are outstanding and brimming with power, utilising his remarkable range when the songs need it. At times haunting, at others utterly moving, The Beginning of Times reveals itself upon repeat listens to be a very interesting album that is ambitious, grand and though maybe not a masterpiece, perfectly executed.

Track Listing:
1. Battle for Light
2. Mermaid
3. My Enemy
4. You I Need
5. Song of the Sage
6. Three Words
7. Reformation
8. Soothsayer
9. On a Stranded Shore
10. Escape
11. Crack in a Stone
12. Beginning of Time

7 out of 10
http://amorphis.net