Review by George on August 16, 2020.

With early death metal origins, an increased presence of folk and rock influences later on and more, Amorphis have never been an easy band to assign a single genre to. Nowadays they straddle a very strange line between prog metal, folk rock and melodeath, a niche that they've explored and refined over the last fifteen years since the introduction of Tomi Joutsen. Today I will review what might just be the pinnacle of this era and arguably even Amorphis overall.

I consider Silent Waters, Skyforger and The Beginning of Times something of a trilogy in Amorphis' discography, each being a concept album that deals with one of the three main characters in the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. Both the preceding albums are amazing in their own right, with Silent Waters telling the stories of Lemminkäinen and Skyforger dealing with the great blacksmith Ilmarinen. But The Beginning of Times is on its own level entirely, where breathtaking storytelling, mystic melodies and Amorphis' magical composition converge to create a near-perfect experience.

The third instalment of the trilogy tells the tale of the great bard Väinämöinen, and the atmosphere is impeccable. The focus of the album is on wondrous, folky keyboard lines with very few overtly epic moments, but then again the Kalevala is not an epic text. Sure, magical duels, celestial wars and visits to the underworld are commonplace, but the book's true soul is in its poetic beauty and storytelling, reflected well by the sweet, flowing motifs that make up a large part of the experience.

The cynosure of the record is, without a doubt, Tomi Joutsen. His true versatility is not even on display here, but once again that's because it doesn't have to be. The desperate, harrowed side of him isn't necessary (although if you want to hear a man with such a powerful voice sound like he's about to collapse on the floor in tears I heartily recommend Hallatar), leaving just his storytelling mode. I don't think there's anyone else who could better represent a Bard with the power to infuse his songs with magic - his clean singing is even more passionate than ever before while he reserves his forceful growls for the more thematically intense sections such as Väinämoinën's rage in 'My Enemy'.

The album overall is a very logical progression from Skyforger, comprised mostly of simple, anthemic melodic rock songs such as 'Mermaid' and 'You I Need', which serve the atmosphere well with catchy riffs, powerful, memorable choruses and guitar solos aplenty, never overly technical but always emotionally resonant. But The Beginning of Times is at its best when it's combining those joyous leads with more complex, ambitious structures that give a true sense of progression and storytelling. This occurs most notably in 'Song of the Sage', which is really a convergence of every single element that makes the album great and more - it sets the scene with soaring twin melodic lines from a guitar and flute, both coming together for one of the most evocative choruses on the album. The duality between the instruments is perfectly reintegrated later on in a series of atmospheric solos - it's quite a simple concept but Amorphis execute it to perfection, squeezing every last drop of raw beauty they can out of each and every melody they write.

And that is, to me, the best way to describe this album. It's a series of very simple ideas taken to their very limits and executed to sheer perfection. The band aren't reinventing the wheel in terms of any particular songwriting devices, but there's still a characteristic individuality in the unorthodox blend of genres they present. Every moment is brimming with passion, imagination and sheer artistic vision and the result is captivating.

In the end, The Beginning of Times is a near flawless album that I have just one complaint about. There's a singular point around the middle of 'On a Stranded Shore' where I begin to feel it's overstaying it's welcome. It happens on every listen without fail, but fortunately Amorphis have always managed to recapture my attention with the beginning of 'Crack in a Stone' (a song that introduces yet another new element with a beautiful integration of choirs). However, just for that one small moment where the inclusion of 'On a Stranded Shore' begins to feel unnecessary, I'm forced to deduct a single point from the album. Ultimately though, this one little blemish is nothing compared to the creativity the rest of the album oozes. It manages to be distinctly Finnish in atmosphere even while defying the melancholic conventions of the band's contemporaries, and while the core ideas behind the music remain the same for the whole duration the subtleties and details are constantly shifting which keeps the experience fresh and memorable. With each track we're introduced to a new mood, a new story, a new landscape to be explored, and that is what makes The Beginning of Times such an incredible record. This is Amorphis at their peak.

Rating: 9.9 out of 10

Review by Greg on December 25, 2023.

Apart from the well-known Evile, a band which I'll forever be grateful to for introducing me to thrash metal, and the pretty humorous Gama Bomb which I was never too fond of, United Kingdom seems content to leave the neo-thrash spotlight to other countries, just like back in the days. Outside of these two bands, I'm quite unfamiliar with the scene going on in British land, and if a casual listen to the rather unspectacular Abadden some time ago was any indication, I was quick to imply that every other band coming from the other side of the Channel just didn't have much to offer. I'm no stranger to this kind of prejudices, unfortunately, but if nothing else I always seek to disprove myself because, you know, in that case I'd earn something interesting to headbang to, so everybody wins (except my fallacious logic). Personal struggles aside, here I am, spinning the latest work from four British guys who, from the aesthetics and the moniker, promise serious business.

Shrapnel have been around for more than a decade now, the only constant being the two talented axemen Chris Martin (rhythm) and Nathan Sadd (lead), and for their third offering Palace for the Insane they welcomed back original drummer Chris Williams (who had left before their first full-length) and found a new voice in Aarran Tucker, who replaces founder Jae Hadley and handles bass duties as well. Right from their debut The Virus Conspires (2014), they established themselves as a rising force on British soil, at the same time beginning a process of maturation and refinement all the way to the crucial landmark of the third full-length release. Is this actually their peak of brilliance, or have they sacrificed their initial flare at the 'bland music for smart metalheads' altar (Havok immediately comes to my mind)? One listen to any riff on this album will be enough to wipe any doubt from your mind: you can bet your sweet ass they're here to make a lasting impression.

While comparisons to the two bands I mentioned at the beginning may emerge at a first casual listen, Shrapnel mainly do their own thing, and I mean that as a sincere compliment. You may pick up some instances where Tucker's vocals may resemble Matt Drake's more aggressive delivery, with the notable difference that, outside of these moments, the new vocalist usually sounds harsher and closer to a Nick Melissourgos/Riley Gale hybrid, at times even mimicking the most recent Tom Angelripper snarl. So far, so good, right? There's also a sprinkle of metalcore-esque sung vocals, if you mind (think of grittier Atreyu cleans), and in some songs he's joined by his more Teutonic-styled predecessor, but I found no tangible contrast. The riffwork is, if I were to sum it up in a word, refreshing, just like the Northern Irish crew maybe, but in all honesty it settles in a different league. Shrapnel's continuous tempo shifts bring that sense of 'calculated aggression' (not unlike Evile in this regard, I admit) that's typical of modern thrash metal (it goes without saying that you can already imagine the album production based on these premises, though I preferred Russ Russell's work on the previous releases), but even if that's never been your cup of tea, you can still trust me when I say that the guys are also excellent songwriters.

With Palace for the Insane, whatever Shrapnel lost in frontal aggression (the drummer change may be a factor), they gained in sound variety and influences. I have to be honest, in spite of their arduous efforts to spice things up, I've always had a soft spot for fast, stupid thrash metal, so after the first, multifaceted half, a part of me was starting to seek for some more adrenaline-pumping, boneheaded stuff. Needless to say, they anticipated my thoughts and out of nowhere they delivered 'Infernal Choir' (with a guest solo by Xentrix's Kristian Havard) and the absolutely monster 'The Mace' which alone is worth the price of the album. Still, Shrapnel doesn't want to rest on their laurels too much as they effortlessly bounce between impressive modern thrash anthems ('Might of Cygnus', 'Bury Me Alive', the title-track) and mid-tempo stompers which never feel dull or half-assed ('Turn Off the Lights', 'Violent Now, Forever'). A special mention for the apocalyptic 'Future Sight' which, dare I say, would have worked even better as the closer, with its solemn pace and quasi-singalong nature, and the melancholic 'Begin Again', which is sensibly very emotional for the band as it's dedicated to a late friend of theirs. The latter may as well be Sadd's crowning achievement so far – that solo in the middle is truly heartfelt.

Palace for the Insane is by no means a short album, but it manages to keep you interested for all its 50+ minutes, and that's never an easy feat. I always like when I find the strongest songs outside of the singles/video choices ('Salt the Earth' was not among my favourites), and overall my impression is that it picks up steam more and more as it progresses. As a footnote, for what it's worth, I also appreciated their hard-working attitude and their activity on social medias, and I hope all the best for their career (and to catch them at a live show, who knows). Overall, easily one of my best 'discoveries' in recent times. Now I rest assured there's hope for the Old England.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10