Artist: Amorphis
Label: Relapse Records
Release Date: 4/3/01
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Title: Am Universum Artist: Amorphis Label: Relapse Records Release Date: 4/3/01 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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3 | ||
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3 | ||
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3 | ||
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Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
Amorphis return with the same laid back, poppy form of rock that predominated their last album, and infuriated the fans that miss the band's brutal routes. Unlike Metallica, who softened their sound, but came out with crappy music, Amorphis is still a viable act without the death growls and driving guitars, but this, their newest effort seems a step back rather than forward when compared with their last work.
On the surface, the songs incorporate the same casual, mostly catchy melodies that we’ve become used to, but this album seems a little less successful due to minor nuances. Pasi’s voice, while impressive and commanding against the rough vocals on Elegy, comes across as nasal and monotone. The melodies also linger rather than latch on, and once I turn off this disc, I start humming songs from Tuonela, as their melodies are much more memorable.
"A step back rather than forward when compared with their last work." This album does have its share of good songs. “Alone”, “The Night Is Over”, and “Veil of Sin” are all charming songs, and are worth the price of the album. But many of the other songs, while not without their own allure, are little more than filler. The album starts out much stronger than it ends, and there is an annoying saxophone that keeps returning throughout the album. It seems completely out of place, and they seem to use it as concrete proof that they’re expanding their sound rather than using it to better their sound. I half expect them to have a new “instrument of the week” on their next record.
So this album is very good, but is definitely a step back. If you loved the last album, you’ll get enough utility out of this to make it worth your while, but overall the disc is a disappointment.
Death's Review:
Did you like Tuonela? Good, cause if you didn’t, if you thought that record was too far removed from Amorphis’ death metal roots for your liking, you don’t even want to bother with Am Universum. Unless you’re prepared to start appreciating Amorphis from an entire different angle: progressive, spacy, trippy or classic rock.
The opener, “Alone,” reminds me of Pink Floyd’s “Run Like Hell,” only not as dark and aggressive. Track five, “Crimson Wave,” reminds me of the Doors, only less dangerous. The fact that Amorphis are great musicians and, at times, are playing inspired rock music does not keep me from remaining disappointed in the lack of growling vocals and more traditionally metal sound to the guitars and the rest of the music. The music is “good,” it just doesn’t kick my ass in any way, shape or form anywhere near to how Amorphis’ older albums do. You can get lost in this trip and begin to realize what Amorphis are trying to communicate, but it takes effort. And the drifting into the realm of rock has also placed more pressure on the vocals which, although good, they’re not great and cannot carry the band.
"The music is 'good,' it just doesn’t kick my ass in any way, shape or form anywhere near to how Amorphis’ older albums do." Don’t get me wrong, I like Am Universum. In some ways, it might deserve four skulls because it is an honest work of beautiful art from a confident and competent outfit. But because I honestly believe that this record will be mostly disappointing to most average metal fans, I give it a three. Perhaps I am reacting to Amorphis’ failure to permeate the drunken buzz and lateness of the hour when they played in Jersey last weekend, playing only material from this album and Tuonela, but this record just simply has not made enough of an impression on me yet to get me really, really psyched. Perhaps they will fare better with me having had another week with the music before I see Amorphis again in Massachusetts this coming Saturday night.
Hel's Review:
The most pertinent question I can think to ask, in order to determine how likely it will be that a person will enjoy the newest Amorphis release, is this: How much did you like Tuonela? When I first heard Tuonela, I was appalled, shocked, and felt betrayed by the new, softer version of Amorphis. I clung to “Greed” as the bright spot, the only song on the entire album with true aggression and a substantial death vocal line. And I continued listening to it, doggedly trying to comfort myself, and ultimately the melodiousness and darkness of the lyrics seeped into my brain and became imbedded.
So I found a way to like Tuonela despite their radical about-face. Sure, people may try to convince you that Amorphis had been moving in that direction already, pointing to Elegy and My Kantele, as justification. Perhaps there’s a case to be made there, but I’m unconvinced. I believe that, although lighter than their previous material, there was still an inherent heaviness in them. Tuonela and now Am Universum have gone two steps beyond the level set on the aforementioned albums, and the band has now completely transitioned into “Amorphis Lite”, as I like to call it.
"A Tuonela-only fan will adore this, but I have too much history with this band and I am currently far too upset to be able to embrace Am Universum." I cannot grant Am Universum the grace I gave Tuonela, primarily because they failed to even extend an olive branch such as “Greed” on the new album. Death vocals have been relegated to the role of accent notes, and the entire album is so similar to the last, I was unable to sort out which song belonged to which album when I saw them live last Friday at the Metal Meltdown. I have been raging in anger against Amorphis since that fateful night, when that particular performance so clearly drove home the point that they are now fully “Amorphis Lite”.
My ultimate point is two-fold. First, Am Universum is just like their last album, there is so little difference, beyond the irrevocable feeling that they have utterly abandoned their roots. And secondly, this disturbing thought: they have so abandoned their roots, they are actually leaving their old material out of a set tailored to an event where their audience is most likely to be comprised of their oldest, most die-hard fans. I find there to be an extremely disturbing trend here indeed. A Tuonela-only fan will adore this, but I have too much history with this band and I am currently far too upset to be able to embrace Am Universum.
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