Amorphis - Under the Red Cloud

Amorphis Under the Red Cloud cover
Amorphis
Under the Red Cloud
Nuclear Blast
2015
7
What I find particularly endearing about a band like Amorphis is that after quite successfully transforming from a death metal band to a hybrid, very early in their career, they experimented quite wildly within the boundaries of their newfound identity, sometimes becoming heavier, others more melodic but almost consistently maintaining the quality of their releases quite high without even their line-up changing, (with the exception of guitars). For a band with about a dozen of original releases that’s no small feat under any circumstances.
 
On their latest album “Under the Red Cloud” Amorphis seem to still be going on strong at times pronouncing their heaviness that at times takes them almost back to their death metal roots and at times going for an absolutely clear, lyrical, folk inspired sound that is however serious and completely in tune with the heavier moments and that remains very melodic throughout. All the things that you’ve liked about the band are here, the production is solid, although I wouldn’t have minded the sound being a little brighter and the overall mood a little lighter as well, but then it might have not been Amorphis I guess... at any rate. The thing with Amorphis is that their “sound” changes in accordance to their whims and not because of trends. I had a hard time making out best songs since the release feels solid throughout but “Under the Red Cloud”, “Death of a King”, “Sacrifice” and “Enemy st the Gates” sort of stuck out for me...
 
If you like Amorphis, this is a total no brainer since it continues the style that the band has established since “Eclipse”… if you’re not aware of them, despite their twenty-five years of existence and extensive albums, this is not a bad album by any means to be introduced to the band, even if to this day I consider them to have reached two different peaks earlier in the past both with “Elegy” (probably their defining masterpiece) and “Tuonella”…