ALBUM REVIEW: Live At Helsinki Ice Hall – Amorphis
AMORPHIS may be the most perfectly named metal band. They are a force of constant shifting and changing, and they always seem to know exactly what atmosphere a song needs to make it exceptional. They may not be the proggiest melodeath band on the planet, but their chameleonic discography is a testament to their skills as musicians and their passion for the power of storytelling through sound. They possess such a talent for meshing light and darkness in perfect balance, and this is on full display on their latest live release, Live At Helsinki Ice Hall. Recorded in December 2019, this would be the band’s last show before the world fell into its manic slumber from COVID-19. And though they didn’t know what would happen at the time of recording, the energy and strength of this performance showcase a band playing with enough gusto to last them for the better part of a year and a half of crowd silence.
Off the back of the band’s latest studio record, Queen of Time, the songs sprung from that record seem to shine the brightest in this live setting. The first thing that should be noted here is the excellent mixing, with each individual element, from synth, to guitar, to bass, and especially lead vocals from Tomi Joutsen, standing out in their own designated sections of songs. It’s a crisp and clear recording with a great deal of force behind it to add a sense of depth and size to the performance in an already large venue.
Unfortunately, the crowd noise is pretty much non-existent during songs themselves, and they would lend and sense of warmth and that little something extra to a great performance. But that performance is certainly worth it. Opening with The Bee, this song is just an instant chill inducer. It’s the finest song the band has released in years, with it’s beautiful synth trills and swells leading into its heavy and tribal melodic intro. It’s a template for melodeath at its best, and it’s a cavernous and goosebump-inducing opener that surely had the crowd going wild.
And from this moment on, Joutsen continues to establish himself as one of the most consistently talented voices in melodeath. His rich baritone sounds record quality throughout the runtime of the show, and his growls are so soulful and full of character. He truly does have one of the best clean/harsh combination voices in the genre. Another Queen Of Time track, Heart Of The Giant, sounds huge with its orchestral flourishes. It’s a great track to come second, giving a sense of flow to the start of the record. The synth solo and leads in this track jump right out and lift the listener right up to the ceiling as well.
The other Queen Of Time tracks, again, stand out as highlights. Wrong Direction is perfectly atmospheric and mystical, contrasted with the performance of Daughter Of Hate, with its wailing guitar and lilting riff. The Golden Elk and Pyres On The Coast cap off the strong showing from the new album, and the band weaves in and out of keyboard laden epic passages and riffs that play with dark melodies that roll like a tide. All the while the energy of the performance is palpable and engaging, with that stunning record quality.
A lot of the older showings in this performance are also some highlights. Into Hiding from 1994’s Tales From The Thousand Lakes takes an already haunting track with great proggy keyboard and bass work and an already killer melodic construction and gives it that boost of a modern performance with levels of texture that can’t be found on the original track. Black Winter Day from the same record is another crowd pleaser, with Joutsen riling up the audience and locking them in with his massive growls in this short and sharp cut. But it’s when the band is at its most melodic and chameleonic that they really raise the bar.
Their performance of Sampo, with its beautiful piano and rising melodies and just jaw-droppingly beautiful bridge, is a welcome breath mid set, and Silver Bride, with a gorgeous Skyforger intro leading into its swaying, triumphant burst of joy are just a chef’s kiss of talent on display. But it’s set closer House Of Sleep that just cements an excellent performance on tape. Joutsen and company just let it all go here, and let the power of their song-writing carry the audience and listener to pure bliss. It’s the vocals, the snapping piano and rising orchestra and guitars that just show everything that makes this band great.
At this point, no release from AMORPHIS is a sleeper, and everything that comes from their camp is instantly worth a listen, if at least a glance. But this is a rare live record that focuses less on the show and more on the talent of a band to replicate what they do in the studio on a perfect one-to-one basis. It’s the perfect record to recommend to anyone looking to check out an AMORPHIS show, or anyone who is curious about the band, or better yet, to show someone what the power and draw of melodeath can really be at its fullest potential. If anyone wasn’t sold on seeing this band, or was looking for a starting point into the genre, this will do the trick.
Rating: 9/10
Live At Helsinki Ice Hall is set for release on May 21st via Nuclear Blast Records.
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