Circle (album)
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| Amorphis studio album | ||||
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Publication |
April 19, 2013 |
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| Label (s) | Nuclear Blast Records | |||
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Format (s) |
CD / DVD; LP |
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Title (number) |
9 |
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running time |
46 min 22 s |
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Studio (s) |
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Circle is the eleventh studio album by the Finnish metal band Amorphis . It was produced by Peter Tägegren and was released on April 19, 2013 by Nuclear Blast . The music magazine Metal Hammer chose it as “Album of the Month May”.
style
The album partly ties in with the already established mix of melodic guitar riffs, folkloric and progressive sounds and growl vocals typical of Death Metal , which was also heard on the previous work The Beginning of Times . In Nightbird's Song, for example, you can hear both black metal- like growling and a flute solo, whereas in Mission or The Wanderer there is no guttural singing ; The piano , riffs of distorted guitars and high-pitched vocals dominate here, reflecting the progressive metal sound. Other songs, on the other hand, are more aggressive, such as Shades of Gray , which fits more into the genre of Melodic Death Metal . Another change is that the lyrics no longer only deal with the epic Kalevala written by Elias Lönnrot , but revolve around a fictional character, which is characterized in all songs; it is a person who experiences mostly pain and distress. However, you will be provided with a companion who will help you find a new way of life and inner strengths. This story is also partly inspired by Finnish mythology .
Cover
The cover was designed by Tom Bates, who was also responsible for the layout of the booklet . It depicts a person under trees in the light of the moon, who has raised his right hand with a sign on it. The head is framed by two brown, wing-like structures, and a diadem-like piece of jewelry is placed around the forehead. The moon seems to be reflected in the eyes, as white, round surfaces can be seen instead of the pupils. Singer Tomi Joutsen said:
“The mystic, androgynous person on the cover represents a spiritual guide. This character was sent from another time and place to help the album's protagonist find a new path for his life. "
"The mystical person of indefinable gender represents a spiritual leader. This character was sent from another time from an undefined place to help the protagonist of the album to embark on a new path in life."
Track list
All texts were written by Pekka Kainulainen.
- Shades of Gray (5:28)
- Mission (4:33)
- The Wanderer (4:44)
- Narrowpath (4:23)
- Hopeless Days (5:08)
- Nightbird's Song (5:01)
- Into the Abyss (5:37)
- Enchanted by the Moon (5:33)
- A New Day (6:00)
criticism
Circle was rated differently, but mostly positively. The music website laut.de accused the Finns of indulging in kitsch and only trying to reconnect with the quality of the old days. 3 out of 5 points were awarded. Music magazines such as Rock Hard or Metal Hammer found the album to be good and praised the stricter, more powerful sound, despite the willingness to experiment. Metal Hammer named the album "Album of the Month" in May 2013.
Music videos
For the single Hopeless Days an official music video was released by Nuclear Blast Records, as well as a lyric video. An official music video was also released for the song The Wanderer .
Individual evidence
- ↑ metal-hammer.de: List of albums of the month (German, accessed on November 18, 2013)
- ↑ laut.de: Circle
- ↑ Rock Hard: Review "Circle"