Tuonela (CD)

• Category:  Music  »  Hard Rock & Metal  »  General/Heavy Metal
• Format: CD   Learn more about the CD format using Tower WIKI.
• Release Date: January 1, 2006
• Label: Relapse Records (USA)
• UPC: 781676641420
• WAPI (Tower ID): 106327820
• Average Customer Review: There are no customer reviews yet. Be the first to write a review!
• Tower.com Sales Rank: #22396 in Music (See Top 100 Music Bestsellers)
• #819 in Hard Rock & Metal (See Top 100 Hard Rock & Metal Bestsellers)
• #573 in General/Heavy Metal (See Top 100 General/Heavy Metal Bestsellers)

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CMJ (3/29/99, p.29) - "...TUONELA is a trippy, psychedelic, and ultimately beautiful opus destined to appeal to the more cerebral side of metalheads..."

Amorphis: Pasi Koskinen (vocals); Tomi Koivusaari (acoustic & electric guitars); Esa Holopainen (guitar); Santeri Kallio (keyboards); Niclas Etelavouri (bass); Pekka Kasari (drums).

Additional personnel: Sakari Kukko (saxophone); Antti Halonen (saw).

Recorded at Finnvox Studios, Helsinki, Finland between October and December 2000.

Death metal isn't for everyone -- especially first-wave Scandinavian death metal as practiced by Amorphis during the band's early years. Some love it, others don't know how seriously to take it, but everyone agrees that the folks who make such an extremely singular noise deserve a little credit for valuing an artistic construct more than the potential commercial value of more "acceptable" music. That same respect isn't usually extended to artists who make the kind of moderate rock that's perpetually heard on the radio. When artists make a break from the heavier side of this spectrum, a special kind of hatefulness is extended, and cries of "sellout" are heard emitting from the jilted voices in the heavy metal peanut gallery. As an automatic response, these accusations are short-sighted and reactionary. Years spent trying to make a living by playing death metal must have its frustrations, and nobody should be criticized for trying something new. When the results are as stifling as Tuonela, however, certain artistic "freedoms" shouldn't exactly be encouraged, either. While the record's generic hard rock turned out to be a commercial boon, it's an artistic flop. Except for a grumbling vocal on "Greed," all remnants of the group's death metal roots had vanished by this, the band's fifth release. It's hard to think that many fans of Amorphis' early work could stomach the barely metallic alt-rock on tracks like "Shining" and "Morning Star." Even without Amorphis' history, Tuonela is still a frustrating record. The guitars are shapeless and barely present, the extra instrumentation is forced, and the vocals are wooden. It all adds up to a kind of simple, lightweight prog that's kind of unnerving. This second take on metal began for Amorphis on Elegy, and that record along with everything after (including Tuonela) should only be approached with extreme caution. ~ Vincent Jeffries

If we focus primarily on the non-bastardized jazz elements, like keyboards, rhythm section, or especially the guitar, then the album is Amorphis' crown jewel for creative composition. The album kicks off with the gentle keys and happy harmonics we've come to expect from the band with "Alone." The song meanders through thick interchanges of sound and tasty vocal lines before hitting a wall of warm, overdone pop sax. Fear not, as "Goddess" blasts the listener with Pasi's endearing vocal harmonies and their most memorable wall of keyboard sound in recent memory, while "The Night Is Over" recalls memories of the twin guitar/keyboard leads of "Against Widows" from Elegy. Speaking of that album, "Forever More" is the most folk jam fun these guys have had since "Weeper on the Shore," with its acoustic, upbeat feel and rhythmic propulsion. The nucleus of this album lies in the heart with "Crimson Wave" and "Drifting Memories," as both show the greatest strengths and weaknesses of the "brand new" Amorphis. The first moves with a wistful, driving, relaxed motion recalling the heydays of the '70s before exploding into a loud catchy chorus, bringing the band to near-perfection before it spirals down the drain with the Kenny G ending solo. The sax sounds a bit sweeter on "Drifting Memories," as the soprano sax warmly glides into pseudo-Middle Eastern sounds. Luckily, the keyboards and guitars sound effortless, saving the song from porno sax land. Here Esa and Tomi's patient performance pay off, as the textured guitars have never sounded better. This album is phenomenal, yet, as others have mentioned, sometimes unbearable. To go from the gut-wrenching sax solo, which begins "Veil of Sin," to the gorgeous U2-infused guitar of "Captured State" is misguided and irresponsible. Amorphis has abused its creative edge and pushed on untrained ears tactless jazz elements to try to improve their status as a creative band. Stick to what you know fellas, the flutes from Tuonela's "Rusty Moon" showed strength and promise -- use them. If each saxophone was replaced with a flute, or better yet African and Middle Eastern wood instruments, the album would probably be a near masterpiece of the rock genre. Few rock bands have ever mastered the saxophone with precision -- only King Crimson, Patto, MC5, and the Stooges come to mind. Even then, these bands were ingenious, using it sparingly and only in a hard bop or wild free jazz style. Please, Amorphis, spare those listeners who have experienced real jazz, and turn the creative wheels in another direction on the next album. You are oh, so close to your masterpiece, and Am Universum is proof of that. ~ Jason Hundey

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