Maximum Metal Rating Legend
5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

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Band
Amorphis
Title
Silent Waters
Type
LP/EP
Company
Nuclear Blast
YOR
2007
Style
Doom/Stoner
1/11/2008 - Review by: Etiam
Never reaches the higher plateau that it should
For a band that changes its style and lead vocalist more often than most metal bands change drummers, Amorphis is doing remarkably well. In fact, their popularity is as high today as ever, in large part due to newcomer Tomi Joutsen taking over vocal duties from Pasi Koskinen in 2005. The ensuing renaissance first produced ‘Eclipse’, one of Amorphis’s most critically acclaimed releases, and in 2007 offers ‘Silent Waters’, the band’s eighth studio album.

The first impression of ‘Silent Waters’ is that it is in most respects very similar to its predecessor. While this is the logical and expected result for most bands, Amorphis never seemed to be one to retread old ground. Still, while ‘Silent Waters’ does strike a blow against Amorphis’s tradition of experimentation, considering the great success of ‘Eclipse’ it should come as no surprise. The Amorphis of today seems quite comfortable in their role and rightly so—few bands can pump out well-crafted, straightforward, and highly melodic metal tunes with their kind of confidence and distinction.

Although the song structures of ‘Silent Waters’ are simple, Amorphis have always had a deft hand at layering—clean backing vocals, strummed acoustic guitars, filling synth chords—that compliment Koivusaari’s direct riffing patterns. As primary songwriter (and guitarist), Holopainen continues to join rock rhythms with folk-inspired melodies as seamlessly as ever, and balances well with Tomi’s diverse vocals in the leading role.

Still, ‘Silent Waters’ never reaches the higher plateau that it should. A good number of its songs are engaging and fun, but most draw from the same predictable chord progressions, and for all the time devoted to soloing, blessed few are worth remembering. Although ‘Silent Waters’ features plenty of diversity, from up-tempo harsh vocal songs to ballads to rock anthems, all the tracks have a similarly glossy feeling that doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression. One trick in particular that begins to wear thin is the use of ascending fourths as climaxes. Popular musicians have used this tool for decades to great success, but it appears so often on ‘Silent Waters’ that most songs telegraph their endings before the halfway point.

Much of Amorphis’s early appeal drew from a sense of folksy mysticism, and while some semblance of it remains, today’s Amorphis is more glamorous than substantial. Now that they have decided to focus on the path to rock stardom, though, this transition cannot be considered too startling or severe a disappointment. For fans who enjoy Amorphis’s newer material, ‘Silent Waters’ will no doubt be very appealing, but some of us remain who prefer their older, more intimate era.
  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    3 :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: AMORPHIS
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
Circle
2013
Nuclear Blast
Eric Compton3/25/2013
4.5
Eclipse
2006
Nuclear Blast
Eric Compton3/21/2006
-
Far From The Sun
2004
Nuclear Blast
Ken Pierce7/25/2005
4
Magic & Mayhem - Tales From the Early Years
2010
Nuclear Blast
Ravana12/14/2010
4
Queen of Time
2018
Nuclear Blast
Eric Compton6/4/2018
3
Silent Waters
2007
Nuclear Blast
Etiam1/11/2008
3
Skyforger
2009
Nuclear Blast
Raising Iron7/17/2009
5
The Beginning Of Times
2011
Nuclear Blast
Eric Compton6/3/2011
4
Under the Red Cloud
2015
Nuclear Blast
Eric Compton4/15/2016
5

ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: AMORPHIS
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE


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