elegy

To be honest, I’m kind of shocked we went this long without posting a Top 10 for our Finnish (prog?) (melo-death?) (whatever-you-want-to-call-them?) heroes in Amorphis. It’s coming up on six years since I first really fell for these guys following the release of Skyforger, and my subsequent trips back through their discography only cemented their status as a band for whom I’ll kneel and pledge my undying love. (Setting aside the occasional frustration over their apparent refusal to tour extensively over here in the States, that is…)

BUT! On that note, today marks exactly one month from my annual pilgrimage down to Baltimore for Maryland Deathfest—at which Amorphis will be playing. So in honor of that, here’s my top 10 for Amorphis. Let’s jump on in… Continue reading →

It’s time for this week’s edition of Throwback Thursday! Take a look back at these gems from days of yore…

DAN:

In light of yesterday’s Stage Dive topic, my #tbt couldn’t be much more appropriate as a follow-up. It’s footage from a 2002 interview that Immortal frontman Abbath did with something called Reality Check TV. It more or less confirms his status as one of my favorite people in metal. Take a look:

Sure, you can pick out any of the individual highlights–the name pronunciation, demon warpaint, “there’s only one Abbath,” the jabs at both Manowar and Varg Vikernes, you name it–but for me, the biggest takeaway from this video was how easygoing a guy Abbath comes off as. The guy plies his trade in a scene that’s notorious for taking itself super serial, you guys, yet off stage, he seems like a dude you could very easily grab a beer with. And would WANT to grab a beer with. In short, he’s got a sense of humor–all too rare an occurrence in black metal.

You can see this relatable side come through in other interviews, too, (and trust me, clicking that link is worth it just to hear Abbath pronounce “Darth Vader”) but Reality Check gave us by far the most amusing example. Check it out, and maybe you’ll add him to YOUR favorite people list, too.

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COREY:

How long has this blog been around? And I’ve still failed to include Amorphis in any post… ever? Unacceptable. Any mention on the podcast doesn’t count. I think it’s about time we fixed that. I present unto you the rather mediocre music video for the rather catchy “Against Windows” track from Elegy:

Honestly, there really isn’t a ton to this video. But, I must wish a happy birthday to Elegy, which turned 18 years old yesterday (it’s finally legal!). Yup, this came out way back on May 14, 1996 and what better way to wish it a happy birthday than by a mention on Throwback Thursday.

Over those 18 years, Amorphis has definitely gone through some changes. Most notably, Pasi Koskinen made his departure in 2004. Enter Tomi Joutsen, and the rest is history. This album (and song) is still an absolute classic that will always have a place in my heart. The good news? “Against Windows” has become a popular play on their recent tours. The bad news? I need to, ya know, catch them on tour to enjoy it. Because they can’t America. Or they can’t America enough. Either way, Amorphis needs more America, and America needs more Amorphis. And by America I mean me. And Dan. Because conceit.