Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Pretty much from the very start, Amorphis' career has been about constant reinvention (hence the name, hello!), and so the Finnish group's albums have traversed the realms of death, folk, progressive, electronic, and psychedelic rock and metal over the past 20 years -- never looking back along the way. Until now. The Beginning of Times isn't entirely correct in its billing because it doesn't quite bring Amorphis full circle to their brutal death metal debut of 1992, The Karelian Isthmus, but rather to its highly influential sophomore successor, 1994's Tales from the Thousand Lakes, which first proved they had something original to say -- something heavily indebted to their country's folk music traditions and tales, yes, but original nonetheless for taking such daring license in blending those exotic, elegant melodies with "vile" extreme metal hallmarks to fascinatingly contrasting effect. So Amorphis obviously sacrifice the element of surprise by going back to the well on this, their tenth studio album, but not the sense of excitement resulting from once again hearing this particular, familiar yet still fresh, combination of unrelated styles, darkness and light, as clean and crude vocals, raw guitars, and swirling keyboards joust playfully all over tracks like "Battle for Light," "You I Need," and "Beginning of Time." Guest vocalist Netta Dahlberg also adds a feminine touch to "Mermaid" and "Soothsayer," and a progressive rock thread reminiscent of the band's latter-day albums is maintained across many tracks, including the Jethro Tull-like vibes of "Song of the Sage" and the all-binding thematic umbrella that sees Amorphis turning yet again to their trusty Kalevala for a story cycle, here inspired by the legendary hero Väinämöinen. Déjà vu, anyone? Certainly there will be listeners disappointed at Amorphis' creative about-face on The Beginning of Times, but there's no denying its entertainment value and the fact that most of the band's longest-serving fans were probably ready for a nostalgic exercise like this right about now.
© Eduardo Rivadavia /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From 12.49€/month
Santeri Kallio, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Santeri Kallio, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist - Tomi Koivusaari, Composer
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Santeri Kallio, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Santeri Kallio, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Esa Holopainen, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Esa Holopainen, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist - Tomi Koivusaari, Composer
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Santeri Kallio, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Santeri Kallio, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Esa Holopainen, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Esa Holopainen, Composer - Amorphis, Composer, MainArtist - Pekka Kainulainen, Lyricist
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Album review
Pretty much from the very start, Amorphis' career has been about constant reinvention (hence the name, hello!), and so the Finnish group's albums have traversed the realms of death, folk, progressive, electronic, and psychedelic rock and metal over the past 20 years -- never looking back along the way. Until now. The Beginning of Times isn't entirely correct in its billing because it doesn't quite bring Amorphis full circle to their brutal death metal debut of 1992, The Karelian Isthmus, but rather to its highly influential sophomore successor, 1994's Tales from the Thousand Lakes, which first proved they had something original to say -- something heavily indebted to their country's folk music traditions and tales, yes, but original nonetheless for taking such daring license in blending those exotic, elegant melodies with "vile" extreme metal hallmarks to fascinatingly contrasting effect. So Amorphis obviously sacrifice the element of surprise by going back to the well on this, their tenth studio album, but not the sense of excitement resulting from once again hearing this particular, familiar yet still fresh, combination of unrelated styles, darkness and light, as clean and crude vocals, raw guitars, and swirling keyboards joust playfully all over tracks like "Battle for Light," "You I Need," and "Beginning of Time." Guest vocalist Netta Dahlberg also adds a feminine touch to "Mermaid" and "Soothsayer," and a progressive rock thread reminiscent of the band's latter-day albums is maintained across many tracks, including the Jethro Tull-like vibes of "Song of the Sage" and the all-binding thematic umbrella that sees Amorphis turning yet again to their trusty Kalevala for a story cycle, here inspired by the legendary hero Väinämöinen. Déjà vu, anyone? Certainly there will be listeners disappointed at Amorphis' creative about-face on The Beginning of Times, but there's no denying its entertainment value and the fact that most of the band's longest-serving fans were probably ready for a nostalgic exercise like this right about now.
© Eduardo Rivadavia /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:54:37
- Main artists: Amorphis
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Atomic Fire
- Genre: Metal
© 2011 Atomic Fire ℗ 2011 Atomic Fire
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.