So one of 2009’s most hotly anticipated metal albums is ready and raring to be unleashed upon the masses. And what a masterpiece it ‘s turned out to be.! Like any truly great band Amorphis have, even since they started out nearly 20 years ago, made their records with considerable disregard for trends. This way, without becoming boring and predictable, they have managed to stay focused on a sound and vision of their own and develop it with each successive work of theirs. They are at times poetic, but also brutally passionate…they are always epic, sometimes cosmically so….and are more often than not, awe-inspiring! Their sound is a throbbing vortex of emotion, swirling epiphanies and majestic revelations. It entices you and lends you magic wings to glide into a dreamworld of surreal and blissful existence. This is music from the depths of our mother Earth and as such, it should not be trivialized with critiques of its degree of “heaviness” nor judged by the number of “growls” Tomi Joutsen delivers. 'SKYFORGER' is the third part in a Trilogy, based on the epic Finnish book/poem 'Kalevala' and presented to us via the bands previous two albums – the predominantly melodic 'ECLIPSE' and the heavier and rougher 'SILENT WATERS'. The third chapter in this glorious sonic opus, blends both previous approaches into a perfect mix of melodious wizardry and not-to-be-fucked-with monster authority…The very first thing to hit you at first listen is the sheer epic quality of the soundscapes within 'SKYFORGER' and the exquisitely well structured yet unforgivingly forceful tsunami of perfectly assembled noise that simply bursts out from your headphones/speakers etc….Hell, it nearly swept me off my feet, bearing in mind that I was sort of expecting it anyway… Opinions have been split between Amorphis fans since the arrival of Tomi Joutsen – some long for the green eyed somewhat detached charm of ex-vocalist Pasi Koskinen, while others prefer the more primal and dedicated approach of the new frontman. One thing is for certain – Tomi can growl with the best of ‘em, but is also a helluva melodic singer. This, in my humble opinion, gives Amorphis a vocal versatility other bands would kill to have. And then you have Esa Holopainen’s and Tomi Koivusaari’s guitar planetarium…The guitars on 'SKYFORGER' are, without doubt, a key ingredient of the whole aura of timeless ness that the album provides and oozes… Producer Marco Hietala (he, of Nightwish, Sapattivuosi and Tarrot fame) must have creamed himself at the prospect of having to coiffure such elaborately rich and colourful sonic artistry…To try and pick out a standout song would be blasphemy and a travesty of one of the most perfectly balanced metal albums in recent years. Diehard Amorphis fanatics may yet find elements to resent within 'SKYFORGER', but, it would truly be out of snobbery than anything else, as this album is a modern metal masterpiece…