A SOLID ALBUM BY THIS GREAT BAND.
This cd was pretty good in my opinion but I still enjoyed tales from the thousand lakes even more.This album sounds similar to the tales album but is more rawer and faster.I would recommend this cd to any fan of this band or of doom metal in general.
A great album
With the band's 1992 release, "Karelian Isthmus", Amorphis emerged from Scandinavia's death metal scene, compiling synthesizers to their new adventurous sound. Stepping away from the brutal death roots, Amorphis enters its Death/Doom stage. This album is deadlier than any of the later Amorphis CDs but more atmosperic and majestic than "Privilege Of Evil". Not one thing is missing on the disc and the keyboards are used very smartly. The album's lyrical themes are rooted in Scandinavian folklore and the record's artwork rounds up the album perfectly.
The birth of Amorphis....
The first full-length release from Finland's Amorphis not only stands out as a gem in the band's own personal music annals, but shines brightly as one of pioneer albums of the doom/black metal genre as well.Any fan of Amorphis can tell you of the group's fluid evolution from death metal growls to clean vocals, from furious guitar riffs to keyboard laden melodies... one album never intimately resembles the next. However, regardless of which album you listen to, you'll know its Amorphis as soon as you hear the first track... this amazingly talented group has a beautiful way of weaving their soul into each and every song they write and perform.
"Karelian Isthmus" is the rawest of the Amorphis releases... this is no-holds barred epic doom/death metal from a group of guys who know how to do it right. Amorphis set themselves apart from similar artists of the time in two distinct ways: intricacy and innovation.
Yes, the guitars and percussion on this album are raw and hard, but NEVER do they come across as sloppy or forced. Each note, each chord, each second of every song is performed with an intricacy so sharp and amazingly beautiful it will absolutely numb your ears and mind.
At a time when so many people seemed to think death metal was nothing but growling and screaming in front of a blaring electric guitar and a set of drums, Amorphis shows up on the scene with keyboards, dueling guitars, and a decent amount of acoustical work on their first full-length release.
Overall, this album is somewhat similar to Tales from the Thousand Lakes, but with a little less complexity and less layering... solid, raw epic death metal coupled with impressive musical innovation truly sets this album apart from its contemporaries as well as the majority of metal releases we see (and hear) at present time.
Amazing music
Amorphis members were teenagers (16-18 years) in this record, that is something that emphasizes the greatness of the music.
Guitarists are greater than many adult guitarists, they are simply amazing. This record is a great part of the history of the evolution of black metal, a must-have.
an important milestone in metal history
For those interested in the history of metal this album is a must. It can truly put in a plausible claim to be the first melodic death metal album ever, coming in 1992 before "Heartwork," "Lunar Strain," or "Skydancer" was released (Carcass, In Flames, & Dark Tranquillity, respectively).
I have added an additional star because of the album's place in history; a more precise grading might be 7.5 out of 10. Amorphis at this stage was to a large degree stuck in deathgrind conventions. This is an extremely heavy, grinding album, leaving the listener almost too shellshocked to appreciate the subtler moments. The vocals are extremely gruff even by death-metal standards. Even after owning the CD for years, most of the songs run together, with only a few superb moments shining through the general haze.
Melodic death metal fans should definitely get this, but don't expect a masterpiece.
