Skyforger (album)

Skyforger is the ninth studio album by Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis. Like the previous album, the lyrics to Skyforger are English translations of Finnish poems based on the Kalevala and written by Pekka Kainulainen. Unlike the two previous albums, it is based on different parts of several episodes, but all told from a single character's point of view. In this sense it is a return to Tales from the Thousand Lakes which told stories from different parts of the Kalevala. The last two albums focused on Kullervo and Lemminkäinen, respectively, and this one focuses on Ilmarinen.

Skyforger
Studio album by
Amorphis
Released27 May 2009 (2009-05-27)
RecordedNovember 2008 – January 2009
GenreMelodic death metal, power metal,[1] heavy metal[2]
Length47:42
LabelNuclear Blast
ProducerMikko Karmila, Marko Hietala, Amorphis
Amorphis chronology
Silent Waters
(2007)		 Skyforger
(2009)		 Magic & Mayhem – Tales from the Early Years
(2010)
Singles from Skyforger
  1. "Silver Bride"
    Released: 22 April 2009
  2. "From the Heaven of My Heart"
    Released: 30 October 2009
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[3]
AllMusic[1]
Revolver[4]

Like Amorphis's previous two albums, Eclipse and Silent Waters, Skyforger is a concept album and was recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki.[5]

In addition to a regular edition, the album was also released in a limited digipak edition which included the bonus track "Godlike Machine". Initially, this digipak edition caused controversy because of sound level fluctuations during the tracks "My Sun" and "Skyforger", but Nuclear Blast has since remedied the problem by promising replacement CDs.[6]

On 22 April 2009, "Silver Bride" was released as a Finland-only single, peaking at number 1.[7][8] The music video for the single premiered on 11 May 2009.[9]

The album's sound has been described as melodic death metal with influences from progressive metal, power metal and folk metal.[1] The album was honored with a 2009 Metal Storm Award for Best Heavy Metal Album.[2]

Track listing

All lyrics by Pekka Kainulainen. All music as noted.

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Sampo"Kallio6:08
2."Silver Bride"Holopainen4:13
3."From the Heaven of My Heart"Kallio5:20
4."Sky Is Mine"Kallio4:20
5."Majestic Beast"Holopainen4:19
6."My Sun"Koivusaari4:04
7."Highest Star"Holopainen4:44
8."Skyforger"Holopainen5:15
9."Course of Fate"Kallio4:15
10."From Earth I Rose"Joutsen5:04
Total length:47:42
Bonus tracks
No.TitleMusicLength
11."Godlike Machine"Koivusaari5:18
12."Separated"Koivusaari4:17
Total length:57:17

Chart positions
Chart (2009) Peak
position
Austrian Albums Chart[10] 48
Finnish Albums Chart[11] 1
Swiss Albums Chart[12] 74
Top Heatseekers[13] 33

Personnel

References
  1. Skyforger at AllMusic
  2. "Metal Storm Awards 2009".
  3. "Amorphis – 'Skyforger'". Heavymetal.about.com. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  4. Aykroyd, Lucas (August 2009). "Skyforger review". Revolver. Future (83): 74. ISSN 1527-408X.
  5. "Cover Artwork For Amorphis' "Skyforger"". smnnews.com. 11 February 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
  6. "Skyforger – Error on digipak version". Nuclear Blast. 29 May 2009. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  7. "Amorphis: New Single Announced". blabbermouth.net. 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 24 March 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2009.
  8. "Finnish Singles Chart". Archived from the original on 23 May 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  9. "Amorphis: 'Silver Bride' Video Released". 11 May 2009. Archived from the original on 4 November 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  10. "Austrian album charts" (in German). austriancharts.at. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  11. "Finnish album charts" (in Finnish). finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  12. "Swiss album charts" (in Dutch). hitparade.ch. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  13. "Skyforger at billboard.com". Billboard.com. Retrieved 4 September 2009.


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