1. The Bee
2. Message In The Amber
3. Daughter Of Hate
4. The Golden Elk
5. Wrong Direction
6. Heart Of The Giant
7. We Accursed
8. Grain Of Sand
9. Amongst Stars
10. Pyres On The Coast
11. As Mountains Crumble
12. Brother And Sister
While it’s hard to ignore that Amorphis should be vastly more revered and successful than they are, there is undeniable charm to the Finns’ ability to keep quietly churning out great records. Queen Of Time is the band’s 13th and it continues the subtle evolution that began on 2015’s Under The Red Cloud, wherein those trademark folk-fuelled melodies, propulsive melodeath riffs and sparkling prog detours collide with a renewed sense of purpose and focus. Ultimately, and this has always been the case, Amorphis are incredible songwriters; everything from stirring opener The Bee through to lavish, dramatic closer Pyres On The Coast boasts at least one life-affirming hook, and vocalist Tomi Joutsen has never sounded more commanding. Capped off with a dazzling cameo from Anneke van Giersbergen on the gorgeous Amongst Stars, Queen Of Time is the sound of true unsung heroes proving, again, that they fucking rule.
