The Eternal & Amorphis Review
Liberty Hall was packed for a night of heavy metal, with Australia's The Eternal opening for Finnish legends Amorphis. The two bands brought different sounds, with The Eternal delivering dark, progressive metal before Amorphis took the night into heavier and more melodic territory.
The Eternal opened with "Lament for the Hollow and Existing to Expire", and they filled the room with thick, dark guitar tones. The bass sat deep underneath the riffs while the drums gave everything a solid punch, and their heavy, technical sound delivered impact with every note.
"Under the Black and Everlasting" played, and the songs showcased the band's intricate riffs and heavier chords. The playing was tight, and the bass and drums kept everything locked together. The crowd responded with singing and raised metal horns.
The heaviness continued with "Colours Fade and Harmony Breaks", and the guitar riffs built tension, and crushing destruction. The vocals moved between melodic and harsher passages, and it added another layer to the band's dark sound.
The Eternal closed with Rise from Agony, Down and Deathlike Silence" and finished their epic set, with power and commanded the crowd's attention. They left the crowd pumped up and ready for the main event.
As Amorphis walked on stage, they got a huge reaction of cheers, and they launched straight into "Bones" The guitars sounded enormous, as they combined thick distortion with clear melodic lines. The drums hit with precision, while the bass gave the opening riff a deep, driving weight.
Tomi Joutsen showcased his vocals as the band played "Light and Shadow and Silver Bride", and he showed us how diverse his voice was as he switched between clean melodies and deep growls when the music became heavier.
The guitar work really came forward on "Wrong Direction and Death of a King", and Esa Holopainen and Tomi Koivusaari combined heavy riffs with harmonised melodies and technical runs, and created a sound that was intricate without losing its punch.
The band continued with Fog to Fog and Thousand Lakes", and Santeri Kallio's keyboards added an atmospheric layer behind the guitars. The sound was dramatic, while the keys came crashing in. The kick drum and bass locked together with a tight, powerful groove while the guitars moved over the top, and every song was polished to perfection.
Joutsen's vocal range stood out again on "The Castaway and The Lantern", and he shifted from controlled clean vocals to deep growls. The main riffs were heavy and technical, and the melody was turbulent, and the crowd responded with headbanging as the song moved through its heavier sections.
As Amorphis played "The Moon and Sampo", the thick bass tone added another dimension, and it sat underneath the guitars and drums, and it gave the song a powerful low-end drive. The keyboards filled out the background and complemented the guitars. The crowd sang along loudly, with metal horns raised across Liberty Hall.
The twin guitars shone throughout the set, and the band kicked into "The Smoke and Black Winter Day", and the harmonised melodies and heavier rhythmic passages brought another level of perfection and metal.
By the time "Dancing Shadow" arrived, the crowd was completely involved, and they sang the lyrics back towards the stage while Joutsen encouraged them to keep it going. The keyboards added colour around the guitars, and the band brought heavy riffs. The arrangement showed how easily Amorphis can move between atmosphere and aggression.
As the set approached its finale, "House of Sleep" gave the audience massive choruses, and voices echoed throughout the venue. The guitars, pounding drums, deep bass and Joutsen's growls, were direct, powerful and made for the live setting.
The final song, "The Bee" brought the night to an epic close. The guitars sounded huge, the bass filled the room, and the drums hit with enough force to make every final beat count.
The Eternal delivered a strong, atmospheric opening, but Amorphis dominated the night with a performance that showcased everything that makes their music distinctive. They brought heavy and technical guitars, melodic hooks, powerful rhythm playing, atmospheric keyboards and Joutsen's remarkable vocal contrast. For the Liberty Hall crowd, it was a night of riffs, melodies and plenty of volume.