Amorphis - Eclipse (Vinyl)

After forcing their eclectic but often scattered sonic experiments to extremes of self-indulgence on albums like Tuonela and Am Universum (both of which still offered the odd great song, mind you), Finnish heavy metal godfathers Amorphis found their way back to songwriting consistency and economy on 2004's acclaimed Far from the Sun. A surprisingly focused amalgam of past and present, that album marked a measured return to Amorphis' heavy metal roots after years of apparent disownment, and set the stage for yet another compelling LP in 2006's even more unapologetically metallic Eclipse. Not that either one of the records could be called a death metal slugfest, nor a complete abandonment of those not-always-stellar but still necessary forays into other progressive musical realms, but rather mature and well-balanced statements, acknowledging the style that made the band famous in the first place. New songs such as "Two Moons," "House of Sleep," and "Born from Fire" offer driving heavy ro