THE OCTOPUS

It has been a long time coming, but "The Octopus" was definitely worth the wait. Two hours of music is never easy to pull off, but Amplifier do so with considerable flair (strangely, its predecessor feels longer at half the length).

"The Octopus" takes us on a journey through space, from the experimental opener through to the edge of space time. There are too many tracks to go through one by one, so here are a few of the highlights :

'Minion's Song' : A surprising start for those familiar with Amplifier, especially the uplifting ending that begs the listener to sing along.

'The Octopus' : A very dark piece, with a brooding baseline. This is Amplifier at their most controlled, even when the song sets off on a powerful surge of heaviness a bit after the halfway mark.

'White Horses At Sea' : This is the kind of thing that was missing from "The Insider", a gentler less bass driven piece, which allows the listener to pause and appreciate the view before the first half's epic closer. It is none the less majestic for as much.

'Trading Dark Matter On The Stock Exchange' : A challenger for best song of the album, this song mixes some trippy psychedelic elements with a massive, powerful chorus. It could almost be catchy if it weren't for all the time changes. The end solo is likely to be mentioned by many a reviewer.

'Interstellar' : A song of many parts, if you take the main riff it could almost pass for single material. The wholc ten minutes taken together, however, makes for challenging listening. One of the most ambitious pieces on the album.

'Forever And More' : A powerful closer, and yet strangely uplifting too. This is Amplifier at their most strident and confident. The listener is left tired from the trip but satisfied by the journey.

A few minor quibbles can be had with the "sounds" between some of the tracks (particularly on the first disc) which add little to the experience. Also, 'The Emperor' has yet to really captivate me. Then again, 'The Sick Rose' and 'Interstellar' are difficult acts to follow.

Easily 2010's finest album in my opinion, Amplifier have outdone themselves. "The Octopus" has all the elements to be a future classic.