Amorphis embarks on a new adventure.
Three years after their last album, Tomi Koivusaari (guitar, Abhorrence, ex-Ajattara), Esa Holopainen (guitar, Silver Lake by Esa Holopainen), Jan Rechberger (drums), Olli-Pekka Laine (bass, Barren Earth), Santeri Kallio (keyboards, Jonne) and Tomi Joutsen (vocals, Sinisthra), with continued assistance from Francesco Ferrini (Fleshgod Apocalypse) on orchestrations, unveil Borderland, their sixteenth album, released by Reigning Phoenix Music.
The album opens with The Circle, a first composition with quickly intoxicating tones that perfectly accompany the jerky rhythm and Tomi‘s soothing vocals. We find the melodious touch that the band cultivates with a certain coldness, but also the rawer passages where growls reign supreme, then the tone becomes heavier with Bones, a more disturbing and weighty track, with a more diverse vocal presence but also more teasing orchestrations. The title track is rhythmic and very catchy, then the atmosphere softens again with Dancing Shadow, creating a real contrast to the choruses, which are a little more aggressive. The band’s formula still works, and we let ourselves be carried away by their intoxicating sound before enjoying a moment of calm with Fog to Fog, then resuming our journey with simple but thick rhythms and majestic keyboards. The choruses mark the climax of the song’s intensity, while the break tempers it perfectly, then The Strange brings us a moment of sweetness before carrying us away in its natural flow, encountering a few more furious passages, but just as beautiful. Tempest begins like a power ballad, but as its name suggests, turmoil is part of its roots, and some turbulence makes an appearance, along with a particularly elaborate solo, before finally moving on to Light And Shadow, which mainly exploits the bright and airy side of the band’s music. Harmonics naturally flow and lead us to The Lantern, which once again darkens the surrounding air and brings more solemn tones, while the choruses transform into truly grandiose anthems interspersed with calmer passages such as the keyboard break, then we breathe again for a moment as we begin Borderland. The eponymous title track pays homage to the band’s prog roots, with more technical passages and more lively moments that ensure an almost constant groove before giving way to melancholy on Despair, sometimes clashing with more aggressive moments that contrast with the fairly refined leads that close the album.
Amorphis‘ universe is enriched with new tones that are always consistent with their musical direction, making Borderland the heir to their signature style. Fans are already won over, and I can’t wait to see the new compositions come to life on stage.
85/100
