When a band has been around for more than 25 years, the overall consistent quality comes into question for some. Whether this is due to lineup changes, genre shifting, new influences, or a combination thereof, bands tend to insert, use, then brush these moments off as foundations for new ideas. Following the end of the trilogy that was 2015’s Under the Red Cloud to 2022’s Halo, Amorphis had hinted that they were keen on seeing what else was out there. With the release of their fifteenth(!) album, Borderland, Amorphis has struck melodic gold. Let’s discuss.
Now, it’s no secret that I have arrived at my love and appreciation for Amorphis when I was a teenager, and I have heard most of their vast discography since I saw them live back in 2011. However, like most people, there are some albums that I consider weaker, and that made me think about the Red/Queen/Halo trilogy. Of the three, I found Halo to be the weakest in terms of its music and themes. As I stated in my 2022 EOY list, I thought the band had become complacent, as they had used the themes set in Queen of Time (Queen of Bee) to close out some of the threads they had established in the first two albums. However, I did have hope that they were going to change things, as the final track on Halo, “Seven Roads Come Together,” suggested interesting things to come. And the band delivered on that promise.
On sheer musicality alone, Borderland is a more melodic, catchier affair than its predecessor. Tracks like “The Circle,” “Dancing Shadow,” and “Light and Shadow” offer the listener resounding joy as if Amorphis decided to just create music without having any set themes or established concepts. All these songs make you want to sing along at the top of your lungs, and I can only imagine how fantastic they will sound in a live setting. The music also feels incredibly modern – it seems the band had been listening to people complain about how “stale” and “complacent” they had become, and they decided to make structural changes to their music to address this. Despite these changes, Amorphis remains true to themselves as their music is still recognizable as classic Amorphis at its core. It’s clear they took the time to create something that resonates, even if there are slight changes to their established formula. I have always thought that one of Amorphis’s biggest strengths is their ability to collectively write music, so these changes, combined with their newfound innovation, showcases the band’s strengthened determination to continue making fantastic music.
However, they do tend to be self-referential. For example, second track “Bones” sounds like it took notes from Queen of Time’s “Golden Elk,” given that their musical structure sounds incredibly alike. “Golden Elk” has a distinct heaviness that makes it shine on the more symphonic-leaning Queen of Time; “Bones,” on the other hand, is heavier, combining folk, death, and doom elements together that make the song sound louder than the others on the album. It also continues from where “The Circle” left off, easing from the melodic closing to the abrupt start and riffing that opens “Bones.” There are also nods to past albums as well, such as the more bombastic parts of the music remind me of Skyforger, while the ballads (“The Strange”, “Tempest”) echo The Beginning of Times.
Although I personally think that Borderland is a near-flawless album, my only gripe is that it is very top-heavy. The first three tracks alone are worth their weight in gold, in how seamlessly they transition into each other. That energy also tends to slow down towards the middle of the album. This isn’t noticeable on a first listen, but on subsequent listens, it becomes apparent that Borderland reaches a brief bottleneck on “Tempest.” Granted, this track is one of the ballads – it is supposed to give the listener a moment to slow down and appreciate how incredibly well-paced Borderland is. However, it does pick back up quickly so perhaps this is more of a subjective issue than an objective one.
Amorphis has been working at and perfecting their craft for the past 35 years, creating music that is still enjoyable despite lineup changes and genre shifting. They have been incredibly consistent, both in their current lineup and in their musical choices, and I can only applaud them for continuing to move forward despite everything and the naysayers. Perhaps Borderland may not be the album that makes you wonder if Amorphis has truly re-innovated themselves, but it’s clear that they are celebrating how far they have come. As one of my favorite legacy bands, Amorphis has no need to prove themselves to anyone; if the music resonates with you, then Borderland has accomplished its goal.
— Hera
Borderland will be available September 26 on Reigning Phoenix Music. For more information on Amorphis, visit their official Facebook and Instagram.