Amorphis - Borderlands

Usually this is the part where I give a brief description of the band in question and talk about their discography.  Well, this is Amorphis so I’m going to skip it.  If you don’t know these absolute legends by now, you probably aren’t even going to be the type of person to find your way to my little blog in the first place. Amorphis are actually in my top 5 favorite bands of all time so I'll try not to fan boi out here.

“Borderland,” is the Finnish band’s 15th album, a number so many bands never even make it halfway to.  That in of itself is an accomplishment but it’s even more of a statement that it’s actually damn good—Amorphis seem incapable of making a bad album and they have been on fire since Joutsen joined them.  

As far as their most recent output is concerned, “Borderland,” finds itself, not quite as heavy as “Halo,” but much more a smooth and flowing listen than “Queen of Time.”   Personally, I don’t think it’s better or worse than either of those also excellent albums.  When it comes to Amorphis, at least for me, each album is a journey unto itself and isn’t really comparable to any albums before or after it.

While each song has plenty of heavy moments and a rhythmic crunch, this particular collection of songs is definitely focused on Santeri’s key and Joutsen’s vocals. Both of them give fantastic performances.  Joutsen focuses more on cleans this time around, especially in the first half of the album, but there are still plenty of death growls and screams to go around.  These extreme moments being more selective in their appearances makes them that much more biting and potent.  

Esa, Tomi K, and Olli-Pekka Laine each paint quite a detailed tapestry, using each song as a tool for the overall picture.  Their approach weaves the light and the dark, something the band is known for and it’s just as potent as ever on “Borderlands.”

I do have some slight issues with the production–much like with “Halo,” the guitars/bass definitely need more heft to them in the mix.  Again, a slight complaint. On to the songs now!

The album opens with the keyboard centric “The Circle,” that begins with a slow build like “The Bee,” but isn’t quite as aggressive.  I do like the bouncy riffs and punchy drumming.  Tommi gives a fantastic vocal performance here and the chorus is catchy as hell.  There is a mid-section with death growls, which are a nice break from the melodic textures.   It isn’t their most aggressive opener, but it fits perfectly as the introduction song and sets up the rest of the songs.

I figured “Dancing Shadow,” would be the next single because it’s so damn catchy.  It certainly won’t go down as one of my all-time favorite Amorphis songs but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a fine song—it is.  I really like Tommi’s vocal cadence during the stanzas, and the ethereal keyboards that create the backdrop during them.  That chorus hits hard too, with Jan offering drum rhythms that wouldn’t be out of place in a dance club (or so I assume, I’ve never been to a dance club and never will, HA)  

While the first four songs are certainly enjoyable, the album really hits its stride with “The Strange.”  This is a classic modern-era Amorphis song that has everything about the band that I love.  Solid riffs, fantastic switch ups between vocal styles, and an epic chorus.   The guitars and keys share the load, working in tandem in an imaginative way that just echos the best of the Jousten-era.

“Tempest,” is yet another highlight as I go deeper into the album.  The clean instrumentation of the song’s first half is folky and highlights how whimsical the band can be—and how well they transition to their heavier side at the turn of a dime.  The song gets aggressive around the halfway mark, Tomi roaring in a way only he can.  For my money, this is one of their best songs for sure. 

“The Lantern,” is another banger. After a brief intro of ominous deep tones, the band settles into a melodic passage that weaves their various styles together   The pace is slow and moody but thick with a heavy atmosphere that hits hard.  It speeds up after the first half with swift keys and riffs that push the song into a clean passage, complete with epic solos from the lead guitar and keys.  

The final song, “Despair,” is massive and one of the best ending songs they have done.  It spends its five-minute runtime alternating between swaths of metal riffs and cleaner passages before diving fully into heavier waters.  A soulful solo cuts through, a real memorable moment before another sweet passage of all the great things Amorphis does flows the song back into the chorus where Tomi growl’s his face off. 

Although “Borderland,” probably won’t change your mind about the band if you aren’t already a fan, it is another utterly engrossing album from a band that can’t do anything wrong.  Every song is good, and I appreciate how it gets better as it goes along.  

Rating:  Excellent