DIRENOTES

I’ve been listening to Metal for over two thirds of my life, more than twenty years of exploring just about every corner of the genre I could get my hands on. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled across Amorphis’s newest album, Borderland, and realized I had never listened to a single song by them. That is no slight against this Finnish band or their impressive thirty five year run in the metal scene. It is simply baffling that their music never found its way to me, either through reviews or casual listening. Which brings me here: Borderland is the very first Amorphis album I have ever heard. With completely fresh ears, I am about to share my thoughts on their latest release. So, do not expect a whole lot of comparisons to their older material (though I may check out their previous album just to avoid sounding too much like a fool).

While I am aware that Amorphis has had both heavier and more progressive stints throughout their tenure, Borderland certainly leans towards the latter. It is a ten track journey exploring a variety of progressive elements that anyone listening to metal has likely been familiar with for decades. That said, it never crosses into “riff salad” territory, keeping each track relatively tight and concise.

The focus here seems less about sheer heaviness and more about mood and atmosphere. Keyboards play a large role in shaping that space, weaving in and out of the guitars rather than simply floating on top. The riffs themselves tend to be direct and driving, but they are always offset by moments of clarity, with clean vocal passages, melodic leads, or softer textures that bring contrast. This push and pull keeps the songs engaging without relying on constant technicality.

Still, through all of my many listens, I felt like something was off here. It took me probably eight or nine listens to figure out exactly what was bothering me about Borderland’s ten tracks. They are all, after all, extremely well put together and practically flawless in execution and production. But that was also the problem. These are ten very well-done songs that all feel like they should be great mid-points or closing tracks on larger albums.

Guitarist Esa Holopainen stated, “When the writing period began, there was no grand master plan. We ended up with 24 demo tracks, and Jacob (referring to Danish producer Jacob Hansen) helped us select the ones that felt the most vital. The end result is dynamic and diverse.” All of this is true: it is a dynamic and diverse collection of songs. But there really is no breathing room here, nor any real sense of connection aside from composition.

Borderland sadly feels like a greatest-hits collection of powerful singles meant for picking and choosing for a playlist rather than a whole-album listening experience. This is less a reflection on what Amorphis are capable of and more a sign of the “single” culture that has sprung up after streaming services became dominant. Still, they are very good tracks, and that is undeniable. Amorphis is truly one of those bands that keeps pushing forward through all the radical changes faced by metal-focused bands over the last several decades. And if the biggest complaint is that they have an album full of powerful songs that do not offer enough breathing room, that might not even be a bad thing when it comes to metal.

-KEITH HAM-