Whilst Holopainen and Kallio have written all the songs here, which is not unusual despite others often chipping in, this album very much belongs to the latter. Of the 10 songs here, Kallio penned seven - with Holopainen writing the other three. This perhaps explains why the album is marginally less heavy and more atmospheric than is perhaps the norm - with big soundscapes and retro keyboard textures a big part of Borderland's appeal. Opening track The Circle showcases this overall approach nicely. Rumbling piano chords and those delay-effected guitar melodies which Amorphis often make great use of kick things off - and when Rechberger's drums join in to create heavy accents, floaty synths are also thrown in. This is very much classic Amorphis, then, but the synths are perhaps a little brighter than they often are - and that is generally something which characterises The Circle throughout. Joutsen sticks to his clean vocal delivery here, with the exception of a bridge section later on, with a good mix of a slightly more melancholic verse delivery, as a rhythmic guitar backing adds weight, and a chorus which soars. Amorphis have often written huge choruses, and there are quite a few on this album. The chorus here makes use of the opening guitar melodies and synths to create an uplifting sound - over which Joutsen's heartfelt vocals soar, with subtle harmonies making him sound bigger. A simple guitar solo and the aforementioned heavier bridge section add points of difference later on - but overall this song is just full of smooth hooks, and it does not take long to stick in the brain. The two songs which follow may well be the best cuts here, though, with the heavier Bones a real highlight. Largely growled, apart from the album's best chorus which is sung clean, Bones is a much riffier piece - and one which borrows from Eastern music with some jangling melodies throughout. Amorphis have utilised such a sound before but it often works well for them - and the verses here are a great mix of those jangly clean guitar and keyboard melodies, whilst the rhythm guitars are tough and heavy. The mid-paced song really chugs away, then, and it also showcases Joutsen's growls here for the first time in a big way. He sounds as good as ever here during the snaking verses - whilst an anthemic pre-chorus section is certain to see fists in the air when it is played live. The chorus shoots from the darkness of the rest of the song by adding a melancholic, yet hooky, passage to the heavy piece - with some of Joutsen's best vocal melodies. This chorus is sure to stick in the brain - whilst a solo section which starts off with keyboard melodies before the guitar takes over adds to the song's overall vibe. Dancing Shadow is a very upbeat track, with an almost funky overall feel at times - at least for Amorphis. There are shades of One Second-era Paradise Lost here a bit in the way the song grooves along - but the core Amorphis approach is still retained. The opening riff, which is later repurposed as a chorus, is where the funk is found - with some strong bass playing and general grooving from the rest of the band. The chorus makes more of these grooves, though, with some additional synths - whilst a call-and-response vocal approach which makes use of both clean and harsh vocals is full of hooks. The verses are a bit more low key, though, with percussive drumming, shimmering synths, and more of those delay-effected guitar leads sitting behind Joutsen's melancholic clean vocals. Fittingly, some 1980s-inspired synth melodies are later used to kick off another solo section - but the guitars soon take over to ensure that a metallic grounding is retained.
Fog to Fog opens slowly, with some dense yet folky synths, but Rechberger's driving drums kick in and the song takes over proper - launching into a massive soundscape, with a cinematic guitar lead that just evokes pictures of Finnish landscapes perfectly. This sweeping sound is nothing new for Amorphis, but it is the first example of such on this album - and following the more upbeat previous track this song reminds the listener just how powerful the band can be. Their folky side is brought out in some of the melodies here, particular during the opening guitar lead and another one during the chorus - whilst Kallio moves away from the synths somewhat to lay down some piano throughout. Sometimes the piano is more obvious, but it is often in the background - providing a surprisingly percussive grounding to some of the melodies. The approach works well, though, whilst the synths kick back in during the chorus - which is another that utilises a mix of clean and harsh vocals. Generally the song is sung clean, but the harsh accents work well during the chorus, and I also love how the second chorus transitions into a lengthy keyboard solo - which builds on the soundscape nature of the piece nicely. The Strange opens with some piano, too, but the melodies feel a little more upbeat this time - and the track feels less widescreen than the previous one, with more of a metallic approach thanks to some early double bass drumming, wordless growls, and busier guitar riffing. Whilst the verses are sung clean, there is still a heaviness to them. The drumming is somewhat tribal in feel, with busy tom work backing up the chugging and rhythm guitar patterns - with Joutsen adopting a darker tone despite singing clean. The bass is high in the mix, too, which allows the song to feel heavier - whilst a lengthy pre-chorus section features harsh vocals, upping the darkness further. The chorus is another soaring effort, though, with Joutsen's clean vocals and a mix of different keyboard textures creating a big sound - even if the double bass drumming ensures that a heaviness remains. Tempest opens in a slower manner, with delicate acoustic guitars, piano, and Joutsen's floaty vocals - with the song's opening moments really devoid of all metal. Amorphis do these organic songs so well, and the track is largely a ballad - even if it grows from this initial base. The acoustic guitars and piano remain, but as the song moves on some subtle guitar rhythms are added underneath to create a groove - whilst the rhythm section adds a grounding. These verses have a folky feel, then, whilst the chorus is a bit more sweeping thanks to another big guitar lead and Joutsen's emotive vocals. A heavier bridge section is later thrown in, though, adding a metallic sound for a brief period - including some growls. As a point of difference, this inclusion works well - but overall this song remains on the gentle side, with plenty acoustic guitar chords and piano melodies heard despite this burst of heaviness, alongside a beautiful guitar solo. Light and Shadow returns to something more typical of the core Amorphis sound, with hypnotic guitar melodies and more of a driving sound. It was the first single released from the album, but compared to those which followed it is certainly the least interesting of the pre-release tracks. It is certainly enjoyable - but it does not stand up to melodic feasts like Bones and Dancing Shadow, despite it boasting a strong melancholic chorus of its own and plenty of those classic Amorphis guitar moments. It is largely sung clean, again, although there are some growls during parts of the chorus to accent the main melodies - alongside during a brief bridge section which follows a guitar solo.
The Lantern has a bit of a doomy feel overall. Given that it is one of Holopainen's three songs, it should not be a surprise that the guitar presence is much meatier - and from the off the riffing feels a bit more forceful, whilst the opening guitar lead is slow-burning and could have sat on a number of death/doom albums without sounding out of place. It still fits the album, though. Despite this doom vibe, it is not as heavy as the band can be - although the chorus later becomes one of the album's most potent elements. This chorus, which repurposes the opening guitar motif, features some of Joutsen's grittiest harsh vocals on the album - and the slower pace, gothic keyboards, and heavier guitars allow it to be a dark moment. The verses are sung clean, though, but there is something more mournful about them overall - with the guitars weaving around Joutsen in a pleasing and suffocating manner, whilst later sections feature double bass drumming to add some potency. Some Pink Floyd-esque synth melodies are later used during a dreamy instrumental section, adding some light to the shade, but the overall weight of the chorus and the darker tones throughout ensure that the song is one of the heaviest cuts here. The album's title track follows, with ringing, distant piano melodies setting folky tone - but once the guitars kick in the vibe shifts somewhat. These piano melodies do not continue through the track as the guitars largely take over - creating a percussive chug early on and during the verses, which Joutsen sings clean. There are few big melodic lead moments during this song, which is unusual for the band. As such, the piece is more rhythmic thanks to the crunchy guitar playing - whilst the keyboards are much less present generally. There are short bursts of lead guitar during later verses, whilst the chorus also sees a few moments of such - but they just seem less important to the song's overall feel. The crunchy riffing and Joutsen's vocal performance, which is largely clean despite some growls coming during another pretty strong chorus, driving everything. It is one of those songs that takes a few listens to fully appreciate as a result, but it has certainly grown on me. The album then comes to a close with Despair, another of the band's widescreen, sweeping tracks - although it is mixed with some doomy elements. The opening is very cinematic, with plenty of big synths and some darker guitar leads - under which Rechberger uses his double bass drums to good effect. This drumming approach and a chorus which is growled with a real darkness gives the song its doomy overall vibe - whilst even the clean-sung verses are dark. Laine's bass is very high in the mix, his rumbling bassline adding a real darkness, whilst mournful vocals and slow-burning guitar melodies only add to this overall vibe - which then explodes thanks to the faster drumming of the growled chorus. Thanks to this overall sound, the song works well as an album closer. The heavier feel is welcome, too, given that this album is not as heavy as many of the band's albums - and the scope of the track, with some instrumental sections which really push the keyboard and string arrangements to the fore, is fitting for a closing statement. It is another song which has grown on me a lot as a result - and the album ends on a dark high as a result. Despite the lighter feel, Borderland is another excellent Amorphis album. There are a couple of slight twists here despite the album largely doing the band's classic sound justice - and the more melodic approach is welcome at times. It certainly feels different to the denser and heavier Halo - so it is great to see the band staying fresh despite their core sound remaining intact. Amorphis can do little wrong at this point, and Borderland will be seen by many as another excellent addition to their canon.
The album was released on 26th September 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Bones.
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