Finland’s finest unleash an album that’s equal parts beauty and brutality — and THE MAESTRO says it’s flawless.
Man, oh man — this new AMORPHIS record is a doozy. I’ll be honest, I was on the fence about the band for years. Then in 2022, I got an advance copy of Halo. Maybe it was being stuck at home recovering from my stroke, but that album hit me hard.
Fast forward to now, and the band’s latest offering Borderland (out Sept. 26 via Reigning Phoenix Music) proves lightning can strike twice. You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad song on this one, and the way the whole album flows is just beautifully done.
From opener “The Circle” through “Bones” and “Dancing Shadow,” there’s an urgency to the storytelling, but never a rush. “Tempest” is majestic, at times flat-out beautiful, while “Light and Shadow” walks the line between pure heaviness and melody with ease. “The Lantern” grinds things down in a slow burn, the title track makes a strong case as one of the band’s best, and closer “Despair” ties it all together perfectly.
Bottom line: AMORPHIS have delivered a grand slam with Borderland. Get your copy, spin it loud, and you’ll see what I’m on about.
STANDOUT TRACKS: All of them
RATING: 10/10
—THE MAESTRO
