Following the announcement of their 15th studio album, Borderland, Finnish metal icons Amorphis today released the first single/lyric video from their forthcoming opus. "Light And Shadow", which can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the album title in the sense of counter-play between two parties close to each other, wins over listeners right away with an uplifting piano intro enriched by an electronic sound tapestry. As the song unfolds, it transforms into a driving, mythic anthem of self-discovery, a powerful reminder of why Amorphis remain unrivalled in crafting melancholic majesty.

Santeri Kallio, who wrote the music, adds: "I threw my brain into the closet and went with the flow - without stressing about opinions. I didn't want to repeat the old nor copy what we've already done before. When I heard Tomi's final vocal parts, I realised that 'Light And Shadow' would be the perfect introduction to our new album!"

After recording four albums in a row in Sweden, Hansen Studios was the destination of choice in late 2024 and early 2025; the album artwork was designed by Dutch artist Marald Van Haasteren.

Besides newly collaborating with Hansen and Van Haasteren, Amorphis still relies on the lyrical craftsmanship of Pekka Kainulainen, who's been courageously writing for the band since its 2007 offering, Silent Waters. About his inspiration for Borderland, Kainulainen comments: "The generations that came here before us, our ancestors, also had to face death and destruction. Honouring the mythologies of mankind, as well as the listeners of Amorphis, I wrote lyrics that hopefully convey some of the humility and strength that mankind has always depended on".

With Borderland, the album's title couldn't have been chosen more fittingly. Throughout their career, spanning more than three decades, Tomi Joutsen (vocals), Esa Holopainen (guitars), Tomi Koivusaari (guitars), Olli-Pekka Laine (bass), Santeri Kallio (keyboards), and Jan Rechberger (drums and percussion) have been an ever-evolving act, wandering on an exciting boundary-pushing path. From their sinister death metal debut, Karelian Isthmus, over genre-defining mid-90s melodic death works like Tales From The Thousand Lakes and Elegy, the melodic grandeur of Eclipse or Skyforger to records combining the very best of all prior eras to refreshing new soundscapes (f.e. Under The Red Cloud or Queen Of Time) - whatever this group works on promises long-range success.

With 2022's Halo, Amorphis was rewarded for its research-based musical approach once again, with two awards from the prestigious Emma Gaala ("Band of the Year" and "Export of the Year").

The impact of Halo became a driving force for what was to come. Rather than rushing into a follow-up, the band chose to step back from live performances and focus fully on their next chapter. The result is Borderland - a meticulously crafted opus that builds on their celebrated recent era while seamlessly weaving in new, timely elements. It's a bold, organic continuation of their journey, shaped by experience and guided by vision.

Borderland will come out on 26 September via Reigning Phoenix Music - just in time for a massive headline tour in Finland and a trip as part of an arena-filling package with Arch Enemy, Eluveitie, and Gatecreeper - the dates are HERE. Link

Borderland tracklist:
01. The Circle
02. Bones
03. Dancing Shadow
04. Fog To Fog
05. The Strange
06. Tempest
07. Light And Shadow
08. The Lantern
09. Borderland
10. Despair

Bonus Tracks (digipak-CD and vinyl)
11. War Band
12. Rowan And The Cloud