1. The Circle
2. Bones
3. Dancing Shadow
4. Fog to Fog
5. The Strange
6. Tempest
7. Light and Shadow
8. The Lantern
9. Borderland
10. Despair

You do something for thirty-plus years, and eventually, you stop worrying about whether you can pull it off. You just do it, and you do it really well. Finland’s Amorphis, now thirty-five years into their career, are a perfect example. They didn’t start here, they started in death metal, raw and aggressive; but over the decades, they’ve gradually honed a sound that sits at the intersection of progressive, gothic, folk, and doom metal, all with a cinematic rock sensibility. Their music is grounded in folk-inspired melodies, crunchy riffs, enormous, soaring choruses, and a stately, almost solemn atmosphere. It’s a sound that’s unmistakably Amorphis, and after three decades, they’ve become masters at it. 

By 2025, a new Amorphis album is measured against their past work, and that’s where decades of experience shine through. The band rarely produces a truly bad record. Occasionally a song or two might not hit as hard as the rest, but overall, their career is a testament to steady growth, consistency, and evolution.

Borderland, their latest, slots neatly into the band’s canon. It’s not Queen of Time or Under the Red Cloud, but it’s a strong, polished effort, much like 2018’s Halo. In other words: it’s quintessential Amorphis, through and through. 

The album opens with “The Circle,” which immediately establishes the mood. Chiming guitars echo across the mix, and Tomi Joutsen’s powerful baritone croons with commanding presence. It’s classic Amorphis, in that familiar balance of beauty and weight. But the record really begins to sparkle with tracks two and three. 

“Bones” is the album’s centerpiece. It’s a midtempo stomper anchored by a doomy, massive riff and folk-inflected melodies that weave seamlessly into the heavy verses. The chorus lifts off into a grand, almost cinematic climax, carried by a sweeping keyboard line. It’s epic without feeling overblown-the kind of song that reminds you why Amorphis has been doing this for decades. 

Then there’s “Dancing Shadow,” one of the album’s advance tracks and one of its most “typically” Amorphis moments. Its arena-sized chorus is immediately memorable, and yet the lyrics are quirky in a way only Amorphis can get away with, partly due to how steeped in the Kalevela  Somehow, it works-the melody carries it, and it sticks with you long after the song ends. 

After those highlights, Borderland settles back into more familiar territory. “Fog to Fog” is solid, but predictable. “The Strange” continues the pattern: clean, well-executed, but not particularly daring. “Tempest” slows things down with a balladic approach that’s lovely, but again, nothing revolutionary. There’s a slight uptick with “Light and Shadows,” which has a bit more energy and excitement than some of the surrounding tracks, but overall, the record follows the tried-and-true Amorphis formula. 

That said, it’s a formula that works. Even when the band isn’t pushing boundaries, they’re experts at what they do. Fans of Amorphis’ signature mix of heaviness, melody, and melancholy will find a lot to enjoy here. Every track is polished, every riff purposeful, every chorus big. It’s a distilled version of Amorphis—perhaps without the wild, unpredictable edges of some past records, but undeniably satisfying. 

Borderland may not break new ground. It’s not going to change anyone’s mind about the band. But it’s a reminder of why Amorphis has lasted as long as they have: they’ve perfected their craft to the point that even a “holding pattern” album is something to celebrate. They may not always shine, but they cannot stumble. They sound like Amorphis, and that’s a comfort in itself.