Amorphis: A Dark Piercing Light

Sublimity is often defined as the feeling of utter terror and awe at the same moment. If this is indeed the case, then metal could be described as the most sublime music of all. The way it can hold abject darkness in total balance and harmony with dazzling light provides the most human and divine of listening experiences all at once. It can be a truly transcendent listening experience to hear the delicate dance of melody and cacophony, and Finnish melodeath lifers AMORPHIS have reached nirvana on their new record Halo, the band’s 14th. It soars past 2018’s dense and melodically multifaceted Queen Of Time to take the band’s hook writing ability and textural prowess to the summit of their career. But ironically, not everyone involved in the making of the record shared this perception.

“We actually felt that Jens [Bogren, producer] stripped down the whole arrangement, and it actually feels like a heavier record to us, not a more melodic and hooky one,” laughs keyboardist and songwriter Santeri ‘Sande’ Kallio. “Esa [Holopainen, guitars] and I have always been too melodic in a classical sense, but on this record, we wondered ‘where the hell are our melodies?”

That may be true in the eyes of the makers, but it is readily apparent from the first second of Halo that the hooks are front and centre, more so than ever before in the band’s discography. But cutting down to brass tacks, its no surprise that this is case once the band members’ adolescent history comes into the equation.

“We grew up in the 80s and 90s listening to PINK FLOYD, classic metal and Finnish prog bands, so it’s kind of obvious when you start composing the song,” says Sande. “But we’re just trying to please ourselves as much as possible. It’s full of hooks because that’s what we like to hear, and if we’re happy with the stuff we’re doing, that’s a good starting point for other people to like it as well.”

But in the midst of writing Halo, a record that took shape and evolved in the thick of the pandemic and was written and recorded in separate locations and in separate countries, a good hook can be a personal catharsis for an isolated songwriter like Sande. “Sometimes a song needs to have hook to keep yourself motivated and so you get inspired during the song you’re working on.”

AMORPHIS has always taken great care to include subtleties and sounds that not only serve to add unique layers to the tapestry of each record, but are perfectly suited to the mood of each song. War, off the new record, begins with a koto-esque sound that brings to mind a samurai drawing his sword for a classic Kurosawa tale of revenge. Though the pandemic afforded time to search for the perfect soundscapes, the distance of collaborators certainly added some distinct, and often humorous, challenges for Sande.

“It’s super difficult to find sounds like that, because I always record by myself and Jens is in Sweden,” explains Sande. “But what often happens is Jens would pick some atmospheres from the first demos we recorded for the album and wants to use those, and then when I didn’t use it he’d send me a message saying ‘hey, I remember this one sound from the demo…’ I had even already played my keyboards for the album and he sent me some mail saying ‘can you open your first demo and take that keyboard line and send it to me, but don’t play it again!’” He laughs. “But then again, if something blew my mind, I wouldn’t want to redo it either.”

Pianos, Hammond organs, even a massive church organ – all of these instruments make their appearances on Halo, and it’s certainly not the first time for the band. But as the band’s instrumental prowess blossoms on this record, it’s evident that these analog instruments of antiquity provide a breath of life that the band cannot live without in their writing and songcraft. The look of joy on Sande‘s face while he plays the pipe organ in a church is evident in the recently released documentary video detailing the making of the album.

“I’m always proud to play the big church organs; it’s such a privilege,” beams Sande. “I feel the same way playing all those other instruments. They’re so authentic and the instrument actually inspires you to put more into the song. Even if I were to get the same sound of an organ from a keyboard, it wouldn’t be the same because of the experience you get from playing that instrument in an unbelievable atmosphere. It just gives you new ideas constantly.”

Perhaps the most striking factor about AMORPHIS, aside from the aforementioned melodic wizardry and sweeping soundscapes, is the voice of singer Tomi Joutsen. He possesses a Mikael Åkerfeldt-esque death growl, one of the throatiest and most resonant in metal, as well as one of the most clear and soothing clean singing voices in the game as well. With these elements combined, it is a wonder that the band have not taken off to the degree of their Finnish contemporaries in NIGHTWISH, or even have not gone beyond playing small clubs in the USA. Halo is a record that practically demands growth through brute force. It simply is a demonstration of a band at the apex of their talents and strikes some of the most vivid imagery yet in a listener’s imagination. It’s truly transportative. But is AMORPHIS content with where they currently sit in the global metal consciousness?

“Of course we have to be super happy. We’ve had eight gold albums in Finland, toured all the big European festivals and have been to Japan, Australia, and all over the world,” says Sande. “But we’re not totally content and of course we want to grow, but not just to get into bigger venues. We want to grow because the bigger shows you play, the more you can put into the production of your stage show. Then the shows get better, and the more beautiful it looks and the more resources you have. It just gets better,” he adds with a laugh. “It would be amazing to get bigger in the USA, so we can do shows with more lights.”

Halo is an album that needs no additions. It is that definition of sublimity: beautiful and terrifying in its diametric nature: the depths of darkness from Joutsen‘s growl riding the wave of melodies stronger than any the band have written before. It’s a perfect record to dive into the AMORPHIS catalogue with. But one way bands often grow and gain new fans is through collaborations with other artists and singers. The question is put to Sande of who he would like to see guest on a future AMORPHIS record alongside the impeccable Joutsen. His answer certainly would bring a smile to many metalhead’s faces, and certainly garner the attention of at least a few new fans.

“We know most of the great vocalists here in Scandinavia, and AMORPHIS could totally work with any of them. I leave those decisions to Tomi, but if I had to pick, I’d say…Bruce Dickinson!”

And in the end, it’s not a stretch to say that after Halo, AMORPHIS may garner the attention of even the legend himself.

Halo is out now via Atomic Fire Records.

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