Finnish metal legends Amorphis are finally back on Australian soil, and with their first tour Down Under in 13 years kicking off tonight, longtime keyboardist Santeri Kallio has plenty to say about the band’s return.
Few bands have managed to evolve quite like Amorphis. From their early death metal foundations through to the richly layered progressive and melodic soundscapes that have become their signature, the Finnish outfit have spent more than three decades building a musical identity that continues to grow without leaving their past behind.
Their latest studio album, Borderland, carries that journey forward, bringing together the heaviness, atmosphere and mythology that have connected with generations of metal fans around the world.
Now, with Australian audiences preparing to welcome them back for the first time in 13 years, Amorphis are bringing those new songs alongside plenty of familiar favourites for four shows across Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra.
Joining them for the entire run are Australian dark progressive metal outfit The Eternal, who have just released their own new album, Obscured Horizons.
Ahead of the tour, Amorphis keyboardist Santeri Kallio shares his thoughts on returning to Australia, balancing 15 albums’ worth of music in a live set, the stories behind Borderland and why this particular tour pairing makes so much sense.
Santeri Kallio | Amorphis Q&A
It’s been 13 years since Amorphis last toured Australia. What does returning now, with a new album and a new era, feel like for the band?
It is awesome to be able to perform in Australia again after a while, okay, “only” thirteen years!
Last time we had lots of fun with those four shows we did, indeed. This time we got lucky that the Australian dates could easily be added in between Japan and South American tours.
I know there’s a good metal following going on, and I’m sure there will be awesome shows for us and for the audiences.
Let’s hope Aussie fans have checked out our new album Borderland, as we have added a good amount of new songs to the setlist from the latest album, not forgetting classics throughout our whole career.
Let’s have some fun there!
Borderland expands your mythic storytelling in a fresh direction. What themes or emotions from the album do you feel will resonate most strongly with Australian audiences?
Well, there are lots of mythological atmospheres, including deep poetic stories and metaphorical animal characters from the North.
I don’t see any problem why these exotic animals or stories could not be seen as part of any environment wherever you live. Just switch moose to kangaroos, bears to koalas and pikes to crocodiles. They’re all mythological stories and figures after all.
Our lyrics in general are universal, talking about the present colliding with the past and the real world’s contradictions with the dreamworld.
There are also lots of spiritual modern thoughts which don’t choose any location where you happen to live at a particular time.
So, no worries there.
Your setlist spans early classics through to modern favourites. How do you balance nostalgia with evolution when crafting a show for a country you haven’t visited in over a decade?
It is quite challenging to keep everybody happy after 15 albums, I must say.
On the other hand, because of the very early success that happened to Amorphis in the 90s, we have never disbanded or forgotten our past, nor some must do songs.
So, our setlist will surely include some latest material to promote the new album, classics from the past, and not forgetting some specials, the “black sheep”, as we call them.
It’s a tricky thing after 15 albums to put down a setlist for approximately 15 songs.
We just try our very best to keep the band as excited as possible and the audience satisfied and surprised.
Amorphis has always blended heaviness with atmosphere. How do you translate that duality into a live environment, especially for fans experiencing it again after such a long wait?
We try to add songs throughout our whole career to the setlist.
We don’t want just to play the bangers, as there are so many more dimensions in our music.
There is no magic trick. We just have to remember that, after all, we are there for the audience.
I would personally like to think that your mindset has to be 70/30 on the audience’s side, haha.
Sounds mathematical, right?
Well, luckily there are lots of songs to choose from and lots of opportunities to put a great setlist together.
Luckily, we are too old to fight about all the personal favourites that somebody would love to play.
You’re touring with your label mates The Eternal. What kind of energy or dynamic do you expect this pairing to bring to the Australian dates?
Well, it is a great band, and Mark and Richie have been to Finland many times, so it will be a smooth ride for sure.
I think they are releasing by far the best album they have ever done, so I am very happy to be able to get them with us on this tour.
Their music is atmospheric and proggy, which fits perfectly to warm up people for the massive and colourful Amorphis performance.
Finnish mythology has shaped your music for decades. How does performing these stories in a place as geographically and culturally distant as Australia shift your perspective on them?
Haha, I think even though the stories are kind of about ancient Finnish Northern vibes, I see them as pretty universal.
Mostly they are about challenges that every human being faces in life in general, and they also discuss how we connect with past generations and their thoughts.
I don’t see any barriers as to why Australian fans could not connect and relate to these stories.
Borderland showcases new sonic textures and progressive elements. Which of the new tracks feel most powerful or transformative onstage so far?
So far with this first leg of the Borderland World Tour, we have only played half of the album.
We must remember we cannot play three hours after all.
The new additions seem to all flow smoothly with all the old classics we do.
For example, at the moment my live favourites so far are “Bones” and “Dancing Shadow”. Maybe they bring some extra angle to the set.
Amorphis has evolved across so many eras and lineups. When you look at the band in 2026, what do you feel has remained essential to your identity, and what has surprised even you in how the band has grown?
I think the new album presents perfectly modern Amorphis strongpoints, melodic layers supported by a solid rhythm base delivered by heavy metal riffing, while still keeping the songs fresh and kind of new to the listener.
Nowadays we seem to have pretty clear roles after 30 years of playing together.
Jan, Olli and Tomi on the bottom, me and Esa layering on top, and finally Tomi’s vocals put the whole cake together, wandering somewhere sky high.
After 13 years away, what do you hope Australian fans walk away feeling at the end of these shows, and what do you hope to take back with you to Finland?
I hope they’re happy and satisfied after, haha.
I think we are in better shape than ever before, and we have already done something like 80 shows for the Borderland Tour, so if we don’t deliver, you can just blame us.
Okay, jokes aside, just saying, we will not disappoint Australia.
It is just such a rare treat for us to be able to come over and rock the Aussie house, so failure is just not an option for us.
See you at the shows, let’s have a blast!
AMORPHIS | Australian Tour 2026
With special guests THE ETERNAL
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 23 September | Melbourne | The Croxton |
| Thursday 24 September | Brisbane | The Triffid |
| Friday 25 September | Sydney | Liberty Hall |
| Saturday 26 September | Canberra | The Baso |
Tickets: General Admission and VIP options through Your Mate Bookings. Check availability for your preferred show.
Listen to Amorphis: Official Website
Discover The Eternal: Earlier this month, Crannk caught up with Mark Kelson to explore the band’s latest album, Obscured Horizons, the passing of time, rediscovering creative purpose and finding hope through darkness.
Read our interview with Mark Kelson of The Eternal
Q&A supplied to Crannk by tour publicity. Thanks to John and the team for making this feature possible.
