Episode 17: Tomi Joutsen (Amorphis)

When founding members Tomi Koivusaari, Esa Holopainen, and Jan Rechberger named Amorphis in 1990, they must have had a view to the future of the band.  A play on the word amorphous, which means having no definite form and unclassifiable, no word can better explain the last thirty-five years of the band’s history in regards to their music and lineup.   The legendary Finnish band has become synonymous with their namesake, as they’ve delved in and out of doom, death, folk, progressive, and other styles that seamlessly blend into their now-trademark sound. 

The same can be said for the group’s lineup, as they’ve endured a number of original members leaving the band and returning, with new players joining up along the way and staying in for the long haul.   Only guitarists Holopainen and Koivusaari have remained steadfast throughout the entire three and a half decades.   Others have weaved in and out, with drummer Jan Rechberger rejoining permanently in 2002, and bassist Olli-Pekka Laine returning from a 17-year hiatus in 2017 to complete the return of all original members that played on their 1992 debut The Karelian Isthmus. 

The same ever-changing nature of the group can also be applied when discussing  their lead vocalists.  On the first two records, Karelian and the iconic Tales from the Thousand Lakes, Koivusaari served as the unwilling vocalist, providing death growls though he preferred to focus on his duties as a guitarist.  After making his feelings known to his bandmates, they recruited Pasi Koskinen, who admirably filled the role while Amorphis pushed into progressive and folk directions that weren’t possible without clean singing.  He lasted with the group for ten years prior to his departure, but ultimately his bandmates were concerned he was too focused on his other projects, while fans questioned the direction the group was heading in as album sales floundered and the growls disappeared.

After sifting through hundred demo tapes for a new singer, Amorphis ended up auditioning Tomi Joutsen through a recommendation from someone close to the band. He was chosen almost immediately.  Being a fan of the band, Joutsen encouraged his new bandmates to return to their mix of clean and harsh vocals they had been known in their early years. The group began work on their 2006 return to form Eclipse, and have not looked back since.  

Now, as Joutsen enters his 20th year with the group, he has delivered perhaps his finest vocal performance on Amorphis’ upcoming fifteenth studio album, titled Borderland.  I had an opportunity to speak with Tomi about a number of topics, including:

• the band’s experience creating Borderland, the decision to switch from producer Jens Bogren to Jacob Hansen, the disparity between the two lead singles from the record, and the disco elements contained within the album.
• the core lyrical themes of the album, the unique approach to lyric writing employed by Amorphis, and how Tomi translates and arranges the lyrics to match up with the music his bandmates have created.
• the work he has done to improve his clean vocal singing style, his favorite personal contributions to the album, and why Borderland was the most demanding Amorphis record he’s worked on to date.
• the band’s touring plans, a discussion of “Weeper on the Shore,” and speaking about the Tales from Lake Bodom split with Children of Bodom from 2015.
• the experience of being a fan and joining the band, a discussion of the death of Ozzy Osbourne and his favorite Sabbath albums, and reflections on playing in a group that had such an influence on creative the vibrant Finnish