Finnish symphonic metal band Amberian Dawn are set to release their eleventh studio album entitled Temptation’s Gates on June 26th. Amberian Dawn’s guitarist Tuomas Seppälä spoke with Metal Express Radio about their upcoming album, bringing in their new vocalist Nicole Willterton, being a band for twenty years, and more. Check out the chat below!
Metal Express Radio: Amberian Dawn is set to release their eleventh studio album entitled Temptation’s Gates on June 26th. What can you tell fans about the upcoming album?
Seppälä: The upcoming album is shaping up to be something truly interesting. Stylistically, it’s heavier and more metal-oriented than some of our recent releases. At the same time, even though the overall sound leans more towards metal, it still contains the melodic elements that are characteristic of us. The album is surprisingly diverse. It features fast songs, slower tracks, heavier moments as well as lighter ones. I believe that because of this variety, it’s an album that can be listened to from start to finish in one sitting.
MER: How was the writing and recording process, being your first album with vocalist Nicole Willerton?
Seppälä: I had a fairly long break from songwriting before this album. I started writing again during 2025, but my momentum was slowed down by the fact that our previous singer no longer really had the time to be involved with the band. Once we found our new singer, everything changed quite quickly. I felt a renewed wave of inspiration, and working with Nicole Willerton was incredibly efficient and inspiring right from the start. The new songs came together at a very fast pace after Nicole joined the band.
MER: Do you feel fans of Amberian Dawn’s previous work will warm up to Willerton?
Seppälä: I can, of course, only hope so. A change of singer is always a big change for any band. It’s clear that we will lose some of our longtime fans, but at the same time, we will hopefully gain many new ones. At this point, it would be impossible for this band to find a singer who could perform our entire catalogue (over 100 songs) perfectly. The material is simply too diverse, and many of the songs were originally written for different vocalists with very different styles.
MER: You’ve released a video for the title track from the album. What went into your decision to make that the first song off the album for the fans to hear?
Seppälä: I was already aware in advance of how difficult the choice would be and the challenges that come with it. There’s simply no way to please all of our longtime fans, no matter which song we would have chosen as the first single. I felt that this track works well as an opening single because of its energy. In my opinion, it’s also a very strong introduction to Nicole Willerton, giving a clear sense of her voice and vocal style.
MER: What do you see as plans for you and Amberian Dawn after the album is released?
Seppälä: We’ll take a short break, of course, but right after that we’ll start preparing for our first show together, which will take place in June in Helsinki. I can’t reveal the exact event just yet. We’ll also begin planning touring, with the goal of especially focusing on 2027 to present our new lineup around the world.
MER: Is there anyone you hope to tour with and why?
Seppälä: I don’t have any particular band in mind when it comes to that. For me, the most important thing on tour is that there’s a good atmosphere between the bands. Touring can be long and exhausting, and you often end up sharing the same spaces and the same tour bus. In those situations, it’s essential that everyone gets along well. So far, I’ve been mostly very satisfied with all of our touring partners.
MER: Is there any place you hope to play live that you haven’t and why?
Seppälä: Of course, it would be great to perform at some of the biggest festivals in the metal scene, such as Wacken Open Air. It would also be amazing to play at a festival in the United States. So far, the only time we’ve performed in that region has been on the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise.
MER: How would you describe the music scene in Finland?
Seppälä: I don’t really follow the music scene very closely, neither in Finland nor internationally. Through the media, it often seems quite uninspiring. Even here in Finland, the media mostly focuses on bands from major labels. That said, I do check out new music from time to time, for example, through Spotify. Most of the time, though, “new music” for me actually means something that was released a long time ago, but that I simply hadn’t heard before.
MER: Amberian Dawn has been a band for about twenty years. What do you see as the key to the band’s longevity?
Seppälä: The band has, of course, been around for nearly 20 years now; that’s a long time. At the same time, it has to be said that the lineup has changed along the way. It would be quite rare for a band to keep exactly the same lineup for such a long period. I’ve been the one holding the band together, and as long as I continue to have the interest and passion for it, the band will carry on into the future. Music is, in many ways, a way of life for me. I’ve been playing ever since I was a very young child.
MER: Out of Amberian Dawn’s eleven albums, what is one you would recommend to a new fan and why?
Seppälä: Of course, I’d first recommend our latest album. It represents where the band is at right now. We have quite a colorful history, the band has released around 100 of my original songs, along with some covers, so there’s a lot to take in. After the new album, I’d suggest just exploring our catalogue, for example, on Spotify.
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