Saying that Finns aren’t usually open about their feelings is almost a cliché, as common as associating Finland with a music scene that has produced an extraordinary number of internationally acclaimed metal bands.

But could there actually be a connection between the two?

«Finnish people are not usually very open about talking about their feelings. We’re a bit closed off if you don’t know us, we’re slow to open up. But I think it’s very natural for Finns to express themselves through music,» explains Santeri Kallio, keyboardist of the iconic Finnish band Amorphis.

«And I think that’s probably one of the reasons why we have such a diverse music scene, especially when it comes to metal. I guess it’s somewhere in our genes — we try to express our feelings through music,» he adds.

HNKI Metal Media sat down with two members of Amorphis, Esa Holopainen and Santeri Kallio, for a conversation that goes far beyond the band’s past, present, and future.

They reflect on success, luck, perseverance, friendship, and the challenges of building a long-term career in music, while looking back at the Helsinki metal scene of the early 1990s — a much smaller, tight-knit world where musicians knew each other, shared the same venues, and helped lay the foundation for what would become an internationally renowned Finnish metal scene.

The conversation also dives deep into Amorphis’ enduring connection with the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic that has been a central source of inspiration for the band’s lyrics, music, and visual identity.

They also share memories from the early days, the difficulty of finding a new vocalist, the arrival of Tomi Joutsen and what he brought to the band, and the role that luck, timing, and the right connections can play in a musician’s career.

And despite more than three decades of music, fifteen studio albums, and an extensive catalogue, Amorphis are still looking forward.

Upcoming tours, deep cuts waiting to be brought back to the stage and perhaps even a movie…

So, can a culture often described as emotionally reserved find one of its most powerful forms of expression through music?

Watch our full conversation with Esa Holopainen and Santeri Kallio of Amorphis.

Watch our full conversation with Esa Holopainen and Santeri Kallio of Amorphis.