The veteran Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn have a new vocalist for their latest album Temptation’s Gates. That vocalist, Nicole Willerton, along with founding guitarist/keyboardist Tuomas Seppälä, give us the scoop on the new album and numerous other topics.
Chad Bowar: How did your newest member, vocalist Nicole Willerton, come to join the band?
Tuomas Seppälä: When we realized that we would need to find a new singer, I started thinking about whether I already knew anyone suitable for the role. Then I remembered that Nicole was one of my Facebook friends and that she had recently posted some really great singing videos. So I contacted her and asked her to record a few demo tracks. They turned out great, so I invited her to Finland to meet the band, and at the same time we held a small rehearsal together. Everything went wonderfully, and that’s how she ended up joining the band
What led to the 6 year span between albums (of new material)?
Tuomas: The long break happened somewhat by accident. The years just went by very quickly. A lot was happening in my own life, and at the same time our singer back then, Capri, didn’t have enough time for us because of her other musical projects. That’s why the break eventually became quite long. Then I somehow found the motivation to start making music again, and finding Nicole Willerton really got things moving at full speed again.
What will be your strongest memory of the recording of Temptation’s Gates?
Tuomas: Maybe the most amazing moment was hearing Nicole Willerton’s final vocal recordings for the first time, complete with all the backing vocals. At that moment I immediately realized that this album was going to sound truly fantastic.
Nicole Willerton: I’d say writing the lyrics and recording the vocals for the title track, “Temptation’s Gates.” That’s where it all began, and it laid the foundation for writing and recording the rest of the songs. The process was also a deep dive into the creative mind. I found inspiration in poetry and various art pieces at that moment.
What was the biggest challenge in its creation?
Tuomas: There really weren’t any major challenges. At first I was a little concerned about how efficiently we would be able to handle the vocal recordings, since Nicole lives in another country and recorded her vocals at home. Until now, I had always been physically present at every Amberian Dawn vocal recording session, sitting in the producer’s chair. But everything actually went extremely well. The biggest amount of time and effort went into guiding the mixing process so that we could make the music sound exactly the way it was supposed to sound.
Nicole: Many of the songs on the album are epic and massive sounding, so arranging the backing vocals in a way that did them justice was definitely a challenge. But I enjoy challenges, and it was a lot of fun working on them. It also took some time to figure out how I wanted to approach the vocals for these songs, though in the end it mostly came naturally.
With a new vocalist, how has your sound evolved from Looking For You?
Tuomas: The sound has changed a lot since Looking For You. With that album, I was intentionally aiming for a completely different atmosphere and sound. It was no coincidence that the next album after it was an ABBA cover album. The mood and sound had already been moving in that direction for quite some time. After the ABBA album, I felt that I had done enough of that style and that I was ready to start creating something different again. The change happened completely naturally, without forcing anything.
Many of the song titles would have made good album titles. What led you to Temptation’s Gates?
Tuomas: It’s true that several other song titles could also have worked as the title of the whole album. For some reason, I personally felt that this particular choice was the right one. The idea came from me, and the other band members agreed with it.
Nicole: The message of the track “Temptation’s Gates” is a recurring theme throughout the album. Even though the songs differ from one another and there’s a lot of variety across the album, the core message remains the same: to stay true to your feelings, desires, and inner self, and through that, find a sense of inner freedom. It’s about breaking away from the pressure of what we’re taught to feel in order to embrace who we truly are and what we genuinely want.
What lyrical topics do you cover on this one?
Tuomas: Nicole has said that she writes song lyrics based on her own feelings and personal experiences.
Nicole: First and foremost, it’s about finding freedom within oneself. It’s also about self-acceptance. It’s about acknowledging your dreams and understanding that they are a part of who you are and what you feel. The album explores remembering what moves you and recognizing what is truly beautiful to you. Many of the songs are also romantic, though often portrayed in a more melancholic way, all tied to the idea of reaching for what one truly desires.
How were the video shoots for “The Vision Of Dreaming” and “Temptation’s Gates”?
Tuomas: Making the videos was fun, but at the same time really exhausting. We spent long days at the video studio. But all the work was very efficient, because we had a professional crew there and everyone was fully committed to the project. The studio was called Nestruction Studios, and it is located in Finland.
Nicole: To begin with, it was a wonderful experience planning these videos. When I listen to a song, especially when I write lyrics for it, I find a way to relate to it personally, and that creates not just one image in my mind, but many. Because of that, I had so many ideas for the videos from the very beginning. Then came the process of narrowing those ideas down and finally bringing them to life during filming. I’ve always been interested in music videos and the art of creating them, so I was really amazed by all the technical things we were able to achieve at Nestruction Studios. Our video director, Erkki Halkka, was also amazing to work with. I instantly felt comfortable collaborating with him, and we all had a great time together, even though we had a huge amount of material to shoot in a very short period of time.
How important are videos in the promotion process?
Tuomas: Music videos are extremely important nowadays. It sometimes feels like the visual side has become even more important than the music itself. That’s why it was great that our singer, Nicole, is really enthusiastic about music video production and played an important role in planning the concepts for the videos.
The album is also being released on vinyl. Are you a collector?
Tuomas: I do have some vinyl records, yes. But our drummer, Joonas Pykälä-aho, especially, is a true vinyl enthusiast and collector. He also has a very wide and varied taste in music.
How do you go about setting goals and expectations for a new album?
Tuomas: Of course, I would like to believe that as many people as possible will enjoy our new album. At the same time, though, I’m also realistic. For longtime fans, a change of singer is always a difficult thing. It takes time for old fans to get used to the sound of a new vocalist.
What are your upcoming tour plans?
Tuomas: At this point, we only have one show confirmed. It will be our album release show, taking place in Helsinki at the end of June at the Tuska After Party, held after the Tuska Open Air Metal Festival, at On the Rocks. We are currently trying to arrange more live shows for ourselves, and hopefully even a tour for next year.
What are some of your non-musical interests and hobbies?
Tuomas: Nowadays I really enjoy long walks. I go walking around 4–6 times a week, depending on the week. I especially enjoy walking in the forest.
Nicole: Music takes up a large part of my life, but outside of that I also enjoy being creative in other ways, for example, building cosplay costumes and transforming into different characters. I also love visiting art galleries, spending time with friends and family, and going for long walks in beautiful nature with my little Jack Russell.
What’s currently in your musical heavy rotation?
Tuomas: I listen to a lot of classical music. Then also some metal, like King Diamond and Iron Maiden, for example. I also enjoy softer stuff like Modern Talking, ABBA, and Duran Duran.
Nicole: Recently I’ve been listening to quite a mix of genres, but heavier music, The Gathering and HIM mostly, but it varies. I listen quite a bit to Gojira and as always Devin Townsend also.
Anything else you’d like to mention or promote?
Tuomas: I hope you’ll check out our new album and help spread the word to your friends as well!
(interview published June 24, 2026)
Watch Amberian Dawn – “Temptation’s Gates” Video
