Finnish symphonic metallers Amberian Dawn return with a new single and video, ‘Unchained‘, the first taste of their forthcoming album Temptation’s Gates. The record arrives 26th June 2026 via Napalm Records.
‘Unchained‘ marks a slight shift in approach for the band, built around a riff that drives the whole track. “It was exciting to start writing a song built around a true, traditional guitar riff,” explains songwriter Tuomas Seppälä. “Over the years with the band, I haven’t focused much on that kind of classic riff-driven approach, but this time, it felt exactly right. The main riff came together quickly and naturally, and the rest of the song just fell into place around it, carried by the feeling that riff created.”
He adds that the track pushed the band’s vocalist hard. “It’s very dynamic and has many different elements, and it challenged our vocalist on multiple levels. She handled it with ease brilliantly and delivered an outstanding performance. This could easily have grown into a much longer song, but I wanted to keep the structure focused and tight. The song absolutely demanded a world-class guitar solo, and Emil delivered it with complete confidence and excellence.”
Vocalist Nicole Willerton digs into the lyrics. “‘Unchained‘ is about breaking free from inner pain. It describes the struggle of feeling trapped by fear and judgement,” she says. “The song challenges the tendency to degrade others out of fear or insecurity and reminds us that we are all human and need to be able to be ourselves. The song explores the importance of finding freedom and letting go of our demons.”
We’ve long admired Amberian Dawn’s ability to marry classical drama with proper metal weight, and a riff-first single suggests Temptation’s Gates might show a grittier side without losing the soaring melodies that define them.
