Amberian Dawn unveil new vocalist Nicole Willerton and announce album “Temptation’s Gates”
Finnish symphonic metal band Amberian Dawn is entering a new era: on March 24, 2026, the group unveiled Swedish-English singer Nicole Willerton as their new frontwoman, simultaneously announcing their ninth studio album, “Temptation’s Gates”, due out on June 26, 2026 via Napalm Records.
Willerton steps in for Päivi “Capri” Virkkunen, who spent over a decade as the band’s lead vocalist and co-recorded five albums with them. The split was amicable, attributed to scheduling conflicts. Founder and chief composer Tuomas Seppälä said that collaborating with the new singer reignited the same creative spark he experienced while making the band’s debut album back in 2007 and 2008.
The first taste of the new lineup comes in the form of the title track single “Temptation’s Gates”, released alongside an official music video. Seppälä describes the song as relentless energy from beginning to end — an idea originally discussed with late co-founder Tommi Kuri. Willerton noted that Charles Baudelaire’s “Les Fleurs du Mal” served as a key inspiration for the lyrics. Musically, the album steers toward a heavier, more guitar-driven direction while preserving the band’s symphonic identity. The tracklist includes the ballad “Undying Colours”, the blast-beat-driven “Moon”, and the danceable closer “Phantasmagoria”.
Current lineup: Tuomas Seppälä (keyboards, guitar), Nicole Willerton (vocals), Emil Pohjalainen (guitar), Joonas Pykälä-aho (drums), Jukka Hoffren (bass).
