Amaranthe - Amaranthe
CD Info
2011
Spinefarm Records
12 Tracks
English Lyrics
Every now and then there’s a new band that comes out of nowhere and catches everyone’s ear. Amaranthe, who have just released their self-titled debut, have made quite a buzz on the scene in the last few months with their catchy, accessible, yet heavy mixture of a number of metal subgenres, creating a new and unique sound that’s still accessible to everyone. A challenging feat, no doubt, but done so with mastery and flair.
Amaranthe’s specialty seems to be an interesting best-of from a number of genres, taking the best elements of power metal, death metal, metalcore, industrial, and pop, combining them into catchy, fun, and energetic songs that will fill you up and make even the quietest metalhead want to mosh his brains out. "Call Out My Name" and the band’s first single "Hunger" are the best examples of this, though nearly all the songs have some great headbanging moments. All of the songs seemed to have been crafted with that particular intention, which leads me to think that Amaranthe’s live shows are probably quite a party. I wouldn’t know, though the band’s been touring pretty heavily, supporting Kamelot on their latest tour and even making their way over the mediterranean to play a show in Tunisia.
The Swedish sextet has yet another element that sets them apart from the rest of the female fronted metal scene. We’re used to the Beauty and the Beast technique, combining harsh male vocals and angelic or operatic female vocals, and we know the Lacuna Coil style duets, but do you know any bands with three singers? I didn’t think so. We have Andy the screamer, Jake E with his clean vocals, and Elize with the female vocals. Each does a great job on this album, sharing equal duties on all of the songs, even the one ballad on the album, "Amaranthine." Jake’s power metal vocals and Elize’s powerful rock-oriented vocals (a little reminiscent of Anette Olzon. Maybe it’s a Swedish thing?) both pack a punch and meld perfectly with Andy’s screams, and I’ll be the first to admit that it’s all seriously addictive. The chorus of "Automatic" has been stuck in my head for weeks, and I don’t think I can get enough of "1.000.000 Light Years" or "Call Out My Name." Add to that some excellent instrumental work from guitarist Olaf, bassist Johah, and drummer Morten, and the CD might melt before you get enough.
In truth, the music is a bit shallow, and if it’s substance that you crave, you’re not likely to find much here. This is essentially the metal version of party music, and that’s what it does exceptionally well. It’s really one of the most fun metal album’s I’ve heard in a while, but if you want more than that, it’s best to look elsewhere. But sometimes, we just need something we don’t need to think too hard about.
Amaranthe released a rather promising 5-track demo a while back (all the songs from which are on the full album), but if you heard that and weren’t too impressed, I suggest giving the band a second chance. All the songs have been revamped and are miles above what they were. No doubt about it, Amaranthe are destined for fame. This is music that combines the best from both sides of the Atlantic and is sure to appeal to American metal audiences as much as it does to the Europeans. I hope they make the jump over the pond sometime soon. I’d kill to see these songs played live.
Standout tracks include "Leave Everything Behind" "Hunger" "1.000.000 Light Years" "Automatic" "Amaranthine" "Call Out My Name" "Act of Desperation" "Serendipity"… well, really, it’s all 12.
8 / 10
