Amaranthe

Amaranthe

Amaranthe (with former vocalist Andreas Solveström) performing at the Tuska Open Air Metal Festival, 2013.
Background information
Also known as Avalanche (2008-2009)
Origin Gothenburg, Sweden/Esbjerg, Denmark
Genres Power metal, melodic death metal, metalcore, Hard rock
Years active 2008–present
Labels Spinefarm Records, Universal
Associated acts Dragonland, Nightrage, Kamelot
Website www.amaranthe.se
Members Elize Ryd
Jake E
Olof Mörck
Morten Løwe Sørensen
Johan Andreassen
Henrik Englund
Past members Andreas Solveström

Amaranthe is a Swedish-Danish metal band. They are notable for having three lead vocalists, each with their own vocal style: pop (Elize Ryd), rock (Jake E), and death metal (Henrik Englund). They are often classified as power metal despite this amalgamation of vocal styles.

History

Formed by Jake E (Dreamland, Dream Evil) and Olof Mörck (Dragonland, Nightrage) in 2008, the project began taking shape when singers Elize Ryd (toured with Kamelot) and Andreas Solveström (Cipher System, Within Y) signed on, as did drummer Morten Løwe Sørensen (The Cleansing, Koldborn, Mercenary). Bassist Johan Andreassen (Engel) joined after the photoshoot for the Leave Everything Behind demo but before the recording of the first album Amaranthe.

The band was originally called "Avalanche", until May 2009, when the band was forced to change their name, due to legal issues, to "Amaranthe".[1] They later released their first demo, Leave Everything Behind.

The band's debut album, Amaranthe, was released in April 2011 and reached a peak position of 35th on Swedish charts and 16th on Finnish Charts.[2][3] The album received mixed reviews, with reviewers tending to either love it[4] or hate it.[5]

Their second album, The Nexus, was released in March 2013.[6] Guitarist Olof Mörck described the album as having greater contrasts, a more controversial mix of genres, and featuring more creative freedoms than Amaranthe.[7] According to Olof, the band "took everything [up] to eleven" in the new album.[7] The album reached 6th on Swedish charts,[2] 4th on Finnish charts,[3] and reached a peak of 12th on the US Heatseekers charts.[8]

In October 2013, unclean vocalist Solveström left the band and was replaced by Henrik Englund (Scarpoint).[6]

Their third album, Massive Addictive, was released on the 21st of October 2014.[9]

Musical style

Amaranthe's music is generally considered a mixture of European power metal and melodic metal,[10][11][12][13][14] though it has also been described as containing elements of pop music,[10] metalcore,[15][16] and even eurodance.[11] Lead singer Elize Ryd acknowledges the difficulties in trying to ascribe their music to one specific genre and describes Amaranthe's sound as "dance-metal with a taste of death and modern/melodic metal," though she admits that, unlike death metal, their focus is on "positive energy" and "open[ing] up minds [and] give[ing] passion, strength and love",[17] which is a defining feature of Power metal music.[18] Amaranthe's slick, processed sound has earned the ire of certain portions of metal fandom, with some going so far as to say that Amaranthe is "not metal" with it being more akin to "techno dance beats done in metal form."[5]

Band members

Current members
  • Jake E - clean vocals (male) (2009–present)
  • Elize Ryd - clean vocals (female) (2009–present)
  • Olof Mörck - guitars, keyboards (2009–present), bass (2009)
  • Morten Løwe Sørensen - drums (2009–present)
  • Johan Andreassen - bass (2009–present)
  • Henrik Englund - unclean vocals (2013–present)
Touring members
  • Antony Hämäläinen - unclean vocals, live (2012)
  • Anna-Mia Bonde - clean vocals (female), live (2011)
  • Richard Sjunnesson – unclean vocals, live (2011-2012)
Former members
  • Andreas Solveström - unclean vocals (2009-2013)

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
JPN
[19]		 SWE
[2]		 FIN
[3]		 SWI
[20]		 US
Heat
[21]		 BEL (VAL)
[22]		 GER
[23]
Amaranthe
  • Released: April 13, 2011
  • Label: Spinefarm Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
39 35 16 — — — —
The Nexus
  • Released: March 13, 2013
  • Label: Spinefarm Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
31 6 4 90 12 192 —
Massive Addictive
  • Released: October 21, 2014
  • Label: Spinefarm Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
14 18 6 53 1 194 89
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

EP's

Title EP details
Leave Everything Behind
  • Released: February 18, 2009
  • Label: Spinefarm Records
  • Formats: CD

Singles

Music videos

Year Title Director Album
2011 "Hunger"[33] Patric Ullaeus Amaranthe
"Amaranthine"[34]
2012 "1.000.000 Lightyears"[35] Johan Carlén
2013 "The Nexus"[36] Patric Ullaeus The Nexus
"Burn with Me"[37]
"Invincible"[38]
2014 "Drop Dead Cynical"[39] Massive Addictive
"Trinity"[40]

References

  1. ↑ "AVALANCHE Changes Name To AMARANTHE". May 20, 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "AMARANTHE". Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "AMARANTHE". Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  4. ↑ "Amaranthe - Amaranthe". Jukebox: Metal. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Amaranthe – Amaranthe Review". Angry Metal Guy. 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Amaranthe | The Official Website". Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "INTERVIEW: AMARANTHE". Rock Revolt Magazine. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  8. ↑ "Amaranthe - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  9. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/AmarantheBand/photos/a.149328875092513.27598.147104251981642/951558761536183/?type=1
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "A sexy kind of metal, so to speak.". Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives. 2011-11-30. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Amaranthe Review". UltimateGuitar. 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  12. ↑ "Amaranthe – Amaranthe". sputnik music. 2011-04-26. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  13. ↑ "Band: Amaranthe". Librarius Metallicus. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  14. ↑ "Amaranthe Discography". Metal Kingdom. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  15. ↑ "Amaranthe: Perfecting Pop". The Metal Advisor. 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  16. ↑ "Like a melodicore deathsicle". Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives. 2011-04-21. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  17. ↑ "Elize Ryd – Amaranthe". Femme Metal Webzine. 2013-02-13. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  18. ↑ Neo-classical & Power Metal (progrockandmetal.net)
  19. ↑ http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/537743/ranking/cd_album/
  20. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  21. ↑ "Amaranthe - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  22. ↑ "Ultratop Belgian Charts". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  23. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.de/suche.asp?search=amaranthe&x=0&y=0&country=de
  24. ↑ "Amaranthe: 'The Nexus' First Week Sales Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  25. ↑ Brown, Matt (2014-10-29). "Metal By Numbers 10/29: Wait, you already knew Slipknot was #1?". www.metalinsider.net. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  26. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/hunger-single/id421114520
  27. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/rain-single/id442639706
  28. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/amaranthine-single/id467064167
  29. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/1-000-000-lightyears-single/id526428435
  30. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-nexus-single/id595086814
  31. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/burn-with-me-single/id659271673
  32. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/invincible-single/id738303675
  33. ↑ March 1, 2011 (2011-03-01). "Amaranthe: 'Hunger' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  34. ↑ September 27, 2011 (2011-09-27). "Amaranthe: 'Amaranthine' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  35. ↑ May 21, 2012 (2012-05-21). "Amaranthe: '1.000.000 Lightyears' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  36. ↑ March 15, 2013 (2013-03-15). "Amaranthe: Entire New Album Available For Streaming". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  37. ↑ June 17, 2013 (2013-06-17). "Amaranthe: 'Burn With Me' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  38. ↑ November 26, 2013 (2013-11-26). "Amaranthe: 'Invincible' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  39. ↑ September 16, 2014 (2014-09-17). "Amaranthe: 'Drop Dead Cynical' Video". YouTube.com. Retrieved 2014-09-16.
  40. ↑ {cite web|author=September 30,2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2e_3ZnJcTE | title=Amaranthe- 'Trinity' (lyric video) |publisher=Youtube.com

External links