Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
They may be the best kept Metal secret that Sweden and Denmark has been able to keep under cover, especially from U.K. fans, in many years. The time though has come for Amaranthe to come of age and claim the crown of Nordic Metal Gods one and for all with their brand new arse kicking, Metal munching/pop infused release The Nexus.
It seems that everyone in Northern Europe must be laughing their heads off at the lovers of Metal in the U.K. and the unfortunate ignorance of the band but thankfully the people who gave the second generation of Metal to the world are not lagging that far behind f places such as Finland in adoring and feeling pulses race at the three pronged vocal attack and gripping speed of the guitars in the band.
In another time Amaranthe would be sitting proudly as one of the best Metal bands from the European continent and quite rightly so, full off drive, verve and vocals that want to make your lungs burst in flames of passion replicating the songs on the album. As it is, they will have to settle for being, for the moment, of being one of the bright young things of Metal, a promise of what could come again and when it does the sextet that make up this riveting and dramatic band will be sitting on top of the pantheon looking at the scattered remains of what passes for music in some eyes, the indiscernible fronted by the bland and beige.
The three pronged vocals of Elize Ryd, Jake E and Andreas Solveström are just the tip of what makes the band sound clean, desirable and interesting. The heady mix of pop infusion layered throughout the steaming and blistering guitars and Morten Løwe Sørensen’s thrashing drums are noy just ideal but on songs such as Future on Hold, the scorching title track of The Nexus and the subtle electrification of Theory of Everything can only make this album an enthralling album, a headbanger’s delight from an unexpected quarter, filled to the brim with tunes that grab the listener’s complete and utter attention with no mercy shown and none requested.
The future of European Metal is safe in their hands.
Ian D. Hall