Album Review: Amaranthe – Maximalism

Are you ready to be challenged? A bit of forewarning, you’re going to be caught offguard and I promise you won’t be the same if you come out walking from this. A force to be reckoned with, a name that needs to be watched out for and have already accomplished a vast amount in the eight years since their inception, Amaranthe, are prevailing with their next chapter in their journey. Their fourth release, Maximalism, sets the bar to unprecedented territories and innovate themselves in a genre many say they have invented. A sound that tests the elitists and purists, the album is undoubtedly their most diverse and dynamic to date. Within each album release their is a distinct change, a new side of the group unveiled and at this point, it’s game on. Not conforming or restricted to a specific or predictable set of elements and genres, Maximalism, is aptly titled as so as we are injected with a max of unforseeable magnitudes yet at the same time when things become unexpected and unfamiliar, there is that familiarity the group has shown before, to pull you back to earth.

Maximalism, begins with a proverbial form that fans of all walks of life will be more than appeased. As we enter the electrifying territory, Maximize is energetic, incorporates many electronics almost reminiscent of their album, The Nexus, and certainly will make you raise those metal horns. Boomerang, is thrown to the listener and returns with much delivered energy. Raw and heavy riffs, danceable, the chorus is undeniably catchy. Also lyrically charging, this is a track to throw on when you need that confidence to overcome the obstacles ahead of you. That Song, is the most different Amaranthe track to date. One cannot connect this track to any of their prior works, it’s its own sound as to what many say sound familiar to Queens, We Will Rock You. Lots of clapping beats, simple and extremely catchy and memorable, the track sings about the struggles most, if not all musicians face during the hardships of trying to make it on your own especially when dicouragement is blatantly obvious. This track does in fact showcase a side of the group no one has seen until now and by the end of the track, you’ll feel a part of the Amaranthe family more than ever!

21 and On The Rocks is where we enter party territory. You’re in town having fun cause you’re looking for a chance to run, a shot of realization, you know the game is on. What sounds like a challenge, if you’re felling on the edgy side alongside tight and addicting riffs from guitarist Olof Morck with irresistably addicting chorus vocals from lead woman, Elize Ryd, you’ll definitely want to replay this one. Continuing the party theme, On The Rocks, disputes those who tend to get bragging rights. Hotshots or pompous arrogance is confronted by the group and opens the invitation for those who dare challenge them. You’ll easily get into the groove of things with the offguard instance of almost dubstep sounding affairs sneaking in. Break Down and Cry, features a lot more electronics, similar to their debut album and almost has a progressive vibe to it. Once again, lyrically inspiring there are also technical aspects to the track when accompanied with Jake E’s, vocals really make this one stand out as quite memorable indeed.

The chains come off and hell hath no fury like a Henrik scorned. In Fury, we witness such tenacity the group has never shown before, especially from Henrik Englund Wilhelmsson, you are in for quite the maximum treat here. With fast drums from Morten, rigourous double bass and top it off with the dominating and fierce maniacal vocals, you have a track that treks into almost death metal territores. If you’re not satisfied by the time the Fury arrives, then I don’t know what has come over you. What makes Amaranthe stand out above the competition as well, are their sentimental and moving ballads. This album is no different as we are exposed to tearjerking tracks like Limitless and the ending track, Endlessly. We first experience the signature dual magic brought henceforth by the beautiful Elize Ryd and the wonderous Jake E in Limitless. Very electronic, the chemistry between them both is no different and the ability to not pay attention to the lyrics is virtually impossible. Elize Ryd gets her own voice and the stage is all hers in Endlessly, the final chapter in this perfectly flowing album.

What is easily their most diversified and compelling album to date, Amaranthe, continue to push the boundaries that we have grown accustomed to for so many years. Maximalism is a new face to the band and if you think you’ve seen it all, you have yet to experience the magic and epicness this album beholds. Other tracks like Supersonic and Fireball also prove how divergent they can get. Metal has to change and evolve in order to heed its survival. Not only does metal benefit but fans as a whole benefit with the group’s composing, astute and positive lyricism. If we are to continue to live in an age where metal thrives and has a secure future, it’s band’s like Amaranthe that are helping secure that future. Stay Metal m/

Maximalism: 10/10

Official Website: http://amaranthe.se/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmarantheBand/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Amaranthemetal