AMARANTHE — Amaranthe (review)

AMARANTHE — Amaranthe album cover Album · 2011 · Trance Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
senor_velasco
Outstanding Pop-Metal with a Fatal Flaw

Take some ABBA and some Ace of Base. Put it through the metal filter. Mix in some electronica. Add a good dose of Heart. What do you get? Amaranthe's debut album. And it works – surprisingly well.

The eponymous debut album from Scandanavian band Amaranthe is an energetic, melodious foray into a distinct musical territory--that of pop-metal.

The music is highly accessible with sing-along melodies, yet is just complex enough to hold interest over repeated listenings.

Far and away the strongest element in music is the voice of Elize Ryd, who is making a big splash in the world of metal. At once soft and powerful, her emotive vocals transform the songs from unremarkable to thoroughly enjoyable. Her harmonies blend flawlessly with those of her counterpart Jake E.

The unfortunate foil to Ryd's voice is the gutteral grunting of Andreas Solveström. In my opinion, his noise tragically detracts from what is otherwise a very solid album. He even figures prominently in the power ballad Amaranthine--a gorgeous piece that's utterly demolished by his intrusion during the bridge.

Without the grunting, this album deserves at least 4.5 out of 5 stars. As it stands, however, it gets only 3.
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