A band with the most distinctive sound of the last years returns with a new album. Amaranthe, who are a case of a love/hate group for a lot of people, strikes with their now seventh album. One can blame them for a lot, I don’t see the reason of course since if we don’t like something we just skip it, but you certainly can’t blame them for their hard work since they have been working very hard since 2008.
The band seems to have found the golden balance in their sound from “Helix” onwards. The doses of heavy metal and electronic music are quite harmonious and that doesn’t change in “The Catalyst”. So, as with their previous works, the listener enjoys equal amounts of headbanging and… dancing!
Their strong point is of course the excellent Elize Ryd who together with the equally great Nils Molin once again gives amazing performances. I don’t want to belittle Mikael Sehlin’s work on the extreme vocals but his presence is definitely uneven compared to the other two. The driving force of the band, guitarist Olaf Morck, knows exactly what fans want to hear. As I mentioned before the band sounds more consistent compositionally from “Helix” onwards, maybe here the sound is a bit more theatrical than their previous works with “Damnation Flame” probably being the most classic example.
I certainly won’t miss the rap moments of the past that I hope to never encounter again in the future. The album is full of easy to remember tracks with refrains that stick in the mind. That’s not to say they aren’t cleverly written or simplistic. Take “Liberated” for example, with its brilliant refrain. Strong moments are “Re-Vision” and the title track without being able to say that there is a noticeably weak moment.
The cover of “Fading Like A Flower” by the great Roxette is an interesting choice which they have brought to their own standards, although I think the song would have been superior without the extreme vocals. Of course, these are just tastes.
“The Catalyst” is an excellent album. If you haven’t liked Amaranthe to date, you’ll hardly change your mind with this work. But if the opposite is true then I am sure you will enjoy it. Maybe the time has come to see them from our part of the world?
