Amaranthe
The Nexus
Reviewed by Malana Battle
Sweden’s Amaranthe released The Nexus, featuring hit singles “Burn with Me” and “The Nexus.” The twelve songs on this album leave you amped from “Afterlife” to “Infinity”; the beginning of the album to the very end. Amaranthe’s The Nexus is a blend where metal meets pop. The band is composed of a three part vocal harmony. Elize Ryd and Jake E contribute to the singing creating a polished, yet exciting sound. Whilst their other vocal counterpart, Andreas Solveström, adds intense hard rock death screams and growls to remind us that this is a heavy metal band. Johan Andreassen, Olof Mörck and Morten Løwe Sørensen make up the other half of this sextet on the instrumental side.
“Afterlife” and “Invincible” get the ball rolling on The Nexus and these two tracks set the tone for the rest of the album. They are both up-tempo and have an equal contribution from all vocalists. “The Nexus” is a mixture of metal rock with pop and some extreme screams. “Electroheart” has an upbeat tempo with an electronica feel. It makes you want to dance. Olof Mörck shows off his skills in the keyboard driven tracks “Stardust” and “Transhuman”. The album ends on a high note with “Infinity”, leaving you wanting more.
The lyrical content is encouraging and relatable for all listeners. For forty-one minutes you will endure loud screams, experience the heavy metal and feel the energy that Amaranthe has to offer on their sophomore album.
Rating: 
