15 years into a career that has seen them become one of metal’s most ruthlessly individual and uplifting bands, selling out venues and tours across Europe and the US, AMARANTHE are about to make their most definitive and revealing move. Three years on from the widely acclaimed Manifest which hit top 20 charts internationally and has amassed over 130 million streams, Sweden’s masters of thunderous, melodic futurism are about to unveil The Catalyst. 12 songs deep and almost overburdened with lethal hooks and genre-blending ingenuity, The Catalyst is a snapshot of a band hitting a new level of collective power. From the electronic pulse and irresistible forward momentum of Re-Vision onwards, AMARANTHE have given their sound a fearless upgrade. They have incorporated yet more enthralling elements into their trademark sound; most notably, AMARANTHE have embraced the evocative might of orchestral grandeur for the first time, and it suits them perfectly.
Dedicated to notions of transformation and revelation, it goes deeper than any previous album. “Sometimes there are watershed moments in your life, and they can change everything,” Olof Mörck explains. “It’s about a realisation. It could be a relationship, a vacation, or a near-death experience, but it’s a catalyst that really wakes you up and makes you think, ‘Shit, what have I been doing?’ All the songs are about this, but in totally different ways. It’s all about change”. One major contributory factor to this impressive forward stride is the arrival of AMARANTHE’s latest new member. Slotting in neatly alongside Elize Ryd and Nils Molin is the band’s new master of growls, Mikael Sehlin who can be heard revelling in his new creative partnerships on The Catalyst.
The Catalyst fully delivers on the promise of its title. Both their finest album to date and a collection of songs that deftly redefine every aspect of the Swedes’ sound, The Catalyst is destined to propel its creators ever higher up the modern metal ladder. It represents the culmination of 15 years of hard work and the breathless pursuit of a wholly original musical vision. Change is inevitable. Victory is assured.
