AMARANTHE – Helix
Helix is album number five for Finnish melodic metal outfit Amaranthe. After establishing a strong social media and YouTube presence they’ve brought audiences their unique genre bending mixture of musical evolution. While visually compared to symphonic metal bands, their sound is high energy metal, seasoned with pop and rap influences not quite fitting into a conventional bag–and they like it that way.
Life is the concept Helix explores and how we’re shaped by the past and what we become moving forward. The updated lineup includes vocalist Elize Ryd, screamer Henrik Englund Wilhelmsson, clean vocalist Nils Molin, guitars and keys Olof Mörck, bassist Johan Andreassen and drummer Morten Løwe Sørensen.
The songs are high octane and addictive like a sweet rhyme. Heavy guitar laden fast power pop mixed with growled vocals. The screaming and singing take turns, never overlapping with growls sounding like Max Cavalera at a rave. There’s a party spirit in the groove with hints of Sevendust, Mushroomhead and Evanescence as thrash meets the night club and spotlights illuminate riffs and breakdowns.
The Score starts the assault as grooves mix with pop beats and the trio tell the first narrative. First single 365 revs hard with rap-rooted flavor and electro pop pace with the laser sprayed pulse and heartbeat of a club pumping within.
Guitars march like conquering soldiers on Countdown; a musical stop watch to the finer more enjoyable parts of insanity. Dream throttles with grunge guitars and fast-rapped lyrics as keys play cascading down the heavy riffed waterfall.
GG6 plays like a roof top shaking training montage under the morning/evening sun, followed by My Haven’s locomotive chugging riffs. Iconic slams drums bordering on blast beats with catchy vocal melodies as Unified’s epic sound mostly gives clean vocals the spotlight.
If you’re looking for something non-symphonic and Swedish Helix is a cool record to check out October 19 on Spinefarm Records.
Facebook – www.facebook.com/AmarantheBand
Website – www.amaranthe.se
Twitter – twitter.com/amaranthemetal
