ALBUM REVIEW: The Catalyst – Amaranthe
Big, high-energy pop infused modern metal – that sums up AMARANTHE quite neatly. Highly entertaining both on record and live, the band have been delivering their theatrically zesty music since 2008 with their self-titled debut being released in 2011. Having delivered their musical stylings across countless countries, AMARANTHE have earned themselves a vast array of fans and are always welcomed to various line-ups thanks to their polished cross-genre appeal. The Catalyst is the latest addition to their collection, looking to showcase a cohesive, glossy sound.
Kicking things off with their signature rapturous punchy sound, The Catalyst is both title track and introduction for the album. Laying all their wares out on the table, AMARANTHE waste no time in illustrating that they’ve lost none of their driving vibrancy. Blending the pop sensibilities with more straightforward metal, it’s certainly a track that will entice their many fans to get stuck into the album. It’s inoffensive, with the production giving a silky-smooth finish that leaves little room for any juxtaposition. The track flows from start to finish, providing a crisp illustration of what the album is about.
Liberated is very straight forward in its structure to the point of formulaic. Unfortunately, this is a trait throughout much of the album. While formulas are not necessarily bad as a course to follow, the problem that can arise, and as is apparent here, is that the nature of the music becomes repetitive. Breathless vocals for the breaks, anticipated solos and drum fills matching synth lines are the order of the day and delivered in abundance. All are executed to a great standard and form part of the core AMARANTHE’s identity, and for the pre-existing fan it delivers much of what they would want, but it is not necessarily going to sway newcomers.
Stay A Little While is a trademark power ballad, with a big chorus and melodic guitar solo wrapped around a track with a lighter in the air chord progression. Once again it’s executed to a tremendous standard, and delivered with an emotive passion that translates really well on record, however it feels a bit shoe-horned into the rest of the album – a pre-planned pause in the pop-soaked euphoria on display – and therefore any sort of organic development of the album falls a bit short. As we jump straight back to fist pumping with Ecstasy, the earnest ballad is quickly forgotten.
There is still a lot to enjoy within the 13 tracks offered up. From start to finish, the trademark high-octane delivery of AMARANTHE barely lets up and these is a genuinely exciting feel to the majority of the music produced. The energetic delivery of the band’s live performances comes across accurately on this studio album and it’s difficult not to get swept up in the highly animated melodies and rhythms.
For fans of AMARANTHE, The Catalyst will be an excellent addition to their existing catalogue. The tracks delivered are tailor-made for energetic live shows and will certainly get a receptive audience leaping about like loons, but it’s not an album that breaks new ground for them. It will be difficult to see new fans or those audience members on the fence necessarily being converted to the AMARANTHE sound.
Rating: 6/10
The Catalyst is set for release on February 23rd via Nuclear Blast Records.
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