MAXIMALISM (LP)

Vinyl LP pressing. 2016 release from Amaranthe, the cutting edge Swedish metal outfit with the triple lead vocal attack. Maximalism is a hyper-modern, metallic beast produced by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat). The band deliver tracks that fully live up to the "bigger, bolder" promise of the title. Refusing to be pinned down by genre or convention, Amaranthe have consistently pursued the less-travelled path, blending sounds and styles to create a signature hybrid approach. According to AllMusic, Amaranthe's musical style mixes death metal with melodic pop music, giving for a feel of metalcore overall. Lead singer Elize Ryd acknowledges the difficulties in trying to ascribe their music to one specific genre and describes Amaranthe's sound as "dance-metal with a taste of death and modern/melodic metal," though she admits that, unlike death metal, their focus is on "positive energy" and "open[ing] up minds [and] give[ing] passion, strength and love".