Amaran - "Pristine in Bondage"
(Listenable Records, POSH 056)
Amaran - "Pristine in Bondage"
(Listenable Records, POSH 056)
Uploaded to Aural Innovations: January 2004
Amaran are a melodic power-speed metal act from Sweden. This is their second full length CD and released on the French Label, Listenable Records. While I have to admit I rarely listen to this type of music I was quite captured and intrigued by some of it. The excellent female vocals of Johanna DePierre certainly help. The band has been compared with the bands Madder Mortem and Left Hand Solution, both of which I admit I do not know. The CD begins with the excellent "Atropine", which has very slow and very fast parts mixed in with the melodic parts. The band makes most of the melodies on its tracks by the use of dual lead guitars. "Without Stains" is an excellent track as well. This is some pretty fast stuff at times as well and luckily not as dark as many of the bands in this genre of music. A few of the songs seem to recycle the same type of dual tracked harmony guitars. No doubt the band play very well and the guitar players are both excellent. Enjoy!
The band is out on tour in January and February in northern Europe and France. The CD was released in Europe on January 20th and will be released soon in the US and Japan (with 3 bonus tracks). I think if you like this genre of music you will not be disappointed with this.
For more information you can visit the Amaran web site at: http://www.amaran.net.
Pristine In Bondage is distributed by Listenable Records. You can visit their web site at: http://www.listenable.net.
Reviewed by Scott Heller