Maximalism

Maximalism is the fourth album, on which Amaranthe piled up multiple vocals, electronic tones, hard guitar riffs and instantly effective melody without restraint. Released in October 2016, it reached the top ten at home and in Finland and was nominated for a Swedish Grammis. Clean vocals, growls and high notes cross within short spans, creating a different expression in each song. The riffs keep metal weight while the beats have a drive that connects to dance music, and the choruses have a clarity that sticks on one listen. As the title says, a refusal to fear adding elements runs throughout. This record's appeal lies in building with strong hooks as the top priority, without minding genre boundaries. Bright melody appears right after heavy guitar, aggressive and transparent voices form a contrast, and layers of electronics make the songs' outlines shine. From “Maximize,” “That Song” and “Fury” to the closing “Endlessly,” there's a lot of change, but since everything heads toward the next chorus, each song's purpose stays clear. It's also the last album with Jake E, who formed Cyhra the following year — a record that raised metal's weight and pop's immediacy to the maximum.