Formerly known as Avalanche, Amaranthe is a Swedish metal band formed in 2008 by Olof Mörck and Joacim “Jake E” Lundberg. The band was not famous until later that year when vocalists Elize Ryd and Andres Solveström, drummer Morten Sørensen and bassist Johan Andreasen joined the band.
The band operated as a quartet in Gothenburg, Sweden until 2017 when vocalist Nils Molin was recruited as a permanent vocalist. Amaranthe has adopted a unique music style. The band is known for its blend of melodic pop and death metal and features three vocalists to handle different singing styles. Vocalists Elize Ryd and Jake E handle the soaring and clean vocals while Andreas Solveström takes charge of the harsh and aggressive singing.
For over a decade, Amaranthe has graced the global music scene with its mix of melodic and aggressive vocals that create a special kind of feeling in listeners. Many have been questioning the religious status of the band with questions like; Is Amaranthe a Christian band? This article will explore different areas to provide a suitable answer to this lingering question.
Is Amaranthe a Religious Band?
The status of Amaranthe as a religious band remains unknown, as the band is yet to make any comment on its religious stance. As a band, they’ve not made any statement about being religious or done enough to prove that they are a religious band.
Being religious means putting faith in a particular religion or religious figure. For a religious band, musical elements are usually influenced by the beliefs of a particular religious group.
Though Amaranthe has not clearly stated that they are a religious band, they have mentioned that they admire and draw influences from a few bands some of which are religious bands. This could be one of the reasons some songs by the band are embedded with deep religious and spiritual influences. Below are some examples of such songs.
Archangel by Amaranthe
“We brood in a land that is struck by disease
A visage so vivid I see, but it’s just so unreal
I mourn for the fallen demons
Leviathan carries my will
Confounded, yet I am immortal
The ultimate torment I feel
Archangel rise, the trinity has synchronized
A remedy for humankind…..
Archangel has fallen down
Against the odds, we bring a bloodless sacrifice
From hell on earth to paradise
(Woh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
Archangel has fallen down
See a red moon rise, an omen of grief
The son of the morning descends from Elysium’s creed
I sing for the fallen angels”
Archangels in a religious setting are regarded as the second lowest rank of angels in the hierarchy of angels. Different religious organizations like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam acknowledge the existence of archangels. However, some religions have stated that archangels are at the top of the hierarchy and a number of them are recognized by these religious bodies. The song above is about the struggles on earth, diseases, and death, and the need for an archangel from above to bring order and healing.
Exhale by Amaranthe
“You’re taken the
Ascendancy
Shaking me, saving me
In the darkest hour
Fear was a part of me
Growing stronger
Breaking into my soul
Let me see eternity
Life is a dream
One way directional
It starts with a cell, to something magical
You’ve been handed the world
A new Identity”
The song above is simply about being calm and letting unnecessary things go. However, the songwriter has been able to infuse some religious and spiritual themes into the song, thereby giving it a religious undertone.
What Kind of Music Band is Amaranthe?
Amaranthe is a Swedish metal band. Heavy metal emerged as a genre of rock music in the early 1970s in the US and UK. Generally, heavy metal is characterized by loud distorted guitars, emphatic beats, and dense bass and drum sounds.
Metal music also has different genres and Amaranthe is notable for blending several genres of metal, some of which are; metalcore, melodic death metal, power metal, symphonic metal, and pop metal. These genres of music are characterized by; heavy guitar riffs, occasional blast beats, double bass drumming, thrash or scream vocals, death growls, clean chorus singing, use of breakdowns, highly melodic guitar riffs, strong and anthemic choruses, and catchy hooks.
All these elements are evident in songs by Amaranthe which are also laced around an array of themes. Some of these are; spirituality, religion, anxiety, myths and legends, fear, death, evolution and science, technology, love and romance, and disappointment and breakups, amongst others.
Amaranthe is also popular for using three different vocalists, each with unique singing styles to create a special aura when audiences listen to their songs. The band has released 6 full-length albums with the most recent “Manifest” being released in 2020.
Their self-named album debuted in 2011. The album topped some Swedish and Finnish music charts. Their sophomore album “The Nexus” was released in 2013 and featured great contrast, a controversial mix of genres, and higher creativity. The album gained more mainstream success than the first album as it reached 6th on the Swedish charts, 4th on the Finnish charts, and 12th on the US Heatseekers Charts.
The band has earned massive followership and recognition. Their 2021 single, PvP was adopted as the official anthem by the Swedish E-sports world cup team, at the E-sports world championship. The song featured a music video and a browser game hosted on the band’s website.
Is Amaranthe a Christian Band?
Before delving into the status of Amaranthe as a Christian band, let’s analyze what it means to be a Christian and a Christian band. A Christian is a person who believes in the principles, laws, and teachings of Christianity. A Christian is a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, who is the central figure of the religion. True Christians possess a lifestyle that reflects that of Jesus Christ.
Similarly, a Christian band is a band that portrays Jesus Christ and promotes the teachings and beliefs of Christianity, and their musical elements reflect the religion. Songs by a Christian band are usually embedded with Christian themes, messages, and biblical references. These songs are used to spread Christian messages of faith, hope, love, redemption, salvation, and perseverance.
Christian bands have adopted various genres and styles to produce their songs. Some can come as Christian metal, rock, folk, blues, contemporary Christian music, or rap. Also, to be labeled a Christian band, such a band must publicly tag itself as one. Members of the band must collectively declare their faith in the religion and their songs should reflect true Christian beliefs.
Amaranthe has not labeled itself as a Christian band, nor have members of the band affirmed their beliefs in the religion. The band is not operating as a Christian band but some band members have mentioned that they are inspired by other bands some of which are Christian bands. This could be the reason some of their songs contain Christian influences.
Vocalist Nils in an interview with MyTouché blog mentioned that he is a big fan of Jesus Christ Superstar, a rock opera written by Tim Rice and sung by Andrew Lloyd based on the biblical account of Jesus Christ.
“My mother started liking rock music after she heard me listening to it. But yeah, she showed me a lot of stuff, like classical music and I’ve always been a big fan of Jesus Christ Superstar for example, which is a great rock opera.”
After a close examination of the songs by the band, most of them do not possess the features of songs by a Christian band. Also, the band has been mute on their religious stance. The band has not publicly made comments about being a Christian band or not, and even members have not identified as Christians. On this note, we don’t consider Amaranthe a Christian band.
Amaranthe Christian Songs
A Christian song is an expression of beliefs in the Christian religion. Christian songs are usually characterized by biblical terms, characters, or messages. The songs are well appreciated in churches and other Christian gatherings and are used to share positive Christian messages.
After closely analyzing songs by Amaranthe, we do not consider them Christian songs because they do not meet the criteria above to be classified as one. As such, Amaranthe has no Christian songs.
Is Amaranthe a Satanic Band?
What defines a Satanic band is the type of song the band releases, and the collective beliefs and practices of band members. A Satanic band believes in Satan and their songs promote demon worship and other Satanic practices. Their lyrics and concepts are usually dark and creepy and can create an eerie feeling in listeners.
Though the band employs dark themes in some of their songs, Amaranthe has not shown affiliations with Satanism as a band or individually. They do not promote the Devil or Satanic beliefs in their songs. As such, Amaranthe is not a Satanic band.
Final Thoughts
Songs by Amaranthe are not classified as Christian songs. As a result of this and the other factors discussed above, we do not consider the band a Christian band. The band’s music reflects creativity and diversity. They have been able to infuse several genres and themes into their songs to create melodic and catchy songs that are resonating with fans globally.
Think we were wrong? Write your reasoning in the comments and prove us wrong!