In May 2009, the band was forced to change their name from Avalanche due to legal issues. They later released their first demo (including 4 songs) on their MySpace page, titled Leave Everything Behind.
The band's debut album, Amaranthe' was released in 2011 and reached a peak position of 35 in Sweden and 16 in Finland. The album features a combination of modern metalcore-style breakdowns, harsh screams and heavy guitar riffs with soaring clean vocals and synths reminiscent of power metal. The musical style of Amaranthe has been described as "a healthy dose of pop fused with a heavily metalcore-inspired melodic death metal sound"
Their second album, The Nexus, was released in March 2013. Guitarist Olof Mörck described the album as having greater contrasts, a more controversial mix of genres, and featuring more creative freedoms than Amaranthe. According to Olof, the band "took everything to eleven" in the new album. The album reached 6th on Swedish charts, 4th on Finnish charts, and reached a peak of 12th on the US Heatseekers charts.
In October 2013, vocalist Solveström left the band and was replaced by Henrik Englund Wilhemsson (Scarpoint).
Their third album, Massive Addictive, was released on the 21st October 2014.
A special compilation Breaking Point - B-sides 2011-2015 was released on 30th October 2015. It consists b-sides and bonus tracks from Amaranthe's career.
Their fourth album, Maximalism, was released on October 21st, 2016.
In November 2016, clean vocalist Jake E. announced that he would take a break from the band. In February 2017, he decided to make his departure permanent.
Their fifth album, Helix, was released on October 18th, 2018. This was the first album to feature Nils Molin on lead vocals.
Their sixth album, Manifest, was released on October 2nd, 2020.
Afterlife
Amaranthe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Break me free
There is no return
It's the start of my rebirth
Andreas Solveström
But as I glow just like a firefly
Time creates a vortex ride
Elize Ryd
Of my sanity
It's a source of my serenity
Andreas Solveström
I'm half the man I used to be
I still resent insanity
Elize Ryd & Jake E
Walking in circles
As I open up my eyes
Andreas Solveström
It's like I never stop and then wake up
Elize Ryd & Jake E
So wake me up to an everlasting afterlife
It is designed from the secrets I hide
So set me free
And this time you'll be electrified
The future leaves nothing behind
It's my afterlife
Jake E
Hear me scream
I break the seal
An impulse of me revived
Andreas Solveström
And as I fill my lungs
It's hard to breathe
Like I was born inside a dream
Elize Ryd
Welcome home
You are not alone
And no longer on your own
Andreas Solveström
I'm half the man I used to be
A second life infesting me
Elize Ryd & Jake E
Walking in circles
As I open up my eyes
Andreas Solveström
It's like I never stop and then wake up
Elize Ryd & Jake E
So wake me up to an everlasting afterlife
It is designed from the secrets I hide
So set me free
And this time you'll be electrified
The future leaves nothing behind
It's my afterlife
Andreas Solveström
As I wake up
They're dissecting me
Can't see, can't breathe, in this reality
Synthetic Christ machine
I'm forced to live with abnormality
Elize Ryd & Jake E
Walking in circles
As I open up my eyes
Andreas Solveström
It's like I never stop and then wake up
Elize Ryd & Jake E
So wake me up to an everlasting afterlife
It is designed from the secrets I hide
So set me free
And this time you'll be electrified
The future leaves nothing behind
It's my afterlife
The song "Afterlife" is about the concept of rebirth and the idea that we can start anew after a difficult experience or period in our lives. The song's lyrics describe the singer's desire to be set free from their current state and to begin a new life. The opening lines sung by Jake E express the singer's determination to break free from their current situation and start over: "Break me free, there is no return / It's the start of my rebirth." Despite the difficulty of this process, as described by Andreas Solveström in the second verse ("But as I glow just like a firefly / Time creates a vortex ride"), the singer believes that this rebirth is necessary for them to find serenity and happiness.
As the song progresses, Elize Ryd adds her vocals, describing the singer's search for sanity and the comfort of not being alone. Andreas Solveström's vocals return in the third verse, describing the difficulties of the rebirth process and the challenges of adjusting to a new life. The chorus is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the idea of an "everlasting afterlife" and the potential for a new, better future.
Overall, the song is a hopeful anthem about the power of starting anew and the importance of hope and determination in difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
Break me free
I want to be freed from my current state
There is no return
I can't go back to what life was like
It's the start of my rebirth
This change will give me a new beginning
But as I glow just like a firefly
I may look beautiful, but time is moving quickly
Time creates a vortex ride
Life can get chaotic and unpredictable
Let it out
I need to release my feelings
Of my sanity
I want to share my thoughts in a way that makes sense
It's a source of my serenity
Releasing my thoughts makes me feel calm
I'm half the man I used to be
I'm not the same person I was before this change
I still resent insanity
I'm still struggling with my mental health
Walking in circles
I feel like I can't make progress
As I open up my eyes
I'm starting to see things more clearly
It's like I never stop and then wake up
I feel like I'm stuck in a never-ending cycle
So wake me up to an everlasting afterlife
I want to be awakened to a new, permanent life
It is designed from the secrets I hide
This new life will be based on my hidden desires and needs
And this time you'll be electrified
Others will be amazed by the changes in me
The future leaves nothing behind
The future will be completely different than the past
Hear me scream
I'm in pain and need to express it
I break the seal
I'm finally opening up and sharing my thoughts
An impulse of me revived
I'm starting to feel alive again
And as I fill my lungs
I'm taking in new life and energy
It's hard to breathe
The change is still overwhelming and difficult
Like I was born inside a dream
My new life feels surreal
Welcome home
I feel at peace and welcomed into this new life
You are not alone
Others are with me in this change
And no longer on your own
I don't have to face this alone anymore
A second life infesting me
I'm starting a new life that will completely take over my old one
As I wake up
I'm coming back to reality
They're dissecting me
Others are critical of my new life
Can't see, can't breathe, in this reality
It's hard to adjust to this new life
Synthetic Christ machine
This change feels fake and artificial
I'm forced to live with abnormality
I have to embrace my new life, even if it's abnormal
Contributed by Sophia A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.