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Swedish/Danish combo Amaranthe have been so rushed off their feet since the release of their self-titled debut in 2011 that it’s hard to figure out when they could have squeezed in the recording of its follow-up. But they did and it seems their relentless touring, including four visits to the UK, has not only helped them climb up the next rung of the metal ladder, but it’s also given them a more confident sound.

The Nexus is overflowing with their trademark melodic metal, but this time it’s delivered with more conviction not to mention a hefty dose of unashamed power pop and electro-goth, all of which complement Amaranthe’s unique three-pronged vocal attack. Working again with producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Ginger Wildheart), the six-piece have managed to achieve the impossible task of creating a collection of new songs that aren’t only heavy but also sound serene.

With the uplifting Afterlife, current single The Nexus and the perky pop of Razorblade and Electroheart, Amaranthe have packed in anthem after anthem on this 12-track release. Moshpit-friendly and designed to be played loud, each song is like a musical firework. Watch them explode on their next tour.

Contributing to Prog since the very first issue, writer and broadcaster Natasha Scharf was the magazine’s News Editor before she took up her current role of Deputy Editor, and has interviewed some of the best-known acts in the progressive music world from ELP, Yes and Marillion to Nightwish, Dream Theater and TesseracT. Starting young, she set up her first music fanzine in the late 80s and became a regular contributor to local newspapers and magazines over the next decade. The 00s would see her running the dark music magazine, Meltdown, as well as contributing to Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Terrorizer and Artrocker. Author of music subculture books The Art Of Gothic and Worldwide Gothic, she’s since written album sleeve notes for Cherry Red, and also co-wrote Tarja Turunen’s memoirs, Singing In My Blood. Beyond the written word, Natasha has spent several decades as a club DJ, spinning tunes at aftershow parties for Metallica, Motörhead and Nine Inch Nails. She’s currently the only member of the Prog team to have appeared on the magazine’s cover.