This afternoon, the holy ground for heavy music, the sacred space for metal heads saw the beginning of another glorious chapter for one of the brightest modern metal stars to date. Swedish six-piece Amaranthe announced the release of their upcoming album The Catalyst live on stage after their bedazzling performance on Wacken’s main stage.

"So at last it is official! This has been a long time in the making, and more effort went into this album than any previous Amaranthe record. You have already gotten a taste of what’s to come on 'Damnation Flame', but as the most varied and eclectic Amaranthe album to date, expect the unexpected! We cover a lot of musical ground on The Catalyst, but the core of what we are about creatively is completely intact. It will be immediately obvious that you are listening to Amaranthe, as much as it will be immediately obvious that this is both a leap forward as well as a step up. Can’t wait for all of you to hear what we have been cooking, as well as seeing us perform these pristine new songs on the road SOON!”, guitar player Olof Mörck states about this moment.

The Catalyst will see the light of day on February 23 via Nuclear Blast Records. The album will be available digitally and in different physical formats including CD, vinyl, and a 2CD special edition.

Pre-save or pre-order your format of choice here.

The Catalyst is the most conceptually coherent piece of work in Amaranthe's storied history. Dedicated to notions of transformation and revelation, it delves deeper than any previous album, as Olof Mörck explains: "We’ve done these things before, but we’ve never been as theatrical as we have this time," Mörck grins. "In fact, we all questioned whether we went too far this time, but I also figured that this band was always this way. Literally, the first seconds of our first video was a big explosion! But yes, The Catalyst is more theatrical than ever. We’ve never really been symphonic or orchestral before, but this time we just thought why not? Because we can! The key to this album is that we let go of the boundaries and decided to do something even more adventurous."

The Catalyst represents the culmination of 15 years of hard work and the breathless pursuit of a wholly original musical vision. Change is inevitable. Victory is assured.

Tracklisting:

"The Catalyst"
"Insatiable"
"Damnation Flame"
"Liberated"
"Re-Vision"
"Interference"
"Stay a Little While"
"Ecstasy"
"Breaking the Waves"
"Outer Dimensions"
"Resistance"
"Find Life"

"Damnation Flame" video:

Live dates:

August
5 - Lieto, Finland - Smuggler Rok
10 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas Del Rock
17-19 - Moravský Krumloch, Czech Republic - Rock Castle

September
20-24 - Berlin, Germany – Full Metal Cruise

December
1 - Jyväskyla, Finland - John Smith Rock Frozen
2 - Joensuu, Finland - Unholy Winter Fest