Amaran (Sweden, 2000-2005) Amaran started out as a band in the spring of 2000, in Stockholm Sweden, and has since then developed a dynamic and original way of writing songs, combining heavy metal guitars with clear female vocals. Guitarists Kari Kainulainen and Ronnie Backlund started writing some music together and decided to form a band. They found the rest of the members in bass player Mikael Andersson, vocalist Johanna DePierre and drummer Robin Bergh. All of the members came from different musical backgrounds and were eager to put some good music together. Before they had even found a drummer Amaran recorded their first 'Promo 2001' and sent it to various zines, magazines and record labels. It received excellent reviews in many well-acclaimed contexts and also ended up landing them a record deal with French label Listenable Records. The band set out to record their debut album 'A World Depraved' in February 2002 in Aabenraa Studio in Denmark together with Jacob Hansen. The album was released over Europe and was highly recommended by critics and fans all over. The album was often described as somewhat original in the sense that the combination of heavy guitars and intense drums and the clear female vocals was not something that people was used to hear. Amaran was eager to write new songs after the release of the debut and developed a whole lot in this process and as a band during 2002. Since the band was pretty young when they landed the record deal they went through a whole lot both on a personal and professional level, and became tighter as a band. The band finished about 14 songs that they wanted to record and agreed with Listenable to record the follow-up in April 2003. The new material was oriented in a heavier direction as to accentuate the dynamics between the instrumental and the vocals further. The album was recorded in Studio Underground, Sweden with Pelle Saether and was entitled Pristine in Bondage. Shortly after finishing the recording of the second album, bass player Mikael decided that he wanted to leave the band due to personal reasons. Fortunately they quickly found someone to replace him in Ronnie Bergerståhl, an experienced bass player and drummer who was a personal friend and had filled in for Mikael before. 'Pristine in Bondage' is set to be released through Listenable Records the 17 of December in Japan (containing 3 bonus tracks) and in January in Europe and the US containing 11 tracks. Amaran has also recorded a video for a song on the new album and is set to go on promotion tours in the fall and in January connected the release of the album. Amaran disbanded in 2005, after they couldn't find a replacement for Johanna (vocals), who already left earlier that year.
