Listenable Records released Amaran’s first album in May 2002. I know I should have reviewed this album a while ago, but sometimes you just postpone a review because you think you have better reviews to come up with. Anyway, over the last couple of weeks, I have been listening to A World Depraved in my car on the way to work and it couldn’t be a better way to start a new day at work.

Amaran is a new band from Sweden and like their fellow compatriots The Provenance, they have decided to blend several of their influences. Of course, one could find influences from the Gothenburg-style melodic death metal, but I would say that they have more in common with a band like Lacuna Coil rather than Dark Tranquility or In Flames. First of all, they have that pretty female singer Johanna Depierre and like many of other female fronted metal bands, she is a real asset with her sultry voice. Secondly, the music is more groovy and little gothic orientated than just melodic death à la Gotenburg style. The music still sounds heavy and aggressive with duelling guitar harmonies and complex song structures, but they manage to capture those melancholic atmospheres that Lacuna Coil are known for. The music has a lot of variety and wonderful melodies, plus the heavy guitars and the clean female vocals work well together. Johanna Depierre’s vocals are very intense but she sometimes adopts a more mellow style, especially for the more calmer passages.

Amaran offers a first album with a consistent quality that is compelling and one that is bound to draw them a great deal of attention. There is no doubt that the female fronted heavy metal bands will stay at the forefront with interesting new acts such as Amaran coming onto the scene.