Do you need more power metal in your life? Stupid question of course you do. Never doth the raging flame of pure metal steel flow through your veins quite like when listening to the most epic of metal genres. Last time I brought you Sweden’s Tungsten. Continuing the trend of bringing you more power metal to add to your musical buffet, this time the focus is on fellow countrymen Metalite.
With their recently released singles A Virtual World and Cloud Connected (no not an In Flames cover) off their upcoming album to be released March 26, it seems fitting to welcome them to your ears. Metalite were formed in Stockholm in 2015 by Edwin Premberd and original vocalist Emma Bensing. After recruiting additional members Lea Larsson on drums, Robert Örnesved on guitar and Robert Majd on bass, Metalite were signed to Swedish label Inner Wound Recordings. Their debut album Heroes of Time was released in October 2017.
There is absolutely no time wasted introducing you to the blend of Eurovision hooks and catchy power metal rhythm. It’s hard not to bounce along to the catchy elements, and the dance vibes at front end centre majority of the time. Whereas power metal often borrows from dance and pop music, but is clearly rooted in heavy metal, Metalite are very much the opposite. Power pop is very much heading the charge, with heavy metal intertwined to ooze head banging energy.
I think that is the easiest way to describe their debut offering. Oodles of energy, pump and charge. It does however wane quite quickly when the there is very little variation. You can set a reliable alarm to the final chorus key change. Honestly speaking Metalite were clearly finding their sound, one cannot knock them too much on their opening effort. There is certainly much to enjoy.
In 2019, Emma Bensing was replaced by Erica Ohlsson to take vocal duties and a new contract was signed with AF Records. Sophomore album Biomechanicals was released in late 2019. This for me represents a major step up for Metalite. Not really changing their sound in any major way, just fine tuning to create a significantly stronger offering. The futuristic dance elements are still there in spades. However right from opening track Far From Sanctuary it sounds much closer to a typical pop influenced power metal.
Whilst Emma Bensing was more than capable of tackling vocal duties, something about Erica‘s delivery just adds an extra layer of energy to the tracks. Not that this was lacking! The heavy metal influence is much more present, with a breakdown and catchy melodic solo to solidify an excellent track. We get a change of tempo when moving into second track (and single) Apocalypse. Straight away providing a level of variation their debut was sorely missing.
The variation continues on the title track sounding much closer to Amaranthe (an obvious comparison – sans death growls). The classic metal downtuned metal chugging typically associated with this brand of pop metal is liberally scattered throughout Biomechanicals. I have previously discussed sophomore albums that took a big step up from their debut. As far as a step up goes to a sophomore offering, Metalite rank pretty high.
As a starting point to your Metalite journey, I wholeheartedly recommend given Biomechanicals a full listen through. Even if you just want a good power pop metal romp. Or need to brush up on your dance moves. Maybe even just a good old fashioned headbang sash. You shall be satisfied either way.
Metalite are due to release their third album A Virtual World on March 26th 2021. So far 3 singles have been released in the title track, Peacekeepers and Cloud Connected. Their evolution looks set to continue, at least in terms of tempo which is continuing to drive energy levels towards supernova output. If you happen to stand at the gates of metal, you probably didn’t click on this article in the first place. The power pop is still full on, but I’m happy to see the growing metal underpinning continues to remain.
So are you listening to Metalite yet? Have you doth’d the leather catsuit, broke out the neon lights, put the kids/dogs in the front row (or on the sofa) and belted out a chorus with one fist raised? If you haven’t I respect your resilience, you have a stronger will than I. Either way I am happy to have introduced you to another band you’re probably missing out on, and I shall continue to expand your metal pallet.
A Virtual World will be released on March 26th on AFM Records.
A Virtual World track listing:
- A Virtual World
- Cloud Connected
- Talisman
- Beyond The Horizon
- Peacekeepers
- The Vampire Song
- We’re Like The Fire
- Artificial Intelligence
- Alone
- Running
- Synchronized
Metalite are:
Erica Ohlsson (Vocals)
Edwin Premberg (Guitar)
Robert Örnesved (Guitar)
Robert Majd (Bass)
Lea Larsson (Drums)
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