Vocalist Johanna DePierre, guitarists Kari Kainulainen and Ronnie Backlund, bassist Mikael Andersson, and drummer Robin Bergh formed Amaran in the spring of 2000, in Stockholm, Sweden. Contrasting a violent thrash/death metal base with DePierre's clear, operatic vocal style, the group's sound recalls both Finland's Nightwish and Holland's After Forever, yet it generally outdoes them both in terms of sheer aggression. A well-crafted 2001 demo quickly landed Amaran a deal from France's Listenable Records, and their debut album A World Depraved emerged in February 2002. Two years later, they returned with new bassist Ronnie Bergerståhl and their more mature second effort, Pristine in Bondage, which added three bonus cuts to its Japanese edition. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia