Amenra
Amenra are more easily explained in terms of ideas rather than genre. They were originally a metal band but today they are so much more. The soul of the band is in the tendency towards mystical symbolism. Spirituality and religion are at the core. For example, take the name: a portmanteau of the Biblical ‘amen’ and the Egyptian god Ra. The band from Kortrijk goes deep into everything. They talk about pain and suffering and looking those things straight in the eye. Every album represents processing a trauma. Hence ‘Mass’ in the title, again and again. ‘De Doorn’ (2021) is a turning point. Its point of departure is a broader sense of grief and sorrow, and it is also their first fully Dutch-language album. That’s a daring move for their first release on the American Relapse Records. However, Amenra’s rituals are universal. The band has dedicated fans from Saint Petersburg to Rio de Janeiro.