Shinedown – Amaryllis

Re-teaming with The Sound of Madness producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Kid Rock) – Shinedown’s fourth full-length album – the bruising, unapologetic, and totally kinetic Amaryllison March 27.

Amaryllis, with unflinchingly honest, unrepentant songs like first single “Bully” and “I’m Not All Right,” as well as the deeply moving “Miracle” and the soulful love song “I’ll Follow You,” delivers on its mission statement throughout its 12 tracks. From a thematic standpoint, Amaryllis is a record about vulnerability. It reveals the bruises and scars, but also their healing. “It’s not a record for the faint of heart,” Smith admits. “Every single song makes a statement. I was looking for the kind of emotion that made every hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Because of that, I feel in my heart and soul that this album is a game changer for our band.”

Six songs on Amaryllisfeature a 30-piece orchestra, including “I’m Not All Right” – Shinedown’s first-ever song to incorporate horns, which drive home the manic intensity of its subject matter. Another highlight is “Bully,” which finds Smith addressing the tormentor in question in the strongest possible terms. “Amaryllis is probably the most rock and roll album we’ve ever made,” Smith says. “We’ve always been a rock band, and I didn’t want to lose sight of that. I told everyone the album had to do three things: It had to show sophistication in the songwriting, it had to show musical growth within the band, and I had to push myself to go places lyrically that I had never gone before.”