amarantheWhile Swedish/Danish metal sextet Amaranthe have been around for four years, it wasn’t until earlier this year, when their sophomore album The Nexus was released, that the band had an American profile. But when their first-ever American tour kicked off on Wednesday in New York’s Gramercy Theater to a near-capacity crowd, you would have thought the band had been around much longer. The fans knew most of the lyrics to the songs, and singer Elize Ryd had more than a few admirers in the crowd. Flames of Fury and Canadian power metal band Kobra and the Lotus opened. Metal Insider photographer Derek Soto was there to capture the proceedings (and hit on Elize in a nearby Chipotle without realizing it was her). You can see more photos here, but check our gallery below.