Amon Amarth

Amon Amarth

Amon Amarth is a Swedish Metal band that was formed in 1988 in a suburb of Stockholm called Tumba. The band plays a melodic influenced type of Death Metal with a Viking theme in lyrics and appearance, that is why the music is called Viking Metal. Amon Amarth are one of Europe's most successfull Death Metal Bands of all time. The band is famous for synchronized rotor-headbanging of all members of the band.

Band History

Amon Amarth was originaly formed as a Grindcore band called Scum in 1988 by bassist Ted Lundström and guitarist Olavi Mikkonen. The band recorded just one Demo that was not even released due to it's poor sound Quality. After singer Johann Hegg joined the band in 1992 the band decided to call themselves Amon Amarth and changed their music into Death Metal with the goal to incorporate Norse Mythology into the music. The band name means Mount Doom in elvish and was taken from The Lord Of The Rings; it may not match with the style of the band but it sounded cool and nordic so they settled for it.

The demo The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter was released in 1994 and was immeditley sold out. They were so happy about the success that they sind to the very first label that contacted them: Pulverize Records from Singapur! The label was not very helpfull and the band only managed to get another demo produced in 1996 called Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds. After that the band was signed by MetalBlade Records and released their first record Once Sent from the Golden Hall, which was mixed by Peter Tätgren of Hypocrisy. The record was released in 1998 and the band toured with Six Feet Under and became an insider tip in the Death metal scene. The following record The Avenger from 1999 granted the band a slot in the legendary Wacken Festival and The Crusher from 2001 made it possible for the band to headline their own tour through Europe and the United States.

The 2002 record Versus The World became the breakthrough record for Amon Amarth and for the Song Death In Fire there was even a video shot that aired on the Heavy Rotation, giving the band even more fans. Through their constant touring the band had become a fantastic live-band that filled bigger halls with each tour they were playing. After 2004's record The Fate Of Norns the band even headlined the Wacken Festival! The Fate of Norns entered the charts and was a little slower and melodic than the previous records but it continued to be Death Metal; just a bit more complex as the musicians got better at their instruments over the years. In 2005 the band released the three-DVD-box the wrath of the Norsemen which featured several live gigs from the band. Their 2006 record with Oden On Our Side is Amon Amarth's so far best selling and also best album(musically) but the band already confirmed a concept record about Thor, the son of Odin for 2008.

Most Important Record: Versus The World

Versus The World was recorded in 2002 and got the best critics in several magazines. This record was the breakthrough record for Amon Amarth. After three records the production quality finally caught up with the quality of the music. The extremey low tunings on the instruments are difficult to record but they managed to get a clear sound for this fourth record. The record is started of with the crushing opener Death in Fire with it's stomping rythm and heavy riffs it is also the heaviest track on the entire record and instantly became the band's anthem. The songs transport a lot of Anger aswell as melancholy through the melodic guitar parts. It is incredible how well the melodies fit in the harsh death metal of the band.

1. Death in fire
2. For the stabwounds in our backs
3. Where silent gods stand guard
4. Vs the world
5. Across the rainbow bridge
6. Down the slopes of death
7. Thousand years of oppression
8. Bloodshed
9. ...and soon the world will cease to be

Musical Style

Amon Amarth play a version of the common Death metal. They have two heavily distorted and downtuned guitars, a distorted bass and crushing doublebass balstbeat drums. All of the vocals are growled but surprisingly easy to understand as singer Johann Hegg growls at the edge of actually using singing. The band's vocals are about Vikings and Norse Mythology but they do not want to be called a VikingMetal band because they say that only their lyrics are about them, the music is straight Death metal. That is why they also dislike the subgenre Melodic death metal even though there songs are based arround strong guitar melody lines.

Viking Theme

Amon Amarth use Norse Mythology as the main theme of their songs. Being from Sweden, the bandmembers are actuall descendants of the ancient Vikings and they are also fascinated by their Mythology and Religion. Amon Amarths Songs are about brave warriors fighting in battles and about the gods of the norse mythology like Thor,Odin or Loki. The band's covers are designed with ancient runes and symbols, the records The Crusher' and Versus The World actually show the God Thor on their covers. The bands famous life perormance are always decorated like a Viking Battleship and for bigger shows they have a stuntmen crew that's fighting a battle on stage in Viking Costumes.

Discography

Studio Records

   * Thor Arise (Demo, 1992)
   * The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter (Demo, 1994)
   * Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds (MCD, 1995)
   * Once Sent from the Golden Hall (1997)
   * The Avenger (1999)
   * The Crusher (2001)
   * Versus the World (2002)
   * Fate of Norns (2004)
   * With Oden on Our Side (2006)

Music Videos

   * Death in Fire
   * The Pursuit of Vikings
   * Runes to My Memory
   * Cry of the Black Birds

DVD

   * Wrath of the Norsemen (2006)

--ZakkWylde 03:25, 1 July 2008 (CEST)