Forget Enslaved, nevermind Ensiferum or Turisas. At the moment, Amon Amarth are the only Viking warriors that matter, the only ones capable of writing songs that unravel like sections of a weathered text of Norse mythology. Their epic tales of brutal death, vengeful gods and fierce battles are both ancient and timeless, their music as dramatic and exciting as their evocative stories.
And the band's seventh full album, Twilight of the Thunder God (which came out Tuesday), is their bravest, best and most Vikingrific to date -- even better than 2006's With Oden on Our Side. Oden may be the god of wisdom, war, battle and death, but in the realm of Amon Amarth, his son Thor -- also known as "The Thunder God" -- kicks his motherlovin' ass. Twilight is rife with galloping rhythms, arrow-storming leads and vocals spat from the fiery bowels of an angry dragon, but it's the subtleties that make Amon Amarth shine -- the elongated guitar melodies layered over angular triplets, the sweeping strings juxtaposed against granite-solid riffs.
And anyone who thinks Amon Amarth are are at their Nordic best on CD hasn't seen them live. On stage, the quintet is an army of destruction, attacking like a barbarian horde, leaving no fortress unburnt and no enemy standing. Okay, even if you're annoyed by all the Viking analogies and power metal euphoria, you've got to be impressed by the group's synchronized helicopter headbanging. Even Behemoth can't match their headspinning grace. Amon Amarth are currently on tour with Ensiferum, Belphegor and The Absence, and will continue ravaging U.S. shores through October 21 in West Springfield, Virginia.
HeadbangersBlog.com recently tracked down Hegg to talk to him about the energy that powers the new record, guest musicians, Amon Amarth's eagerness to explore uncharted realms, their fascination with ancient myths and why they were almost booted from a tour with Brutal Truth.
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