Amon Amarth: Viking Metal Onslaught
One of the most appealing qualities of heavy metal has always been its defiance of popular trends. While other genres of music groveled for 'crossover appeal' and mainstream acceptance, heavy metal has always been unapologetic about what it is. In the 1990's, the plague of 'nu metal' struck. 'Nu Metal' fused watered down heavy metal riffs with mopey, introspective lyrics more commonly associated with bad 'adult contemporary' artists.
Fortunately, the cancerous tumor in the body of heavy metal is now in remission and the tide is turning back. Part of the cure has blown across the Norse sea like a cold winter monsoon and has now reached American shores. Amon Amarth is a band from Tumba, Sweden founded in 1992 who are the latest"and most commercially successful"proponent of a genre known as Viking metal. As the name implies, bands from the Viking metal genre sing about important topics such as sailing, lusting for adventure and conquest, furious winds and treacherous seas. Viking metal bands are too busy metaphorically conquering and pillaging to worry about such trivialities as their feelings, let alone grooming themselves.
Amon Amarth took their name from a location in J.R.R. Tolkiens Middle Earth, and their name means Mount Doom in the Elvish language of Sindarin. Mount Doom would have been a decent name in itself, but its roots in Tolkiens sword and sorcery classic makes it all the better. Their first demo release, The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter, set the thematic tone for their work to come. Drawing musical inspiration from bands such as Bolt Thrower and their Viking metal predecessors Bathory and Enslaved, who in turn took their cue from the great American band Manowar, Amon Amarth plays their own unique style of melodic death metal. While they are hesitant to claim the Viking metal mantle for their own, they take most of their lyrical content from Viking history and Norse mythology.
The band signed with Metal Blade Records in 1998 and their popularity has skyrocketed worldwide. 2006s With Oden On Our Side earned the band headliner status in North American and has made them one of the most popular metal acts in the US.
Amon Amarth recently extended their deal with Metal Blade records, and released their latest album 'Twilight of the Thunder God' in September 2008. The album quickly became the best selling release of their career, and was met with critical acclaim from the heavy metal media worldwide.
Heavy metal as a genre is making a worldwide resurgence, particularly the Amon Amarth style of 'Viking Metal' and other related acts with a similar thematic focus on epic adventure. The band tours constantly, and their powerful live show has earned them a reputation as one of the 'must see' concert acts. - 18758
Fortunately, the cancerous tumor in the body of heavy metal is now in remission and the tide is turning back. Part of the cure has blown across the Norse sea like a cold winter monsoon and has now reached American shores. Amon Amarth is a band from Tumba, Sweden founded in 1992 who are the latest"and most commercially successful"proponent of a genre known as Viking metal. As the name implies, bands from the Viking metal genre sing about important topics such as sailing, lusting for adventure and conquest, furious winds and treacherous seas. Viking metal bands are too busy metaphorically conquering and pillaging to worry about such trivialities as their feelings, let alone grooming themselves.
Amon Amarth took their name from a location in J.R.R. Tolkiens Middle Earth, and their name means Mount Doom in the Elvish language of Sindarin. Mount Doom would have been a decent name in itself, but its roots in Tolkiens sword and sorcery classic makes it all the better. Their first demo release, The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter, set the thematic tone for their work to come. Drawing musical inspiration from bands such as Bolt Thrower and their Viking metal predecessors Bathory and Enslaved, who in turn took their cue from the great American band Manowar, Amon Amarth plays their own unique style of melodic death metal. While they are hesitant to claim the Viking metal mantle for their own, they take most of their lyrical content from Viking history and Norse mythology.
The band signed with Metal Blade Records in 1998 and their popularity has skyrocketed worldwide. 2006s With Oden On Our Side earned the band headliner status in North American and has made them one of the most popular metal acts in the US.
Amon Amarth recently extended their deal with Metal Blade records, and released their latest album 'Twilight of the Thunder God' in September 2008. The album quickly became the best selling release of their career, and was met with critical acclaim from the heavy metal media worldwide.
Heavy metal as a genre is making a worldwide resurgence, particularly the Amon Amarth style of 'Viking Metal' and other related acts with a similar thematic focus on epic adventure. The band tours constantly, and their powerful live show has earned them a reputation as one of the 'must see' concert acts. - 18758
About the Author:
David Glisan is heavy metal editor for The Savage Science, a website covering both MMA news and heavy metal music. He's an authority on fight sports as well, and reportsUFC news for several mainstream sports broadcasts and websites. He's studied judo since childhood and has earned the rank of black belt.
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