AMON AMARTH

Nearly two and a half years since last full length release 'Twilight of the Thunder God' and Amon Amarth are back with new studio album 'Sutur Rising'. And the Tolkien-monikered purveyors of melodically infused, epic death deliver just that one more time. 'Twilight of the Thunder God', being the band's most successful album to date, at least in terms of sales and ubiquitous critical acclaim, was a tough act to follow, but follow it the Swedes have with what's effectively a paradigm for anthemic death metal, rife with crushingly heavy riffs, thunderous drumming, and Johan Hegg's distinctively low-toned growls. Talented Swedish knob twiddler Jens Bogren returns once again for production duties to give the songs the fully resonant sound they deserve and, true to Hegg's claim on the press sheet that the band wanted a "more aggressive and rougher" approach in attaining a "harder, tougher sound", this is exactly what Bogren's achieved. Lyric-wise, we're talking Viking themes again, but would an Amon Amarth album be such without songs about Norse gods and narratives dealing with epic battles? Of course not, so cue Viking ramblings aplenty, albeit as with ninety per cent of death metal, you wouldn't realise this from the listening experience alone as only the finely trained ear would be able to decipher actual words from Hegg's growled delivery. That said though, beyond mere growling, the man can actually vocalise consonantly with the music - at times this can be quite emphatic such as on closing track 'Doom Over Dead Man', particularly over the passages of tremolo picked guitar harmonies. Overall, a fully engaging listen with absolutely no filler, just well composed and flawlessly executed melodic death. All hail Amon Amarth. Skål guys.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Metal Blade Records

Album

SUTUR RISING

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

48:40

RELEASE DATE:

28th March 2011

TRACK LISTING

1) War of the Gods
2) Tock's Taunt - Loke's Treachery Part II
3) Destroyer of the Universe
4) Slaves of Fear
5) Live Without Regrets
6) The Last Stand of Frej
7) For Victory or Death
8) Wrath of the Norsemen
9) A Beast Am I
10) Doom Over Dead Man

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Sweden

"...a paradigm for anthemic death metal..."