Amon Amarth

[Trashcat]

So I was looking for some new metal to listen to, and I stumbled across Amon Amarth one day. I started listening to them, and now I'm hooked. They're a Swedish Death Metal band with a viking/Norse Mythology theme. Here's a couple of their songs:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVWBJHVSrAE&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQVrl7wRcNg&feature=related


Have you guys already heard of them? If so, what did you think? If not, do you like their sound?

[InnerDemon]

Not really into them (not really into Death Metal to be honest) but they have a couple of good songs such as "Gods of War Arise" and "Cry of the Black Birds".

Also, welcome back Trashcat.

[Sieda]

I've heard them. They're alright, but don't really stick out to me personally.


Be careful tossing the name around though, or you're likely to upset some sort of "true" metalhead. Apparently something they do is selloutish or mainstream or something. I dunno, I don't follow the logic. But they're a band that takes a lot of flak from that camp.

[Trashcat]

I think it's because "Amon Amarth" is another name for the mountain or something in Lord of the Rings

[Sieda]

Yeah it is. It's kind of crazy how many metal bands are named after Tolkien stuff.

[Metalhead636]

I really dig this band, good Death Metal.

[Trashcat]

I won't lie. I have a soft spot for "Cookie Monster" style vocals.

[Ziggy St. Valentine]

I think it's because "Amon Amarth" is another name for the mountain or something in Lord of the Rings

Nah, it's because "melodeath" is terrible and Amon Amarth is a horrible band who seem to be the flagbearers of this so-called "subgenre". Don't mean to offend, just being as honest as possible with ya.

[Trashcat]

Eh, to each their own. I like them better than a lot of the mental "sub-genres" out their. Thrash metal, for example, can suck my dick.

[Ziggy St. Valentine]

Not going through a metal debate again, dude. "Sub-genres" aren't real and Thrash is clearly the best genre out there. I'm gonna shut up now so I don't start another metal bitchfest. I will recommend you some other Death Metal bands to check out, though, because I'm such a nice guy.

Incantation: Their album "Onward to Golgotha" is a classic.
Immolation: Check out "Dawn of Possession".
Armoured Angel: Angel of the Sixth Order is awesome and definately worth a listen.
God Macabre: "The Winterlong" is a forgotten Swedish classic.
Dismember: Great Swedish band, more on the melodic side without being "melodeath", I recommend "Like and Everflowing Stream.

Enjoy.

[Trashcat]

Alright. I'm going to listen to them all. Meanwhile, thread topic -- Amon Amarth, more people see if they like them.

Edit: Couldn't get into those bands, Ziggy. They were too...I don't know, distortion-y sounding. Not a deep, guttural-enough sound. Not 'cookie monster' enough.

[Trashcat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5VPWLLyOPw


Incredible song by Amon Amarth I just found. I can't believe how much I like it.

[Derelict]

Ziggy, why do you continue to think people care that you dislike so many types of music?

My buddy is really into Amon Amarth. I only started listening to them because of him, and frankly I love them. A few of their songs are a little over the top for my taste, but most of them are pretty awesome.

EDIT: My favorite song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPRt6Tt6RyM

Another wicked one from the same album:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Merf9SoUvlg

[Trashcat]

The Pursuit of Vikings is great. I especially love Runes to My Memory, Hermod's Ride to Hell, and Cry of the Black Bird

[Metalhead636]

Ziggy, why do you continue to think people care that you dislike so many types of music?

:lol:


I really like Twilight of the Thunder God. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eABVwEgzIss)

I would want to start a band like this but:
A) No one I know can play guitar or drums like that.
B) I can only play that shit if I fucking play myself to death.
C) I am not nearly bad ass enough.

[Demoir]

Their new album is pretty fucking awesome. Plus, I saw them at Bloodstock and they put on an awesome show. Probably going to go see them again in November.

[TheHighwaySong]

Seeing Amon Amarth live is really one of the best shows I've seen, especially when they played Valhall Awaits and Death in Fire.

[Assassin]

I really like their song Suck My Dick, Trashcat.

[Ocellatus]

I would want to start a band like this but:
A) No one I know can play guitar or drums like that.
B) I can only play that shit if I fucking play myself to death.
C) I am not nearly bad ass enough.

Practice as much as you can. Half of your day should be practice and the other half should be spent eating, drinking (ale or mead, specificly for this type of stuff), sleeping and fighting with people. To make music like a Viking you must act like a Viking. All the time. Like Christian Bale with his acting, or Dave Mustaine being a massive dickhead. That's how Finntroll did it, they hug out under bridges and ate goats.

[inhumanjose]

Amon Amarth: CRAP.


Just my opinion ^^.

USER WAS PUT IN TIMEOUT FOR THIS POST. (http://forums.explosm.net/eventlog.php)
Reason: Your post: CRAP.

[Derelict]

Thank you for your valued input, oh mighty music god!

[FlamingChainsawNinja]

I love them. Especially when they collaborated with Apocalyptical for Live For the Kill. And how can you sell out really heavy death metal like that? I mean, who listens to snarling, growling mainstream music? It makes the little emos who think metalcore is cool (I like metalcore but I'm not an emo so HA) run and that's metal(core)'s mainstream. I mean, maybe it's just because the metal community in southern Kentucky is fucking pathetic, but nobody from where I live has HEARD of Amon Amarth. I love them, though.

[Decky]

I think i saw them do a gig not long ago, pretty sure it was them, but it was intense none the less.

[Tempest]

I wouldn't really call Amon Amarth 'Death Metal'. I guess it's the same musical style, but the lyrical content is very different. I don't like to split metal into a million different genres but the lyrics of songs by Amon Amarth, Enslaved, etc are much different than Cannibal Corpse or Between the Buried and Me. I feel quite confident using the tag 'viking metal' because I like viking metal, but I don't like normal death metal.

I have a love of norse mythology anyway, so Amon Amarth and all those viking metal acts are like a musical orgasm for me. My only complaint with most types of metal anyway are the vocals (except grindcore holy fuck how is that even music?), and most viking metal bands do growling vocals as opposed to screeching screams.

EDIT: And while we're discussing 'viking metal', since I don't think it warrants its own thread, anybody who likes it should also look into some folk metal bands like Finntroll (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGywo81G6lk) or Alestorm (which also shares the genre of 'pirate metal') (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99a6DaheLqs). Folk metal usually shares the same sort of lyrical style, and musical style with folk instruments added in. Really cool stuff.

[Nikolai]

I think it's because "Amon Amarth" is another name for the mountain or something in Lord of the Rings

I doubt that's the reason. The name Burzum means "darkness" in the language of black-speech of modor from Lord of the Rings and Burzum is Trve/Kvlt or whatever. But then again the only member from that killed a guy, set fire to numerous churches and planned a terrorist attack on fascists only to prevented by his arrest for the murder.

I'm pretty sure all melodic death metal is considered untrve by elitist metal fans. I personally just don't like it.

[OnThisForum]

I love these guys, but alot of their stuff gets very same-y. If you get the best songs off a few of their albums they're really good though.

[Decky]

I've heard them be reffered to as melodeath, but I would have to say they closer resemble viking metal as Tempest said.