Jump to content

Amon Amarth

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by The Haunted Angel (talk | contribs) at 22:10, 8 January 2009 (Reverted to revision 262276214 by 212.214.155.110; Genres aren't capitalized. using TW). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the Middle-earth location, see Mount Doom.
Amon Amarth

Amon Amarth is a Viking-themed death metal band from Tumba, Sweden, founded in 1988 (current name since 1992)[1], and named for Mount Doom, a location in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Currently with Metal Blade Records, the group has released seven studio albums, one EP, one DVD, and five music videos as of 2008.

History

Formed under the name Scum in 1988, the band was originally a grindcore group formed by Themgoroth (Dark Funeral), Olavi Mikkonen (guitar), and Ted Lundström (bass guitar). When Johan Hegg joined the band, their music changed towards melodic death metal. After a 1991 demo, they changed the band's name to Amon Amarth in 1992 then recorded their first demo Thor Arise under the name in 1993 following a demo, The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter, in 1994, selling all 1000 demo discs in less than 12 hours.[citation needed] They signed with Pulverised Records, on which they released in 1996 their first MCD, Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds, which sold 6000 copies[2]. They then signed with Metal Blade Records, and with the release of the album Once Sent from the Golden Hall in 1998, their popularity rose internationally. Since then they have done multiple Canada and US tours, festival appearances, five music videos, and appearances in over 100 metal magazines.[3] In early January 2008, their first tour of Australia and New Zealand took place, along with supporting Dimmu Borgir, after finishing a US and Canadian tour with Sonic Syndicate and Himsa.

Amon Amarth extended their record deal with Metal Blade Records for three more albums.[4] After extending their record deal, the band released Twilight of the Thunder God, which featured guest appearances by Lars Göran Petrov of Entombed, Roope Latvala of Children of Bodom, and the cello metal band Apocalyptica. Accompanying the release of the album was an eight-page comic strip based on Norse mythology which was released by magazines from all over Europe.

Amon Amarth has embarked on a North American headlining tour in October 2008, with support from Ensiferum, Belphegor, and a melodic death metal band from Tampa named The Absence.[5] The band are also touring as support for the thrash metal band Slayer throughout Europe on the Unholy Alliance Chapter III.

Musical style and lyrical themes

The band bases most of their songs on Norse mythology, the Viking Age, and the pre-Christian world. This mythology is an element that originally emerged as an ideological off-shoot of black metal in a genre known as Viking metal in the early 1990s, made popular by such bands as Bathory and Enslaved. Lead singer Johan Hegg's sister sometimes contributes lyrics for the band.[citation needed]

When asked to comment on the band's genre, vocalist Johan Hegg remarked:

We play death metal. We write about vikings so, therefore, some refer us to viking metal, but I have no idea what that is. I can't imagine the viking’s [sic] veer into metal at all except on the swords and stuff. And musically, I guess they only played these strange lip instruments and some bongos or whatever.

— The Metal Web's interview with Johan Hegg

Discography

For a more comprehensive list, see Amon Amarth discography.

Albums

Released Title Label
1991 Demo 1 Self-released as Scum
1993 Thor Arise Never released
1994 The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter Self-released, see below
1996 Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds Pulverised
1998 Once Sent from the Golden Hall Metal Blade
1999 The Avenger Metal Blade
2001 The Crusher Metal Blade
2002 Versus the World Metal Blade
2004 Fate of Norns Metal Blade
2006 With Oden on Our Side Metal Blade
2008 Twilight of the Thunder God Metal Blade

Thor Arise

Thor Arise is a demo recorded in 1993. The album was never initially released due to its low production standards. The album features "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" a cover of the Black Sabbath song. The song, "Thor Arise" was re-recorded as a bonus track on the digipak version of The Avenger. "Risen from the Sea" was re-recorded on The Crusher. The entire album was re-released with the "Viking Edition" of Versus the World.

Track listing

  1. "Risen from the Sea" − 5:43
  2. "Atrocious Humanity" − 5:54
  3. "Army of Darkness" − 5:26
  4. "Thor Arise" − 6:30
  5. "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" − 4:22 (Black Sabbath cover)

Credits

The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter

The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter is a demo self-released in 1994. Its original release was limited and consisted of 1000 copies.[6] The demo was released on three different colour tapes with different styles. The "labels" for the demo aren't professionally-made, and were created by the band for the release of the demo.

Track listing

  1. "Burning Creation" − 4:48
  2. "The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter" − 4:38
  3. "Without Fear" − 4:42

Credits

Videography

Aestheticom, a music video production company, was chosen to produce videos for "Runes to My Memory" and "Cry of the Black Birds", both directed by Bill Schacht.

Released Title Producer
2003 Death in Fire
2004 The Pursuit of Vikings
2006 Wrath of the Norsemen
2006 Runes to My Memory
2007 Cry of the Black Birds
2008 Twilight of the Thunder God

Members

Current members

  • Johan Hegg − vocals
  • Johan Söderberg − guitar
  • Olavi Mikkonen − guitar
  • Ted Lundström − bass
  • Fredrik Andersson − drums

Former Members

As Amon Amarth:

  • Anders Hansson − guitar (Thor Arise - Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds - Once Sent from the Golden Hall)
  • Nico Kaukinen − drums (Thor Arise - Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds)
  • Martin Lopez − drums (Once Sent From The Golden Hall)

As Scum:

  • Paul "Themgoroth" Mäkitalo − vocals (left the band before the demo was released, when it was named Scum)

References

  1. ^ "Biography at amonamarth.com". Retrieved 2007-02-27.
  2. ^ "Amon Amarth Biography". Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  3. ^ "Amon Amarth Biography". Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  4. ^ Amon Amarth Extend Deal With Metal Blade Records Feb 10 2008
  5. ^ Amon Amarth - Tentative N. American Tour Routing: News @ metalstorm.ee
  6. ^ "Original release copies". Encyclopaedia Metallum. Retrieved 2007-07-15. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Text "date" ignored (help)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amon Amarth.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amon_Amarth&oldid=262839933"