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Norse Heavy Metal From Amon Amarth
Written by Ross Everett   
Saturday, 12 June 2010 07:58
Throughout its history, heavy metal was a beautiful and pristine thing. Bands of burly dudes with long, unkempt hair sung about important topics like slaying dragons, chasing women, and partying. Then, at some point during the 1990s, the cancer of nu metal started to metastasize in the powerful body of the metal gods. Bands started singing about relationships and their feelings in an effort to gain mainstream popularity and get played on MTV. Were not talking about an obligatory power ballad here and there"some bands sung about nothing else than how miserable they were and how sad they were over a failed relationship. Some bands even resorted to such gimmicks as grooming themselves. This shouldnt be confused with the hair metal era when bands like Motley Crue were wearing makeup and platform heels"the bands were more in to carefully groomed goatees and other sissy like pandering to their feminine fanbase.
by RossEverett


Throughout its history, heavy metal was a beautiful and pristine thing. Bands of burly dudes with long, unkempt hair sung about important topics like slaying dragons, chasing women, and partying. Then, at some point during the 1990s, the cancer of nu metal started to metastasize in the powerful body of the metal gods. Bands started singing about relationships and their feelings in an effort to gain mainstream popularity and get played on MTV. Were not talking about an obligatory power ballad here and there"some bands sung about nothing else than how miserable they were and how sad they were over a failed relationship. Some bands even resorted to such gimmicks as grooming themselves. This shouldnt be confused with the hair metal era when bands like Motley Crue were wearing makeup and platform heels"the bands were more in to carefully groomed goatees and other sissy like pandering to their feminine fanbase.

Fortunately, the cancerous tumor in the body of heavy metal is now in remission and the tide is turning back. Mopey lyrics and wimpy riffs are giving way to thundering power chords and lyrical brutality. Among the bands bringing forth a 'nu metal' backlash is Swedish Viking metal band Amon Amarth. As the name implies, bands from the Viking metal genre sing about subjects of interest to vikings such as sailing, lusting for adventure and conquest, furious winds and treacherous seas.

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. 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 identify themselves as Viking metal, they take most of their lyrical content from Viking history and Norse mythology.

2004s Fate of Norns and 2006s With Oden On Our Side earned the band considerable popularity all over the world, including North America where they have toured several times as a headline act.

Amon Amarth recently extended their deal with Metal Blade records and released their latest album in September 2008 called 'Twilight of the Thunder God'. In a very metal marketing move, the band promoted the release of their new CD with an 8 page comic book in magazines all across Europe based on Norse mythology.

Heavy metal is gaining strength and resuming its powerful greatness under the marauding sound of Amon Amarth. The band tours constantly, and their powerful live show has earned them a reputation as one of the 'must see' concert acts. In 2006, they released a DVD entitled 'Wrath of the Norsemen' that brings their live experience to home TV screens.

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Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on World Cup betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.
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