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. 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 landmark in J.R.R. Tolkiens Middle Earth that 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. Most of their lyrical content is derived 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 in September 2008 called ‘Twilight of the Thunder God’. The album continues their thematic examination of their Viking ancestors, and has become their biggest seller to date.
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.