Krieg Korner - Your Weekly Guide to Heavy

Band: Amon Amarth

Album: With Oden on Our Side (September 25, 2006)

Genre: Melodic Death Metal

Another longtime favorite of mine, Amon Amarth, was one of the first death bands I ever got into. Their previous release “Fate of Norns” totally blew me away. “With Oden of Our Side” keeps up expectations.

Opening with “Valhall Awaits Me,” great melodious guitar work along with Johan Hegg’s growling vocals, sings of a dying Viking warrior preparing for Valhalla. One thing about Amon Amarth that turns many people off is the somewhat over-the-top Viking mythology themed lyrics. While yes, this can be a bit cheesy at points, the music is well suited for it.

Amon Amarth is not a new band by any means; formed in 1992 they are almost 13 years old. Their sound has not experienced any real change in direction, following “why fix what’s not broken?” mentality. One may argue this as a weakness, but look at other bands like ZZ Top, doing the same thing for over 30 years and still renowned.

Some of the most notable tracks on “With Oden on Our Side” include the drawn-out epic “Hermod's Ride to Hel (Lokes Treachery Part 1),” title track “With Oden on Our Side,” and “Under the Northern Star” which is a bit more experimental form of Amon Amarth, always a favorite for me.

Someone looking for a good history lesson with death metal accompaniments on Norse culture, look no further, Amon Amarth more than fills the bill.

Jake "Teh Thor" T