I have been a fairly recent convert to Sweden's Amon Amarth & as such don't have all the song names memorized so this won't be my most authoritative review. After purchasing & enjoying their last release 'Fate of Norns' it slipped off my radar & it was only upon deciding to purchase a ticket for this show that I thought I had better pick up their latest, 'With Oden on Our Side'. I guess then that I am partly responsible for this band not being as big as they deserve to be. Their death metal template is tempered with a fine understanding & command of melody, they're not showy in the way of their countrymen Arch Enemy, but organically infuse their music with just enough to provide a dynamic greater than most proponents of the style can seem to muster these days.
Their viking themes are delivered with an understanding & sincere passion that elevates them above being mere schtick and it must be said that frontman Johan Hegg fits the profile perfectly: tall, broad & bearded he commands the stage with ease but isn't too self-conscious to flash a smile once in a while.
The band too are superb with a strong rhythm section providing a sturdy platform for the guitarists' effortless interplay. Their latest offering is plundered for all it's worth but plenty of time is also given to older numbers. All sound fantastic (this is a great sounding venue, it must be said) & seamless in transition.
The healthy Enmore crowd are extremely vocal in their reception & enjoyment of the performance on offer & don't allow the band much of a break before demanding "one more song".
As the band raised their drinking horns to chants of "skoll" from the crowd, they showed obvious appreciation for the reception they've received here at the opposite end of the earth on the final dates of their world tour. They have given us a masterful performance of the metal kind & we don't need to leave it in the lap of the gods (Norse or otherwise) to see that this band reaches the pinnacle it so rightly deserves.
(Please excuse the quality of the photos - they were taken w/ my BlackBerry)
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