Amon Amarth (band)
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Amon Amarth
Amon Amarth at the With Full Force festival
Background information
Origin	Tumba, Sweden
Genre(s)	Melodic death metal Viking metal[1]
Years active	1988–1991 1992–present
Label(s)	Metal Blade
Associated acts	Eternal Oath, Opeth
Website	www.amonamarth.com
Members
Fredrik Andersson Johan Hegg Johan Söderberg Olavi Mikkonen Ted Lundström
Former members
Anders Hansson Nico Mehra Martin Lopez

Amon Amarth is a Viking-themed melodic death metal band from Tumba, Sweden founded in 1992.^[2] It is named after a location in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. The name means "Mount Doom" in Sindarin, one of Tolkien's Elvish languages. The band was originally known as Scum, and released a single demo under that name in 1988 before changing their name to Amon Amarth in 1992.

History

Formed under the name Scum in 1988, the band was originally a grindcore group formed by Themgoroth (Dark Funeral), Olavi and Ted. When Johan joined the band, it resulted in a musical change towards death metal. After a 1991 demo, they changed the band's name to Amon Amarth in 1992. After they became Amon Amarth, they released a demo recording, The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter, in 1994, selling all 1000 demo discs in less than 12 hours.^{citation needed} This demo brought them to sign at Pulverised Records, on which they released in 1996 their first MCD Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds, from which they sold 6000 copies (spread throughout four different versions)^[3]. This release brought them to sign with Metal Blade Records. With the release of the album Once Sent from the Golden Hall in 1998, their popularity rose internationally and since has meant multiple Canadian tours, US tours, festival appearances, five music videos, and appearances in over 100 metal magazines.^[4] In early January 2008, their first tour of Australia and New Zealand took place, along with supporting Dimmu Borgir on tour in Europe. They finished a US and Canadian tour with Sonic Syndicate and Himsa beforehand. Decapitated was scheduled to appear on tour with Amon Amarth but cancelled when their drummer, Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka, passed away on November 2nd in a Russian hospital due to injuries he sustained from a recent road collision. The group has gradually gained further exposure including Richard Christy on The Howard Stern Show mentioning his attendance at one of their concerts.

The February 2008 edition of Terrorizer magazine confirmed that the band is working on a new album due for a late summer release.^{citation needed} Amon Amarth also extended their record deal with Metal Blade Records for three more albums.^[5]

Amon Amarth will go 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.^[6]

Musical style and lyrical themes

The four Swedish and one Finnish musician, who are known for their synchronised headbanging in music videos and at live performances, base 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 known as Viking metal in the early 1990s, made popular by such bands as Bathory and Enslaved, although the band's sound is more in the vein of early Amorphis and mid-period Bolt Thrower. Lead singer Johan Hegg's sister sometimes contributes lyrics for the band.

When commenting on the name of the band, vocalist Johan Hegg has remarked:

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

Discography

Albums

Thor Arise

Thor Arise is a demo by the Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth, recorded in 1993. The album was never initially released due to its low production standards. The album features "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" a cover song after Black Sabbath. 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

• Nico Kaukinen − drums
• Olavi Mikkonen − guitar
• Johan Hegg − death vocals
• Anders Hansson − guitar
• Ted Lundström − bass

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.^[7] 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

• Nico Mehra − drums
• Olavi Mikkonen − guitars
• Johan Hegg − vocals
• Anders Hannson − guitars
• Ted Lundström − bass

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.

Members

Amon Amarth on Metalmania Festival 2005 in Poland

Current members

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

Former Members

As Amon Amarth:

• Anders Hansson − guitars (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

As Scum:

• Themgoroth − vocals (left the band before the demo was released, when it was named Scum)
• Dallas Martin − drums (left the band for marital reasons after the demo was released when it was named "Scum")

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Amon Amarth

• Official Website
• Amon Amarth at MySpace
• Amon Amarth at Last.fm
• Amon Amarth discography at MusicBrainz
• Interview with Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth from Under the Volcano 96
• Online wiki for Amon Amarth concerts and setlists
• Amon Amarth live pictures