Amon Amarth - Jomsviking

It's a new Amon Amarth album and - look, a Viking! Imagine that...Thanks to Brian Posehn and his excellent Nerd Poker podcast, I decided to listen to my first Amon Amarth album. Yes, I know they've been around since the late 80s but I just never came across them (do you know how many metal bands there are?). But I am a fan of melodeath so I thought I'd give their latest studio album Jomsviking a try. And it is fucking excellent.

Yes, the hype is warranted, I must say. This is straight-up classic Swedish melodic death metal and while I can't compare it to previous albums in their catalog, I was very impressed with what would be considered by Ragman "meat and potatoes" melodeath. Harmonized guitar leads, Cookie Monster vocals, pounding rhythms and the ever important themes of the violent days of yore (think History Channel's Vikings). Beyond that, I couldn't really say anything that hasn't been said before about the genre this album so perfectly represents. There's over 53 minutes of kick ass heavy tunes, ranging from melodeath to more straight-ahead power metal (At Dawn's First Light), to bang your head to and that's what I crave. Fair enough?

The Bottom Line: This is a great album from a long standing Swedish melodeath band that stands as a great intro to the band's current sound and the genre itself. While other bands of their ilk that may have strayed from the core sound (I'm looking at you, In Flames) Amon Amarth is still cranking out fantastic tunes for the sweaty masses. Skål!

Tracks To Sharpen Your Battle Axe To: Wanderer, On A Sea Of Blood, Raise Your Horns, and The Way Of Vikings

- Genghis is pretty sure he'd make a crappy Viking...