Amon Amarth-Surtur Rising

Metal Blade
2011

Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth take their name from the Sindarin translation of Mount Doom, a location in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth and have been waving the Viking flag since their formation in 1992. This is actually the band's eighth full length album and is pretty similar sound wise to the other later day Amon Amarth albums I've heard. Where it differs though is that the production seems a bit more crisp and allows the sound to carry more. For those who have yet to discover the band I'd describe Amon Amarth as a groove based melodic death metal act. And while the album sounds fairly typical of Amon Amarth's work that just shows a band that takes it's craft seriously and continues to put out quality releases even as the band is pushing twenty years together. In May of 2010 Amon Amarth — vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarist Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg, bassist Ted Lundström and drummer Fredrik Andersson began writing what would eventually become Surtur Rising. Recorded at Park Studios and Fascination Street Studios and produced at Fascination Street Studios by Jens Bogren the album is named in tribute to Surtur, leader of the fire giants of Muspelheim (“flame land”) and the oldest being in the nine worlds of Norse mythology. According to legend, when Surtur lights his sword in the Eternal Flame, he will be given the power to raze the nine worlds. I will admit to being a Lord Of The Rings nerd but for me I don't get into mythology when it comes to metal. I know fan's of viking metal will love the album for it's storytelling whereas I just like the album because it offers up ten tracks of full tilt death metal goodness. Good album my friends whether your looking to put on a suit of armor and head off to war or if your just looking for some more quality Swedish death metal.