Amon Amarth

From pole to pole and across the oceans, AMON AMARTH are the undisputed kings of Viking Heavy Metal. Formed in Tumba, Sweden in 1992, the band have spanned three decades creating an impressive musical legacy of anthemic metal rich in the magical imagery of Viking history, folklore and culture.

Ever since their debut album "Once Sent From The Golden Hall" (1998), Amon Amarth have been an unstoppable creative force. With a unique and distinctive sound that blends the best of diverse epic metal styles, the quintet is known for their timeless anthems and explosive, theatrical live shows. With albums like 2008's critically acclaimed "Twilight Of The Thunder God" and 2016's conceptual and gold-certified "Jomsviking" in Germany, the Swedes have consistently set new standards for heavy metal as a life-affirming and collaborative experience.

After all these years of hard work, Amon Amarth are now recognized as one of the most explosive and imposing live acts in the metal world. From headlining festivals across Europe to 2019's US tour together with Slayer, they have lived up to the adventurous ethos of their Viking ancestors and taken their music to the big wide world.

When the world came to a standstill in early 2020, Amon Amarth were on their hugely successful world tour in support of their latest album, "Berserker" (2019). Disappointed but still full of energy, the band decided to embark on a new creative path. The result is their most impressive and powerful album to date, "The Great Heathen Army".

"We were in South America when the friggin' pandemic hit, so we had to cancel the last few shows and go home," recalls singer Johan Hegg. "At first we thought we'd just wait and maybe book some tours, but we soon realized it was going to be a long break. When almost a year had passed we thought, fuck it, there's no point in touring again with an old album, so we just start working on new material. And that's exactly what we did."

As one of the most popular metal bands in the world, Amon Amarth aim very high when they hit the studio. Recorded with legendary studio guru Andy Sneap at the controls, "The Great Heathen Army" marks a bold leap forward for the band as their distinctive sound once again sees a very skillful evolution, both lyrically and musically. From the propulsive "Find A Way Or Make One" and the combative "Get In The Ring" to the brewing fury of "Saxons & Vikings" and the epic primal scream in the form of the title track, "The Great Heathen Army" captures the essence of this legendary band while still leaving room for new ideas.

"Also, 'The Great Heathen Army' isn't a concept album like 'Jomsviking', but I draw inspiration from some of the same historical elements," says Hegg. "There were also some really cool and different ideas that I wanted to explore, and those came mostly from my wife, Maria, who has delved into the more esoteric aspects of Viking lifestyle and culture. Musically, I would say there are a few surprises, a little bit new territory for Amon Amarth. Overall, it's one of our heavier ones albums. There are some dark and heavy songs that are really powerful and direct, but of course we also have some typical Amon Amarth songs on it - and a few surprises. It's a really well-balanced album. It sounds phenomenal. Andy Sneap is great. And it was fantastic to be able to work with him again."

Fueled by the most dynamic and powerful songs Amon Amarth has written in a long time, "The Great Heathen Army" is an album full of inspirational stories. These stories of courage, brutality and determination, while rooted in the past, still hold important meaning in the troubled times we live in today.

"That's what the song "Find A Way Or Make One" is about," says Hegg. "You might face obstacles, whether it's the pandemic or something else, and there's no getting around it, so you have to go right through it. That's exactly what the Vikings did. You can't stop fighting just because something gets in your way. I often use mythology and history as a backdrop for other things I want to address. I've always done it this way. "The Great Heathen Army" is about the arrival of the invading Viking fleet in England in AD 865. The Vikings had been attacking England for a long time, but this army was different. It was an invading army that was mortally successful against the British. This is a tremendous historical event. It is fascinating. Somehow, however, the English won and defeated the pagan army, so anything is possible!”

Armed with their twelfth and arguably best album yet, "The Great Heathen Army", Amon Amarth return in full action, wielding the musical, blood-soaked axe, and begin their global triumph with a co-headlining tour of Europe alongside Machine Head and their Swedish compatriots The Halo Effect.

Amon Amarth have the Wind of Odin in their sails - and it's blowing harder than ever!

"We've always had an attitude of surpassing ourselves and making a stronger album than the previous one," explains Hegg. “We try to create something special with every album. I think this is one of the strongest albums we've ever made, song for song. It was really difficult to agree on the singles for the videos because everyone had different opinions. I think that's a good sign!"