Tag Archives: Sweden

(review) Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army (Metal Blade)

Swedish masters of melodic death metal Amon Amarth are back with their new opus. This new full length contains nine songs. Some of the songs have usual Viking melodic death metal themes with great epic melodies and catchy hooks crossbred with brutality of primordial mid tempo death metal which somehow became courtesy trademark of this great band. Get In The Ring is a classic epic Amon Amarth opener with lyrics a bit different from their themes. The title song has too many groove moments and kind of not so powerful chorus, so it did not impress me so much. Heidrun is one of my personal favorites on this album, somehow reminding me of Thyrfing, in riffs and songwriting. Johan Hegg´s voice is powerful and brutal, but I love how I understand almost everything he is singing and that is a trademark of excellent death metal singer. Oden Owns You All reminds by title of Einherjer but music is vintage Amon Amarth with such sweet melodic guitar work, making it one of the best on this opus. Find A Way Or Make One is hard hitter with uplifting warrior lyrics and anthemic chorus, some say that Amon rehash all their albums over and over again, but I beg the differ. Or if they do it, they do it perfectly. Dawn Of Norsemen did not sit for me right, maybe because it lacks something, just to be a great song, this way it is only a decent one. Now we come on best part of this opus, Saxons And Vikings, featuring excellent guest performance by Saxon´s Biff Byford, thus creating a perfect mixture of these two warrior folk. I listened to this one over and over again. Skagul Rides With Me is an epic decent anthem of warrior pride and never surrendering defiance. The Serpent´s Trail is the longest song on this opus and finishes this record with rolling and epic guitar work, great lyrics and songwriting. Good album.

No Fun At All: New SIngle ‘It’s Not A Problem’  out now!

The legendary No Fun At All are back! Since they went out with the message that they are working on new material in 2021 the band has been touring with their greatest hits again to just in time release the first single of the new album that will be called “Seventh Wave”.

“It’s Not A Problem” is out July 22 and already fits right into the catalogue of the Swedisch skate punk legends.

“I live on an old farm that’s been owned by my family since the 1850s. 20 years ago when my father died I decided to move in and to be the one responsible for keeping all the houses and buildings in good shape. To be honest most of the time I love it, but sometimes there is that ”The Shining” feeling, am I going crazy!!?? Also the contrast between spending time in the rural idyllic Swedish countryside and touring the world, being a cosmopolitan. The lyrics for this one just came to me on a really cold and snowy day last winter, hence ”wrong season”., says singer Ingmar about the song.

Founded in 1991, split up and re-united over the years, the 2022 album will be the first album since 2018. SBÄM Records based in Austria is releasing their new album exclusively since they have already re-released “EPs Going Steady” in 2021.