Surtur Rising Cd Review

I vehemently disagree with the current trend of lavishly overusing words like "epic". Our poor superlative ridden community's conscience can no longer justify nor stand for the incongruous application of "epic" to the mind numbingly mediocre masses out there. You know, the ones who, because of the internet and social networking, are allowed to write - and mistakenly believe - their own press releases.

Luckily the use of this word to describe Swedish Melodic Death Metallers, Amon Amarth's eighth studio album, Surtur Rising, is entirely justified. The first thing you notice, when spinning this colossus of an album, is the sheer scale of everything. The sweeping soundscapes are monumentally majestic and will sonically beat you into surrender. And, well...it’s epic.

All the elements are in place, as you would expect from a band that has been around for as long as Amon Amarth have and who have been universally respected and critically acclaimed (within the marginalised parameters of metal) as a group not too easily extricated from their roots, beliefs and style, as so many others are. Obviously these lads are not making music for the almighty buck. This music is, simply put, grandiose...

Besides being able to create larger than life sounding metal monstrosities, Amon Amarth also manage to infuse in their songs a sense of impending doom and their riffs, ranging between lightning fast and funereal, are always perfectly accompanied by the immaculate rhythm section. Like all bands that can be considered cornerstones of our collective metal psyche, they do the basics right. This is no surprise, yet refreshingly relevant. Whilst a lot of their contemporaries eventually lose the plot by attempting to overshoot the mark, one almost gets the feeling that Amon Amarth executes their specific brand of monolith-metal well within themselves, choosing instead of stretching their capabilities, rather to perfect the things they know work in their favour.

The tracks on this album are all very much of a similar ilk, combining a variety of moods and motives, giving the listener plenty to keep them interested throughout each intelligently written and arranged song. The exceptions to this “hard and fast” rule appear at the end of the album. “Doom Over Dead Man” showcases Amon Amarth's ability to create something a touch more introspective and subtle, resulting in a hugely impressive chunk of doomy devastation which gives way to a chugging, groove laden ending - typically the sort of trick employed so successfully by Sabbath.

The final track is a cover of System Of A Down’s “Aerials” and is a brilliant treatment of an already great song. Adding the Amon Amarth sound and the trademark low end growling adds another dimension, without detracting from the original feeling of the song.

Surtur Rising will, from start to finish, have you raising horns and head banging to the gargantuan groove.

Malcolm Burger

Surtur Rising Tracklist

01. War Of The Gods
02. Töck's Taunt - Loke's Treachery Part II
03. Destroyer Of The Universe
04. Slaves Of Fear
05. Live Without Regrets
06. The Last Stand Of Frej
07. For Death Or Victory
08. Wrath Of The Norsemen
09. A Beast Am I
10. Doom Over Dead Man

Bonus track:
11. Aerials (System Of A Down cover)

Amon Amarth Line-up

Vocals: Johan Hegg
Guitar: Johan Söderberg
Guitar: Olavi Mikkonen
Bass: Ted Lundström
Drums: Fredrik Andersson

Amon Amarth Weblinks

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