Review Summary: Business as usual for Amon Amarth, not that that's a bad thing
Anybody expecting Amon Amarth to have made a mjaor stylistic shift on Surtur Rising, their 8th album, will once again be out of luck, as this is business as usual for Amon Amarth, the same brilliantly effective mixture of brutality, melody and Norse mythology that the band are so widely recognised for producing. In truth, there is about as much as development here as there is between one AC/DC album and another, however the Swedes have proved to be a reliable force within the metal world and have consistently produced albums of a high quality throughout their career and Surtur Rising is no exception.
As expected there has been no change to the band's usual melodic death metal formula, however this reliability is their greatest asset and "Surtur Rising" is consistent throughout. The trademark mix of tremolo picked riffs and pumelling drumwork is present and provides the groundwork for yet another fine example of why they are held in such high regard. Opener "War Of The Gods" is archetypal Amon Amarth and cuts like "Slaves Of Fear" and "A Beast Am I" should take their place among such classics as "Cry Of The Blackbirds" and "Death In Fire." Vocalist Johan Hegg has adopted a deeper vocal style more reminiscent of a grunt than the more mid range growl he used on previous releases as well as penning some surprisingly insightful lyrics. Whilst "Tock's Taunt: Loke's Treachery part II" and "The Last Stand Of Frej" take direct influence from Norse mythology, others such as "Slaves Of Fear" and "Destroyer Of The Universe" tackle more down to earth subject matter, with the former being a scathing criticism of organised religion.
As well as more straight up songs, "Surtur Rising" also features more epic numbers like "The Last Stand Of Frej," which tells of a battle between the Norse god Frej and Surtur, the hulking fire giant who adorns the album's cover art. This, along with the closing track "Doom Over Dead Man" are slower and more brooding songs which provide some variety when compared with the other material on the album. Whether it lives up to the astouding quality of it's predecessor "Twilight Of The Thunder God" is debatable, however Amon Amarth have once again produced a fine album that shows exactly why they are one of the most highly regarded bands in modern metal.
