Death metal with some melody? Can it be? As evidenced by Amon Amarth's 2006 release, With Odin on Our Side, this dream seems to be a reality early on. On the album opening "Valhall Awaits Me," singer Johan Hegg's vocal lines aren't merely growled syllables. But don't be worried, longtime Amarth fans, it's not like the Swedish outfit has enlisted the help of Burt Bacharach to soften things up, as Hegg's vocals do resort back to the expected death metal growl soon enough, especially on such tracks as "Under the Northern Star." Yet all the while, Hegg manages to hold his own against the riffs and sometimes-Iron Maiden-esque guitar harmonies supplied by Olavi Mikkonen and Johan S”derberg. The aforementioned guitar duo also shows they have a talent for penning industrial strength riffs as well, evidenced by such tracks as "Hermods Ride to Hell" and "Runes to My Memory." Nothing remarkably new here, but for admirers of death metal with some added muscle, With Odin on Our Side shows that Amon Amarth continue to be champions of the worldwide death metal tournament. ~ Greg Prato
Professional Reviews
Alternative Press (p.136) - "Their clarion dual-guitar tones give the group an atmospheric appeal that transcends the die-hard horned-helmet set."
CMJ (p.23) - "'Runes To My Memory' and 'Cry Of The Blackbirds' are epic odes that carefully and effectively fuse mythical imagery with a relentless sonic assault."
Kerrang (Magazine) (p.58) - "[T]he music here -- by turns, epic, gloomy and bone-grindingly heavy -- carries an equally distinct weight of its own."
