On top of all this, the songwriting is superb containing many catchy riffs such as those in "Death in Fire" and "Bloodshed". Also, this is perhaps the most inspiring of all Amon Amarth's discs in terms of a more straightforward delivery and emotional effort. With each listen you'll want to join the fictional Norse characters on the battlefied slaying your enemies and reveling in bloody victory while being cherished by the grand Asatru deities.

This album gets my absolute highest recommendation, and the bonus disc is full of extra goodies such as unreleased tracks and demos that will make any metalhead happy. Get this war metal masterpiece and may you enjoy endless battle & warfare in the Halls of Valhalla to the end of your days!


The Vikings Are Coming!!!   March 6, 2005
 12 out of 14 found this review helpful

Wow, I can't fathom how much this made me love AA when I heard this explosive CD two years ago, this still remains as my favorite AA album. Boasting cruising guitar melodies, varying song structures, in-your-face drums, and Johan's deep and visceral growl topping it all, this is one of the best metal releases in the previous years, in my opinion. On "Versus the World", Amon Amarth slowdd things down a bit, leaving more room for songwriting and those majestic guitar melodies. But some songs still recall the days of the previous 3 albums, such as the blistering title track or the fiery "Down the Slopes of Death". This is definitely a good starting point for anyone new to death metal, and my personal favorite AA album.

The songwriting is impeccable. These Swedes never once fall into a dirge of redundancy or mediocrity, leaving the listener on their toes with the power of unpredictable song structures, albeit simple and straight-forward playing. They know how to keep things exciting, which is important for any DM album. Fredrik's drumming is at its best here, boasting everything from rolling double bass, to mind-boggling tom rolls, and some great strong rhythms featuring some great work on the snare. He knows what fits the songs, when simple time-keeping is needed, and when to go balls-out ballistic on his kit. The double bass sticks out quite a bit, adding a HUGE sound to the album, coupled with a slick production and soaring guitars, the high point of the album. The signature melodeath melodies, when played in unison, create a great battle-like atmosphere. You can just feel the urge within to go to battle and see your Viking brothers battling it out on the foggy plains of Sweden!! Johan's furious vocals top it all off, screaming with the utmost intensity and feeling. It's easy to see that these Swedes are NOT very happy fellows, and with good reason! Here's the track by track review.

1. Death in Fire- A classic AA song with stampeding drums, gritty guitars, and a great headbanging mid-paced tempo. Also has some great lyrics. 5/5

2. For the Stabwounds in Our Backs- Starts off a bit slower with bells tolling, only to come full-force and pummel the listener. The guitar work here is excellent, featuring some hyper-speed tremolo picking. 4/5

3. Where Silent Gods Stand Guard- A very nice slower song with some basic, but almost depressive guitar work, and a strong rhythm with rock-solid drumwork. Special mention to the lyrics, which may be gory, but tell a great story. 4.5/5

4. Versus the World- Woah!! One of the best on the album, and ultimately furious and unforgiving with its battering drumwork, catchy chorus, and awesome vocals. 5/5

5. Across the Rainbow Bridge- Much in the vein of track 3, but a bit faster. Pretty good track with nearly tranquil guitars, but nothing too special. 3/5

6. Down the Slopes of Death- Probably the fastest track on the album, a true thrasher. Pummels everything and laves nothing unscathed. 4/5

7. A Thousand Years of Oppression- My personal favorite track on the album with great melodic guitars, straight-forward lyrics, and a hateful and resentful atmosphere. 5/5

8. Bloodshed- Another catchy chorus here, but that's about it. 3/5

9. ...And Soon the World Will Cease to Be- Now THIS is Viking metal! The main guitar line is fantastic, and thw song retains a proud feel through the whole song. Ends the song on a very strong note.

I decided to take a star off because some songs can get a bit boring, and a bit redundant. I got the limited edition of this CD with an extra disc featuring some old demos, which gives the listener a perspective of how the band evolved over time, and has some great AA classics.

All in all, this CD is still on my top 10 list, and comes highly reccommended to any fans of death metal.


Row To The Shores And Attack!   July 15, 2004
 8 out of 10 found this review helpful

First I would like to say that unlike what someone said this CD is not Satanic. Just because it does not support xtian philosophy does not mean they are Satanic. Anyway...
This CD is different then there other ones. Harder and more melodic at the same time. You have songs like Down The Slopes Of Death which are just pure fury, but then you have songs like Thousand Years Of Oppression where it is both Melodic and Hard. A very interesting and good album.
Lets go through this song by song:

1) Death In Fire: Starts out with a head banging classic with great guitar riffs and catchy tunes. A great opening. 5/5
2) For The Stabwounds in Our Backs: In the beginning a slower song but then picks up speed and launches into a full metal attack. A great song that will have your blood pumping. 5/5
3) Where Silent Gods Stand Guard: A slower song about at mad man who kills enemies and brings there skulls to his shrine. I cant say it is one of my favorite songs on the CD. I liked it the first few times but than it started to sound a bit repetitive to me. Most people will like this song though. 4.5/5
4) Vs. The World: All I can really say about this song is WOW! It is melodic/hard at the same time and is just woven together beautifully. Amazing song! A classic. 5.5/5
5) Across the Rainbow Bridge: Another slower song about a soldier who has grown old and will take his own life on his own sword so that he may go feast in the hall of Valhalla. Catchy in its own sort of way but again does not really agree with me for some reason. 4/5
6) Down The Slopes Of Death: This is one of my favorites on this album. It is a harder song and will keep your blood boiling the whole way through. 5.5/5
7) Thousand Years Of Oppression: This well could be my favorite song on the whole CD. It tells Odin's rune poem but adds a twist to it. It tells of the rise of the Vikings once again to shake the very foundations of xtianity. A an amazing song that will fill your soul with this feeling that is indescribable. 6/5
8) Bloodshed: This is the one song on the CD I can actually say I don't like. Musically its not a bad song, but for some reason I just don't like it. 4/5
9) ... And Soon The World Will Cease To Be: An amazing song about Ragnarok (the Nordic version of the end of the world). This song will be stuck in your head for days. The melody is perfect, the lyrics heartfelt. An amazing song. 5.5/5

CD Highlights: Vs. The World, Down The Slopes Of Death, Thousand Years Of Oppression, ...And Soon The World Will Cease To Be.

Final Verdict: A classic metal album that should be in most metal collections.


Fear the Norsemen!   August 3, 2005
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

If I had to choose the greatest Viking metal band of all time, this would be it. Their newest release Fate of Norns, might make me question that claim, but we'll save that for another review. Every band reaches their peak and inevitably starts their downward spiral. This band was lucky to have an early peak (Once Sent from the Golden Hall) and managed to hover around that peak for 3 more albums. This is the last of their three crushing follow up albums to Once Sent.

This CD is absolutely amazing in every aspect. It has everything you could ask for from a Viking Death Metal band. Heavy crushing beats, unique and low growls, lyrics centered on Viking heritage and religion; nothing's left out of this classic. I've had this CD for over a year now, and decided I should let everybody else know how good it is. There are fast songs, there are slow songs, there are doom-like songs, but one thing remains the same. The Amon Amarth sound. These guys escape the "generic" tag that some have been given in their genre and they continue to experiment with style and sound to create a new and fresh sounding album every time. It's not a coincidence that most of my favorite bands happen to do this.

Death in Fire is a perfect way to kick off this album, as the drums totally get you into it to the point where you want to jump out of your seat and start growling the lyrics like a true Norseman. (I...uh... have never done that... ya...) What follows is eight more brutal and masterful tracks, and I can truly say that none of them are even close to boring or repetitive. Every song on this album is amazing, and together makes up one of the most solid CD's in my extensive collection.

If you are new to Amon Amarth, this is the place to start; I promise you won't be disappointed. As an added bonus, we are treated to a second CD full of older demos and re-mastered songs from older albums.

\m/ Recommended \m/


KMSU Radio DJ (Here There Be Dragons)   February 1, 2003
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I've only recently gotten the promotional CD, and quite frankly I've never heard anything else by Amon Amarth, but I've fallen completely in love with this album. As a matter of fact I'm playing it on the air as I type this. I plan to interview this band very soon, actually.
I highly recommend Amon Amarth for anyone who loves slower, ominous death metal... Opeth for example.