It's time to venture back to Norse mythology once again with Amon Amarth and their latest album Jomsviking. Now while their style of melodic death metal hasn't altered greatly this isn't your usual Amon Amarth recording as Jomsviking is the band's first concept release. Amon Amarth have written an epic tale of love and revenge with the central character being a deadly Viking mercenary which were know as the Jomsviking. As you can actually understand what their vocalist is singing which isn't always the case with this kind of metal group at least you can follow the lyrics of this tale.
Long time drummer Fredrick Andersson departed the Swedish metal group in 2015, so Tobias Gustafsson (Vomitory) slotted into the role for the recording of Jomsviking and he sure gets the job done. Amon Amarth really got the tempo balance right on Jomsviking the album flows so impressively. They ramp up the pace for the melodic death metal of "First Kill" and once again they unleash those engaging dual guitar harmonies. "Wanderer" is a slower track and with quite a heavy groove and some more lively passages, Amon Amarth's metal wrath returns for the rampaging "On A Sea Of Blood" the tempo shifts on this one are so effective. The spirited metal continues as it's "One Against All" when the central character of this tale disposes of his enemies, then its time to "Raise Your Horns" and drink for those that have passed, with a chorus that gets stuck in your head this is Jomsviking's sing along tune which should be a big hit live.
As steel meets steel "The Way Of Vikings" features more of that mid-paced catchy Amarth style metal , "At Dawn's First Light" is a great track as guitarist's Johan Soderberg and Olavi Mikkonen turn it on and they do it again on the excellent "One Thousand Burning Arrows" an album highlight. "Vengeance Is My Name" and "A Dream That Cannot Be" which has guest vocals from Doro Pesch(Doro, Warlock) are both enjoyable tracks though I'm not totally sold on how well suited the female vocals on that second track actually are. Which leads us to "Back On Northern Shores", and the band gets somewhat adventurous on the final number that is also the longest song on Jomsviking.
Amon Amarth's tenth studio album is another rock solid slab of their addictive blend of melodic death metal featuring some of their catchiest tunes to date.
Track Listing
1. First Kill
2. Wanderer
3. On A Sea Of Blood
4. One Against All
5. Raise Your Horns
6. The Way Of Vikings
7. At Dawn's First Light
8. One Thousand Burning Arrows
9. Vengeance Is My Name (bonus track)
10. A Dream That Cannot Be (feat. Doro Pesch)
11. Back On Northern Shores