» Amon Amarth 2007 02 01  
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Reviewed by David
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Special guest: Týr
City: Malmö, Sweden
Venue: KB
Date: 01 February 2007
Tyr set length: 45 minutes
Amon Amarth: 65 minutes

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Týr

Except for prelistening to a couple of songs before the concert, this was my first experience of the Faeroe Island doom Viking metal-band Tyr. I cannot say that I was all impressed. Too slow for my taste. These three quarters seemed like a piece of forever, in the waiting for Amon Amarth. The ancient Nordic theme brought them together, but musically there is a Ginnungagap between them. When they played the traditional Irish folk song The Wild Rover I was hopeful. I love Irish folk. I love metal. So what about the combination? But this did not work either in the Viking format. What did work best was the traditional Faeroe Island song they played at the end, which title I unfortunately did not catch.

3 chalices of 10

(sorry, no setlist)

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Amon Amarth

While the others in the band look like regular hard rockers, the giant growler Johan Hegg looks like the Viking king reincarnated. The sword is put in the shore right away with Valhall Awaits Me and Runes To My Memory from the latest album. Two songs with high potency to make the horned guys in the front to engage themselves into furious headbangning. Following is the fiercely heavy Death In Fire, which further heighten the temperature in the hall. And these were the three songs for us photographers to do our job. Normally that is quite enough to catch some sharp pictures. But Johan Hegg is not resting his aura for a moment. He is constantly banging his hairy head around…

The star of Amon Amarth is rising fast these days. From being a half-obscure band for ten years, the latest release With Odin On Our Side gave them a well deserved broader breakthrough. You could smell it coming already with Fate Of Norns and its 'hit' The Pursuit Of Vikings, and with widely praised performances at Wacken Open Air last year and Gates of Metal a couple of years ago. The reputation of them being a great live act has spread fast and now it is a great public demand for the band. On top of this Scandinavian tour there will (finally) be a gig at Sweden Rock Festival.

The middle part is a bit slower and darker with Fate Of Norns, Thousand Years Of Oppression and With Odin On Our Side. The highlight becomes brutal and beautiful Cry Of The Blackbirds. When it is time for the encore we get (of course) The Pursuit Of Vikings. If Amon Amarth has more of that hit potential in their veins, they have a great future. So far the riff of this song plays in its own division in their catalogue. The sing-along is imminent.

The evening is closed with Versus The World. A bit short set I think, for a headline act. Just above an hour. But an hour full of intense, raw devastation. No bullshit, no solos, no pauses, no unnecessary talking. I prefer thirteen songs played this way, than fourteen stretched out over one and a half hour, with low tempo. I can't recall there being this many people at KB at any of the metal concerts I have witnessed there before. Most of them seemed to be under thirty years of age though (and some of them pretty drunk). Most important, plundering on into the night everyone seemed happy and pleased with what they got.

8 chalices of 10



SETLIST:
Intro
Valhall Awaits Me
Runes To My Memory
Death In Fire
Fate Of Norns
Thousand Years Of Oppression
With Odin On Our Side
Asator
An Ancient Sign Of Coming Storm
Cry Of The Blackbirds
The Last With Pagan Blood
For The Stabwounds In Our Backs
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The Pursuit Of Vikings
Versus The World

Related links:
www.amonamarth.com
www.myspace.com/amonamarth
www.tyr.net
www.myspace.com/tyr1