Amon Amarth - Berserker (2019)

As a well oiled viking ship sailing through the oceans, Amon Amarth returns with yet another impressive onslaught of headbanging and moshing anthems in “Berserker”. Featuring twelve tracks and a running time of 56 minutes, the band further refines their crushing sound with a more melodic edge and the same amounts of euphoria inducing riffs. For those following the band’s exploits over the years, you will find this release as equally dynamic and impressive as their older ones, with a certain added touch of maturity. If you are new to the band, strap on for one hell of a ride with this one.

With “Fafner's Gold” leading the procession, the band warms up the listener’s with a powerful track, but the single “Crack the Sky” really steps it up a notch with the traditional Amon Amarth crushing melodic riffs. With this song you will instantly be possessed to start headbanging furiously thanks to its playful guitar work and hellish signature vocals. Additionally, the killer guitar leads add that extra level of epicness to an already brilliant song.

As the band pummels through rifftastic tracks like “Mjolner, Hammer of Thor”, “Shield Wall”, and “Valkyria”, we start getting out of viking gear and preparing for battle. The band systematically creates a very crushing and uplifting atmosphere that incites the listener to battle, a headbanging battle that is. The album’s other single, “Raven's Flight” showcases that more Heavy Metal / melodic side of the band’s music with crispier guitars and an intense pace. We particularly like the Death Metal chuggy passages that showcase the band’s versatility and commitment to their musical roots.

For those more melancholic vikings, “The Berserker at Stamford Bridge” has a darker and slower pace to it. Making it a nice change of pace in a very intense release. Our personal favorite has to be the brilliant “When Once Again We Can Set Our Sails”, this song reminds us of the band’s earlier releases thanks to its very melodic guitar driven atmosphere.

Closing with the lush “Into the Dark”, we are left quite amazed with the band’s ability to continue to add a fresh spin to their already established sound and be as punishing as always. With “Berserker” the band continues to demonstrate their quality thanks to more melodic and more epic songs that will resonate with all fans. If you are looking to get your Viking groove on and love melodic extreme Metal, be sure to not miss out on this killer release.

Label: Metal Blade Records

Release: March 3rd, 2019

Genre: Melodic Death Metal / Viking Metal

Country: Sweden