The title track wields a heavy axe in advance of the band’s August 5th full length arrival.
Viking metal masters Amon Amarth will drop their 12th full-length album, The Great Heathen Army, on August 5th via Metal Blade Records. Today they have revealed the single and video for the title track. While not a complete departure from their usual axes and armor, the video’s tabletop RPG inspiration and flickering lights is like something pulled straight from Stranger Things.
Amon Amarth elaborates: “The armada of the Great Heathen Army is at sea on the way to raid, but before we land at distant shores on August 5th we have a new single and video for you to feast on. This is the title track from the new album with a video we shot with the talented Pavel Trebukhin in Riga, Latvia. Who will you choose to fight with? The Vikings or the Saxons? Choose well and the Gods will decide your fate.”
Of the album, vocalist Johan Hegg comments: “Overall ‘The Great Heathen Army’ is one of the heavier albums we’ve made. There are some dark and heavy songs that are really powerful and in your face, but we obviously have some trademark melodic Amon Amarth songs on there as well and a few surprises too. It’s a really well-balanced album. It sounds great. Andy Sneap is awesome. It was great to be able to work with him again.”
Guitarist Olavi Mikkonen adds: “We’ve been away making new music and we’re back with new darker, more death metal-sounding album. If ‘Berserker’ was our ‘heavy metal’ album, then ‘The Great Heathen Army’ is our ‘death metal’ album. But with that said, it’s still very much contemporary AMON AMARTH, but perhaps style-wise we have gone back to our roots a little bit.”
In September and October, Amon Amarth will embark on the “Vikings and Lionhearts” co-headlining European tour with Machine Head, supported by The Halo Effect.
Pre-orders for The Great Heathen Army are available now – HERE. In addition to stash of exclusive vinyl variants, the band has also released a fresh crop of album themed merch and a variety of bundles as well as a limited edition box set (only 5000 made) that features the album, a 1000 piece puzzle, an album patch, poster, a bottle topper and a set of Amon Amarth trading cards – ideal for the collector.
Vikings & Lionhearts tour:
Sept. 8 – Nottingham, UK, Motorpoint Arena
Sept. 9 – Cardiff, UK, Motorpoint Arena
Sept. 10 – London, UK, The Sse Arena, Wembley
Sept. 12 – Manchester, UK, Ao Arena
Sept. 13 – Dublin, Ireland, 3arena
Sept. 16 – Zurich, Switzerland, Hallenstadion
Sept. 17 – Vienna, Austria, Stadthalle
Sept. 18 – Krakow, Poland, Tauron Arena
Sept. 20 – Tallinn, Estonia, Saku Arena
Sept. 21 – Helsinki, Finland, Ice Hall
Sept. 23 – Oslo, Norway, Spektrum
Sept. 24 – Stockholm, Sweden, Hovet
Sept. 26 – Copenhagen, Denmark, Forum Black Box
Sept. 27 – Hamburg, Germany, Barclays Arena
Sept. 28 – Frankfurt, Germany, Festhalle
Sept. 30 – Oberhausen, Germany, König Pilsener Arena
Oct. 01 – Berlin, Germany Velodrome
Oct. 02 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Afas Live
Oct. 04 – Milan, Italy, Lorenzini District
Oct. 06 – Barcelona, Spain, Sant Jordi
Oct. 07 – Madrid, Spain, Vistalegre
Oct. 08 – La Coruna, Spain, Coliseum
Oct. 09 – Lisbon, Portugal, Campo Pequeno
Oct. 12 – Paris, France, Zenith
Oct. 14 – Munich, Germany, Olympiahalle
Oct. 15 – Leipzig, Germany, Arena
Oct. 16 – Prague, Czech Republic, Tipsport Arena
Oct. 18 – Budapest, Hungary, Barba Negra
Oct. 20 – Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg, Rockhal
Oct. 21 – Brussels, Belgium, Forest National
Oct. 22 – Stuttgart, Germany, Schleyerhalle
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