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Amon Amarth is a Viking-themed melodic death metal band from Tumba, Sweden founded in 1992. It is named after a location in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. The name means "Mount Doom" in Sindarin, one of Tolkien's Elvish languages. The band was originally known as Scum, and released a single demo under that name in 1988 before changing their name to Amon Amarth in 1992.

History

The five Swedish musicians who are known for their synchronised headbanging in music videos and at live performances have most songs based on Norse mythology. This mythology is an element that originally emerged as an ideological off-shoot of black metal known as Viking metal in the early 1990s, made popular by such bands as Bathory and Enslaved, although the band's sound is more in the vein of early Amorphis and mid-period Bolt Thrower. The sister to the group's singer contributes lyrics as well.

Formed under the name Scum in 1988, the band was originally a grindcore group formed by Themgoroth (Dark Funeral), Olavi and Ted. When Johan joined the band, it resulted in a musical change towards death metal. After a 1991 demo, they changed the band's name to Amon Amarth in 1992. After they became Amon Amarth, they released a demo recording, The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter, in 1994, selling all 1000 demo discs in less than 12 hours. This demo brought them to sign at Pulverised Records, on which they released in 1996 their first MCD Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds, from which they sold 6000 copies (spread throughout four different versions). This release brought them to sign with Metal Blade Records. With the release of the album Once Sent from the Golden Hall in 1998, their popularity rose internationally and since has meant multiple Canadian tours, U.S. tours, festival appearances, five music videos, and appearances in over 100 metal magazines. In early January, 2008, their first tour of Australia and New Zealand will take place, along with supporting Dimmu Borgir on tour in Europe. They have recently finished a US and Canadian tour with Sonic Syndicate and Himsa. Decapitated was scheduled to appear on tour with Amon Amarth, but canceled when their drummer, Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka, passed away on November 2nd in a Russian hospital due to injuries he sustained from a recent road collision. Richard Christy of the Howard Stern show has mentioned attending an Amon Amarth concert. In the February 2008 issue of Terrorizer magazine, it was confirmed that the band are working on a new album, due for a late summer release.

When commenting on the name of the band, vocalist Johan Hegg has remarked:

...it was Ted who found the name. Don't ask me how cause none of us were ever really Lord of the Ring fans but it sounded cool and the meaning of it is killer! It's the name of "Mount Doom" in Sindarin, whatever that is, ask a Tolkien fan. But I think it's cool and really symbolizes what Amon Amarth stands for.

— The Metal Web's interview with Johan Hegg

When asked to comment on the band's genre, vocalist Johan Hegg also remarked:

We play death metal. We write about vikings so therefore some refer us to viking metal, but I have no idea what that is. I can't imagine the viking’s veer into metal at all except on the swords and stuff. And musically, I guess they only played these strange lip instruments and some bongos or whatever.

— The Metal Web's interview with Johan Hegg

Discography

Albums

The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter

The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter is a demo by the Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth, self-released in 1994. Its original release was limited and consisted of 1000 copies. The demo was released on three different colour tapes with different styles. The "labels" for the demo aren't professionally-made, and were created by the band for the release of the demo.

Track listing

1. "Burning Creation" − 4:48
2. "The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter" − 4:38
3. "Without Fear" − 4:42

Credits

• Nico Mehra − drums
• Olavi Mikkonen − guitars
• Johan Hegg − vocals
• Anders Hannson − guitars
• Ted Lundström − bass

Videography

Aestheticom, a music video production company, was chosen to produce videos for "Runes to My Memory" and "Cry of the Black Birds", both directed by Bill Schacht.

Members

Current members

• Johan Hegg − vocals
• Johan Söderberg − guitars
• Olavi Mikkonen − guitars
• Ted Lundström − bass guitar
• Fredrik Andersson − drums

Former Members

As Amon Amarth:

• Anders Hansson − guitars (Thor Arise - Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds)
• Nico Kaukinen − drums (Thor Arise - Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds)
• Martin Lopez − drums

As Scum:

• Themgoroth − vocals (left the band before the demo was released, when it was named Scum)

References

1. Amon Amarth @ Rockdetector
2. "Biography at amonamarth.com". Retrieved 2007-02-27.
3. "Amon Amarth Biography". Retrieved 2007-11-14.
4. "Amon Amarth Biography". Retrieved 2007-11-14.
5. "Original release copies". Encyclopaedia Metallum. Retrieved 2007-07-15. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Text "date" ignored (help)

External links

• Official Website
• Template:Last.fm
• Amon Amarth discography at MusicBrainz
• Amon Amarth articles on the heavy metal encyclopedia
• Interview with Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth from Under the Volcano 96

• Articles with unsourced statements from January 2007
• Swedish death metal musical groups
• Swedish heavy metal musical groups
• Viking metal musical groups
• 1990s music groups
• 2000s music groups
• Amon Amarth (band)
• Musical groups established in 1992
• Melodic death metal musical groups