Amon Amarth – The Allfather Awakens
Metal Blade Records
9,0/10,0
Brief:
On The Allfather Awakens, Amon Amarth created a definitive 10-song masterwork that further cements the legacy of the lineup’s spectacularly memorable riffs and unflinching aural power. The opening track of The Allfather Awakens, the epic tale of “Gjallarhorn,” is followed by the heroic battlefield tale “Eight Legs of Thunder,” while “Upphaf,” a translated stanza from the prophetic poem Völuspá, marks the band’s first-ever acoustic offering.
The iconic Swedish melodic death metallers took a new songwriting approach for The Allfather Awakens, the band’s 13th album since 1998’s Once Sent from the Golden Hall. The Allfather Awakens came to life across two recording sessions, months apart, at producer Jacob Hansen’s studio in Denmark. Amon Amarth began writing songs while touring, rather than waiting until they were off the road. The first session was Spring 2025; the final recording was completed in March 2026.
The writing and recording process allowed the musicians to intensely focus on each track, resulting in an album where each song was treated as a single. “We worked on one song at a time and made each song as good as possible,” says guitarist Olavi Mikkonen. “Then we recorded one song at a time until each track was totally finished–drums, guitars, and vocals. Only then did we start on the next one.” Guitar-wise, Amon Amarth opted for a slightly less modern approach sonically, moving away from 5150 amps and back to Marshalls. As with the band’s previous records, Oden, the Norse “all father” who is a deity of war, wisdom, death, magic, and poetry, is the through-line in Amon Amarth’s lyrics and spectacular stage sets. Oden is the band’s inspiration, but The Allfather Awakens is not a concept album, rather historically inspired epic tales of conflict and sacrifice for a greater good. The album’s final cut, for example, “Ascending Like an Eagle,” is the continuation of the song “Serpent’s Trail” on Amon Amarth’s The Great Heathen Army, and is about overcoming obstacles with persistence and power.
Music is written before lyrics, and often sets the tone for the words. The song that inspired the album title, “The Allfather Awakes,” was the last written for the album. With Oden as the titular “Allfather,” there is no shortage of historical influences heard across new songs like “Kvasir’s Blood” and “Die With a War Cry,” with the brutally beautiful lyrical rallying cry: “Facing destruction / Annihilation / Master your thoughts and mind.” The Allfather Awakens cover art is a powerful portrait of Oden by Tom Thiel, who created seven of the quintet’s album covers.
The Allfather Awakens is yet another step up, introducing previously untried efforts, an impressive and conscious musical and lyrical feat after 30 years of band-dom. For Amon Amarth, a new album has always meant more than a collection of songs—it marks the beginning of a new world. This autumn, that world will take physical form on stage as the band unveils an entirely new production inspired by Oden’s legendary Golden Hall, transforming the concert experience into a living extension of The Allfather Awakens.
Amon Amarth remains a band of brothers, and that loyalty and unity allow for harmony and a united front that conquers both the stage and record. Hegg’s powerfully rendered lyrics on “We Rule The Waves” on The Allfather Awakens sum up the band’s unrelenting intent.
Bio by: Katherine Turman
[Edited Press Release]
Tracklist:
01 Gjallarhorn 05:13
02 Eight Legs of Thunder 04:21
03 Kvasir’s Blood 04:26
04 We Rule the Waves 03:51
05 Upphaf 04:32
06 Die With a War Cry 03:29
07 Raven God 04:30
08 The Allfather Awakes 04:35
09 Oden’s Hunt 04:24
10 Ascending Like an Eagle 06:44
Main Focus Tracks:
01 Gjallarhorn 05:13
03 Kvasir’s Blood 04:26
06 Die With a War Cry 03:29
08 The Allfather Awakes 04:35
Other Recommended Tracks:
02 Eight Legs of Thunder 04:21
04 We Rule the Waves 03:51
09 Oden’s Hunt 04:24
Line-Up:
Johan Hegg – Vocals
Olavi Mikkonen – Guitar
Johan Söderberg – Guitar
Ted Lundström – Bass
Jocke Wallgren – Drums
Comments:
Amon Amarth deliver some great songs on The Allfather Awakens! Johan Hegg’s vocals and the guitars of Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg remain the standout elements across most of the tracks. A true gift to the fans! The Allfather Awakens is an album that deserves a place in any metal collection!
Contacts:
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Selected Discography:
Once Sent from the Golden Hall (1998)
The Avenger (1999)
The Crusher (2001)
Versus the World (2002)
Fate of Norns (2004)
With Oden on Our Side (2006)
Twilight of the Thunder God (2008)
Surtur Rising (2011)
Deceiver of the Gods (2013)
Jomsviking (2016)
Berserker (2019)
The Great Heathen Army (2022)
The Allfather Awakens (2026)
Photo credit: @sylwiamakris @christianmartinweis