David Keevill studied Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Cambridge. That means he knows his stuff when it comes to actual, really-real Vikings. Since both we and he are pedantic sorts, we browbeat him into writing an explanation as to on why anti-Christian imagery in Viking Metal is a horrible anachronism. Yeah, serious intellectual stuff! Bet you weren’t expecting that on Thrash Hits, right?
Amon Amarth
Surtur Rising
Metal Blade Records
29 March 2011
by Tom Dare
You imagine Amon Amarth must have approached album number eight in something of a quandary. Eclipsing Twilight Of The Thunder God seemed an unlikely prospect, given that record was as catchy and riff-laden as was it. Maybe that’s why Surtur Rising at first seems a little disappointing – this is a slightly different Amon Amarth to what we’re used to.
