Surtur Rising impressions

[waif]

I know, it's just the time spent playing the album could be put to better use. That's all.
Also, given that it's a metal show in the Boston area I'm sure three or four metalcore bands will be spontaneously generated to play as openers, even if no such thing is scheduled. I think there's some sort of natural law necessitating their presence.

 

[Gazza]

Did you get it from the Metal Massacre site? Great site that, they do FREE shipping to Aus

that's the one!

 

[SyntheticEffigy]

Surtur Rising is really good, like everything about the album basically can't seem to get enough of it.

 

[howimetyourmusic]

its not twilight of the thunder god, but it is pretty freakin awesome. my gf and i wrote a review of it on our blog if you want to check it out:

http://howimetyourmusic.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-amon-amarth-surtur-rising.html

my gf doesn't really care for metal, hence her reaction in the review

 

[waif]

I think I'm going to come down in favor of Surtur over Twilight. The production is probably the main factor, as it's heaps better. In particular, the tremelo sections on Twilight sounded pretty bad. As far as the songs...War of the Gods is pretty much a rewrite of Twilight of the Thunder God, but it's better imo. Twilight had a few other great songs, but Surtur Rising easily matches it. Furthermore, the band experiments a bit on Surtur Rising, whereas on Twilight the most they did was pointless guest spots and incorporating some strings on Live For The Kill. Finally, Doom Over Dead Man rapes anything they've done since...I dunno. A while. That song is still blowing me away. It's quite atypical of them - stylistically it reminds me of Brave New World by Iron Maiden more than the normal Amon Amarth song - but I'm so fucking happy they wrote it. It's awesome.

My overall ranking:

Once Sent From The Golden Hall - 100
Versus The World - 95
With Oden On Our Side - 90
The Crusher - 89
Surtur Rising - 80
Fate Of Norns - 75
Twilight Of The Thunder God - 75
The Avenger - 70

My low ranking of The Avenger is because it's quite short and contains a few duds. Specifically, North Sea Storm and The Avenger. Legend Of A Banished Man does little for me, but is a great way to close the album. Metalwrath is slightly goofy, but who can resist that opening? Everything else fucking slays, but that's only three songs. I've included an estimated score out of 100 to provide some context.

 

[Maggot9]

Glad to hear people agree with the whole changing-it-up aspect. They really need to do something DIFFERENT in their style next album. Not change it all together but all least incorporate aspects of different styles of music with their ferocious melodies. I feel they can only do so many melodic riffs before they all start to feel "same-y". I need to give this album some more spins, though. Haven't listened to it as much as I would like to.

 

[gnoff]

Glad to hear people agree with the whole changing-it-up aspect. They really need to do something DIFFERENT in their style next album. Not change it all together but all least incorporate aspects of different styles of music with their ferocious melodies. I feel they can only do so many melodic riffs before they all start to feel "same-y".

I do not agree.
For me, as long as they release new albums and continue to tour, they can go all AC/DC on us and feel like they'll never change!

They're my favourite band for a reason, and teh reason being I like their music as it is and their style of it.
If they start chaning it I might not like them any longer.


I used to like Metallica, In Flames, Dimmu Borgir, and some other bands, I still go back to the older albums every now and then, but have stopped even trying to listen to anything new they release.
Taht is excessive of course, but it seems to happen to bands teeling they "need to change".

 

[heavy metal]

firstly to comment north sea storm a dud ? no way, one of there most epic songs. as for the new album on first listen it's tracks like war of gods, beast am i, destroyer of the universe that grab the attention, fast songs. but as you dig deeper into the album and listen more it's the epic songs which are the quality ones, tocks taunt, last stand of frej and doom over a dead man plus throw in live without regrets and victory or death you have a quality album.

 

[strangeillusion]

Yeah North Sea Storm is a good song, I really like it.. but people have different opinions. Well, I've been listening to the new album for sometime now and to be honest I had expected something raw and crunchy just like their old albums. AA got hell a lot of listeners now compared to the pre-versus the world era and maybe they're trying to reach out various sections of the audience by incorporating a new style in their music?! I think every band goes through such a phase and I really hope they will not completely transform their original style during this period. The Last Stand of Frej, For Victory or Death, Doom Over Dead Man, A Beast Am I and Wrath of the Norsemen are my faves so far, I should definitely give it a few more listens. Ofcourse I'll do that because they're my fave and they're the BEST! \m/

 

[zerostatic]

Surtur Rising is my favorite Amon Amarth album since Fate of Norns.

I rank the albums in the following order:
Fate of Norns
Surtur Rising
Versus the World
Twilight of the Thunder God
With Oden on Our Side
Avenger
Once Sent from the Golden Hall

Now if they would only play Las Vegas so I could see them live.

 

[Xurek]

Surtur Rising is my favorite Amon Amarth album since Fate of Norns.

I rank the albums in the following order:
Fate of Norns
Surtur Rising
Versus the World
Twilight of the Thunder God
With Oden on Our Side
Avenger
Once Sent from the Golden Hall

Now if they would only play Las Vegas so I could see them live.

You missed one.

 

[Tomasz]

no offense, but that's just wrong, to each their own

The Crusher does not even rank?, it was better than at least 2-3 other albums on your list

Surtur Rising is my favorite Amon Amarth album since Fate of Norns.

I rank the albums in the following order:
Fate of Norns
Surtur Rising
Versus the World
Twilight of the Thunder God
With Oden on Our Side
Avenger
Once Sent from the Golden Hall

Now if they would only play Las Vegas so I could see them live.

 

[zerostatic]

Apologies to anyone I offended by omitting The Crusher from my ranking. I have not forgotten about that album, but I have not listened to it so I did not think it fair to include it in my ranking of Amon Amarth albums.

 

[waif]

Then stop posting here and get on that. It's fucking awesome.

 

[amon666]

Then stop posting here and get on that. It's fucking awesome.

+1. Crusher is a must listen.

 

[heavy metal]

I'm just thinking of the album as a bonus alongside the DVD. And hey, it's a reason for them to tour. I must say my enthusiasm for the upcoming US tour is slightly dimmed by the knowledge that they'll be playing the album in its entirety, given that their discography is laden with songs I desperately want to see live that they almost certainly will not play. Still, they always deliver live.

ha, i still haven't played the dvd yet, it's all about the studio album imo.

 

[Thor26]

Firstly, I love it.
All of it. And it has an incredible fast growing rate on me the more I listen to it.
It’s somehow different then the Twilight Of The Thunder God. I think it’s a better thought through album. And the lyrics are amazing.

Doom Over Dead Man caught me by surprise. I mean I got really surprised as to how the lyrics were written once I tried to picture the character. Quite a sad story and emotionally charged.

A Beast I Am….wow. The description of Fenris is just awesome. It was as if I saw a movie.

The epic ness of For Victory Or Death is also huge. The musicality of it too.

Anyways, my favourite track is Töck’s Taunt.
But believe me, I still don’t know whether this or Destroyer Of The Universe OR Live Without Regrets should be the real one. What the hell…as always with Amon Amarth, I don’t know what to choose. To me they’re all great!

The only thing I know for sure is that With Odin On Our Side is my favourite album.

 

[Nikoli Bearcrusher]

Personally, I can't take the damn thing out of my car. Being in a war metal band myself, I absolutly love AA, But twilight seemed to have a few filler songs between the really REALLY good ones. This one on the other hand was amazing all the way through. For example, The Last Stand of Frej, I mean come on, who else could make such a simple riff so damn catchy? I just wish Viking metal was more loved through out the world.

 

[Raevenge]

I was so disappointed on my first listen that I haven't yet listened to it again. I should though since I am seldom 'taken' with albums on the first listen, but it came across as pretty mediocre to me. Maybe in time this one will grow on me but I'm kind of burned out on them right now. I listened to them pretty intently over the summer.

 

[Raevenge]

I gave this album a couple of more listens this weekend and it's actually better than my initial impression. I guess the first time I listened to it I wasn't in the right mood for them. I can't say it's better or not than Twilight of the Thunder Gods, but I changed my mind. It's a worthy listen.