First off, let's face it: there’s some corny Viking Metal out there (can you say Trollfest?), and even the term Viking Metal is a bit dumb. If I knew nothing about Metal music and someone used that terminology, I’d probably laugh; I sure as hell wouldn’t take it seriously. I recall interviewing Amon Amarth around the time of their first or second album and I don’t recall the whole Viking thing coming up at all. Yes, lyrically they primarily reflect upon their homeland's medieval culture, but I don’t think they would be happy being lumped into that hokey Viking Metal sub-genre.

Let’s begin with the overall sound. This may be Amon Amarth’s best produced album. Everything’s very polished, distinct, and I don’t like it. It sort of has an In Flames feel to it. Though Amon Amarth has always had a melodic sound, it was mashed in with a much more bombastic approach, more of a sonic onslaught, really catching that whole vicious war-like feeling of the early records, more fitting to that whole Viking theme. To provide a more mainstream example, remember when Metallica’s "black album" came out? It was a good record, but it was so produced, so much double tracking, that I felt Metallica had lost something. It lacked the pure power and crunch of the previous albums. I’m not saying Amon Amarth has gone the Bob Rock route, but I used to really dig them because they were a Swedish band with more of an American Death Metal sound, gritty, crazy bottom end. On this record they sound more like their Swedish counterparts.

However, they are the better than their comrades. The title track, "Live for the Kill," "Where is your God?," and "Free Will Sacrifice" are my personal faves. I like how each song has its own texture - we’re not blasting through a bunch of Death Metal tunes. There’s great pacing, varied energy, and each song is interesting, distinguished. There’s some super fast booming stuff like "Where is Your God?," and tunes with a vocal melody reminiscent of Chuck Schuldiner (Death) like "Live for the Kill."

So, Twilight of the Thunder God is not Amon Amarth’s masterpiece, but it is a solid effort, will probably be on most top ten lists this year, and should get them a few more spins on Headbangers Ball. It’s not Fate of Norns, but it ain’t Trollfest either.

written by Alan Gilkeson

Playing time: 43:31