The Allfather Awakens
Amon Amarth know exactly what people come to them for. The Allfather Awakens has the heavy marching riffs, broad guitar melodies and Johan Hegg's unmistakable roar firmly in place. The band's thirteenth album also sounds more focused than a routine return to battle. The changes are small, but the songs benefit from them.
Gjallarhorn sets a convincing opening pace. The guitars have weight without losing the melodic detail, and the rhythm section gives the song a solid shape to move through. We Rule The Waves is another immediate statement, built around the kind of direct hook that can survive a very large stage. Amon Amarth make this approach sound natural because the force and the tunefulness arrive together.
The recording process took place across two sessions, with songs developed more individually. That focus shows in the way the familiar elements are arranged. Backing voices and small rhythmic shifts help the choruses stand apart, while the leads do more than provide a break between the heavy parts.
Upphaf is the most obvious change, bringing an acoustic pause into the middle of the album. It works because the mood remains connected to the surrounding material. The band briefly change the scale of the performance, giving the next heavy section more room to land.
There are limits to how fresh this can feel. Several riffs follow routes the band have travelled before, and the clean production occasionally reduces the roughness that would give the music more bite. Fans looking for a complete rethink should adjust their expectations.
The closing Ascending Like An Eagle provides a strong final argument for the album's approach. Its longer shape develops with purpose, showing how much can still be done inside this familiar sound. The Allfather Awakens is Amon Amarth refining their strengths, with enough renewed attention to make the return worthwhile.
