Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

Another excellent effort from the Swedish Viking/melodic death metal veterans.

Amon Amarth isn't a band that drastically reinvents their sound from album to album. Their brand of Viking themed melodic death metal has remained fairly consistent over the years. However, they do something on their latest CD Twilight Of The Thunder God that they haven't done in the past: bringing aboard guest musicians.

Fellow Swede and close friend L.G. Petrov from Entombed duets with Johan Hegg on "Guardians Of Asgaard." Children Of Bodom guitarist Roope Latvala also lends a guitar solo to one track. Metal cellists Apocalyptica also make an appearance on "Live For The Kill."

These new elements along with Amon Amarth's trademark sound make Twilight Of The Thunder God a familiar yet fresh album. There are more melodies and hooks than ever, with a lot of very catchy songs. There's still plenty of brutality, with intense guitars and Hegg's raspy vocals.

Amon Amarth's songwriting skill is on full display on this CD. Crushingly heavy riffs are moderated by really catchy melodies, and they also utilize keyboards to create a dark and ominous atmosphere. The lyrics, as usual, are about various aspects of Norse mythology with tales of epic battles and heroic acts.

Twilight Of The Thunder God has everything you expect in an Amon Amarth album, Expectations were high after the success of their last release, and this one delivers on those expectations.