Amon Amarth - Fate of Norns
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Free Music Notes for Fate of Norns
Free Music Review: It's ok if you don't own any of their other albums.
Hit: 3 Stars
There are very few bands that can get away with releasing the same album over and over again, and still manage to receive constant praise, as well as building up an empire of fans. Amon Amarth has seemingly done just that. There are very few differences between this latest release and the bands last epic "Versus the World", and in fact any of the bands five albums to date. I guess the band members realised they were onto a good thing back in the late 90s and just decided to ride it as far as it can go.
For the uninitiated, Amon Amarth play viking death metal. They have viking imagery, lyrics based on viking history and traditions, and a lead singer that is the total cliche of what a viking supposedly would have looked like. There is never any doubt as to which band you are listening to when you hear Amon Amarth. Within seconds you can easily recognise the mid-paced death metal structures and battle induced pummelling drums.
The question I've been struggling to answer while listening to "Fate of Norns" over the past few weeks is "have Amon Amarth done enough with this release for me to recommend it to anyone but the bands biggest fans?" Now don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed "Versus the World" and was very pleased that the band received some well earned respect and worship for their work. But I also think the time has come for the guys to knock down the very solid castle they have built and do something fresh.
There is nothing technically wrong with "Fate of Norns". It focuses more on the slower paced epics throughout its 40 minute playing time and manages to capture the tone and emotion of a time of war and honour. There are riffs here and there that have my head nodding in approval and the lyrics, as usual, are emotion-filled tales of loss and revenge. But repetitiveness seems to set in due to the albums lack of variety long before the CD stops spinning.
If you don't own an Amon Amarth album, you may enjoy what "Fate of Norns" has to offer although personally, I'd recommend "Versus the World" for your first experience. If you've been a follower over the years, I simply can't recommend rushing off to purchase this album. I can't see my self listening to it very much no matter how solid it is. Heres hoping the guys add a few new ingredients into the mix for its inevitable follow up.
Free Music Review: Average death/viking metal release
Hit: 3 Stars
While listening to this CD you can almost see vivid images of Norsemen raiders wheilding huge broadswoards and battle axes pilliaging a village a thousand years ago or fighting on an acient battlefield. This diffinetly death metal with a viking twist. The good thing about this CD is that it has some nice riffs that are catchy, but the songs themselves are much leaner and lack substinence. The songs just are not that special and are pretty lackluster. After listening for a few seconds you start to grow weary of the prospect of more to come. Some of the songs even seem to start over half way through because they sometimes use the intro as a bridge. The drumming is simplistic in its approach and isn't anything scores of other death metal drummers could do (if not better). The vocals are good, I'll give them that and are probably a high point of the album, but alot of the time they get buried in the mix under the drums and guitars; and the lyrics are kind of cool at times. The bass is almost none existence, in that you can barely hear it and it does nothing remotely special or interesting.
Pros: Vocals are good and probably the high point of the album. The guitars have some simple but catchy riffs that sound cool. The whole viking theme will probably appeal to some.
Cons: Everything on this CD is so tame and simple. The songs are for the most part boring and lack substinence. The drumming isn't anything special. Production could use a boost. Sometimes the guitars and drums overpower everything else and it just turns things into a muddy/fuzzy mess.
Final Word: A pretty tame and average CD form a decent band. I would recommend "Against the World" over this. Amon Amrth have a simplistic, almost minimalistic, approach to music, which is not going to bother alot of people, but leaves some of us yearning for more. Most of the material on this CD just isn't anthing special (though my friend and I do both agree "The Purseit of Vikings" is a kick*ss song). Passable CD that is good if you just want to listen to some striaght forward headbaning material.
Free Music Review: Amon Amarth - Fate of Norns
Hit: 3 Stars
Amon Amarth have been around for quite sometime releasing death metal with viking metal elements, complete with tales of epic viking adventures. A lot of my friends had been long time fans of Amon Armath and enjoyed albums such as 'The Crusher' and 'Versus the World.' I had always wanted to purchase an album by this band, but I never really checked them out. That time came when I saw Children of Bodom tour the U.S. in late 2005. They brought Amon Armath with them and they had a lot of fun on stage and played a wonderful set.
Fate of Norns opens with a thriller, 'An Ancient Sign of Coming Storm.' The riffs here are killer and Johan Hegg's vocals are very good. This song is one of the best on the album. The title track (Fate of Norns) sounds similar with the riffs and is a good listen. The song 'Arson' has a viking horn present in the introduction. This adds a little to the viking theme. The albums ends with 'Once sealed in Blood' the conclusion to a rather short album.
It has taken awhile for this album to grow on me, and it has a little. I was blown away by these guys with their live set. They play with a lot of passion and they look like vikings up on stage. I purchased this album, their latest release (Fate of Norns) because Hegg was hanging out at the merchandise table, and I shook his hand and told him, "Great show, man...it was a pleasure seeing you guys play in Southern Cal." This album is slower than I anticipated as a whole. It sort of stays in 'cruise control' for the entire album. New fans should start with 'Verses the World' or 'The Crusher.' This album is good, but not the best material written by this amazing band from Sweden.
Free Music Review: Something's missing
Hit: 3 Stars
Fate of the Norns lacks the sheer aggressiveness, violence and hatred that the previous Amon Amarth album's share. The band seems to have sacrificed the anti-Christian, pro-Teutonic genius of Once Sent from the Golden Hall and Versus the World for a more melodic, almost gentler sound. Johan's vocals are just as fierce as before but the riffs and melodies fall flat. I would still recommend getting the album, but don't expect great things from it.Free Music Review: 2.5 stars. Some good stuff, and lots of mediocre stuff.
Hit: 2 Stars
I had high hopes for this cd. I love norwegian metal, and I love viking stuff so I thought this would be great. I was at least hoping it would be good. What I heard was a bunch of uninspired, mediocre, a dime a dozen metal songs. I mean there is enough good to save it from being a total waste, but not enough to give it even 3 stars. The high points are The fate of Norns, The persuit of Vikings, and Arson. These songs are bad @$$ and fun to listen too.
An Ancient Sign Of Coming Storm 5.5 just mediocre
Where Death Seems To Dwell 5.5 very repetitive
The Fate Of Norns 7 This one is pretty good. It has a repetitive punchy opening riff that gets stuck in your head long after listening to it.
The Pursuit Of Vikings 7.5 This is my favorite song from this cd. Pretty Bad A$$.
Valkyries Ride 5.5 Tedious Monotony
The Beheading Of A King 5.5 Same as Valkryies
Arson 7.5 A bit of a slow starter but it picks up towards the end with some melodic guitar
Once Sealed In Blood 5.5 a bit faster than some but still a downer.
All in all nothing horrible, and there is some good songs. The music is a little on the simple side which doesnt necasarily make it bad. I like a lot of simpler music like Darkthrone and Burzum. The problem is that when it comes to simpler stuff I like it to have some really good aptmosphere. That is precisly what is lacking here. I will still listen to it occasionally hoping that it will grow.