Amon Amarth’s latest single, We Rule the Waves, has a very old-school feel to it, and according to the band’s latest interview, it could give a good indication of what fans could expect from the new album. Vocalist Johan Hegg said that the band is branching out into uncharted territory.
The New Album is Set to Be More Diverse but with a Mythical Theme
Johan Hegg has openly said that the new album is going to be quite different from their previous work, but as a whole, fans will still be able to tell that it is Amon Amarth.
The album is going to follow a similar, mythical theme as their previous releases, which include songs about Jörmungandr the serpent and the battles of Ragnarök, while telling true stories from famous Vikings throughout history.
In the past, Amon Amarth has collaborated with UK bands like Saxon, with Hegg in particular saying he’s very open to doing a song with Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale. Even though the vocalist didn’t divulge whether or not she appears on the album, it could be a sign of things to come in the future.
The new album, which doesn’t yet have a confirmed title, will be the band’s 13th studio album, with the thunderous single We Rule The Waves offering the first taste of what’s to come.
Frontman Johan Hegg has revealed that the band has been inspired by different bands with this release, including Iron Maiden, but still wanted to cover the theme of mythology to maintain their brand image, using ancient legends to inspire guitar melodies and lyrical themes.
Mythical Content is a Big Theme in Heavy Metal
Metal has always had a long-standing relationship with mythology. Bands like Nile have built their career around Egyptian history, whereas bands like Septicflesh use Greek mythology with orchestrals to tell cinematic stories. Bathory helped to establish the Viking theme in heavy metal many years ago, which helped to lay down the foundation for the biggest music acts in history.
Books also embrace mythology. Sweet Bitter Song by Rosie Hewlett, for example, explores women in Greek mythology, and Storyland: A New Mythology of Britain, by Amy Jeffs, takes medieval legends and evolves them.
Movies like Tom Hardy’s Minotaur can be streamed on Prime, and in iGaming, mythology is a core theme.
Online bingo UK games like Age of the Gods Bingo showcase deities like Zeus, who is clasping a thunderbolt on Mount Olympus. Other gods also make an appearance in the title, showing how the idea of gods, mythical serpents, and ancient stories still serve as a source of inspiration for the world of entertainment, thousands of years after their creation.
Right now, Amon Amarth have a European tour planned, hitting cities like Manchester, London and Wolverhampton, before going to Milan, Budapest, Gothenburg and Lisbon.
Although the band’s album hasn’t got a date yet to drop, it’s expected that it could launch right before the tour starts, which is early October.
