REVIEW: Amon Amarth - The Allfather Awakens
With mythologic content comes a new legend. AMON AMARTH has mastered storytelling and has been building vivid universes over the span of three decades. They return with The Allfather Awakens on October 2nd, making everyone curious about what’s next. This new chapter is, for the Swedish melodic death metal veterans, another saga shaped by Norse mythology, historical conflict, sacrifice, and the pursuit of something greater than oneself. Across ten tracks, the band delivers a familiar combination of thunderous riffs, sweeping melodies, commanding growls while still packing some surprises. But the band also look to explore new ways to tell its stories, with the album showing us a band that are at times surprising, at times falling back on familiar formulas, but that ultimately demonstrates why AMON AMARTH remains such a formidable force.
Odin, the Allfather and deity of war, wisdom, death, magic, and poetry, once again provides the album's thread, while the band makes it clear that this is not a thematic album. His pursuit of knowledge through sacrifice provides a fitting theme for the record's underpinnings. In Norse mythology, Odin sacrifices an eye at Mímisbrunnr, the Well of Wisdom, in exchange for insight beyond mortal comprehension. He also hangs himself upon Yggdrasil in his quest for the runes, undergoing a symbolic death and transformation in pursuit of wisdom. This transition from ignorance to understanding, from sacrifice to awakening, is seen throughout The Allfather Awakens. Conflict, perseverance, and the willingness to pay a price for a greater purpose recur across its historically inspired tales.
The album's making also reflects a shift in the band's own approach. Rather than waiting until touring was over, AMON AMARTH began writing while on the road. Recording took place across two sessions at Jacob Hansen's studio in Denmark, beginning in spring 2025 and concluding in March 2026. It is their first collaboration with the Danish producer and also a more concentrated songwriting process. Guitarist Olavi Mikkoken describes the approach as working on one song at a time, completing every element before moving on to the next. Drums, guitars, and vocals were finished individually, allowing each composition to receive focused attention. Technically the band have moved away from its more modern guitar approach, returning to Marshall amplifiers. The production keeps the weight and clarity expected but allows the melodies and individual instrumental arrangements to take centre stage.
The opening track, Gjallarhorn, immediately sets out the album's intentions. Named after Heimdallr's horn, whose sound announces Ragnarök, it begins with an energetic guitar riff that propels the song forwards at an impressive pace. Crushing guitars, thunderous drumming, and Hegg's unmistakable growls provide the backbone, while the soaring chorus and cinematic atmosphere brings us their trademark storytelling. There is a triumphant quality to the track almost as if it is announcing its own return to full-scale Viking metal. But its chants also hint at the folk-oriented experimentation announcing an interesting connection between the album's more traditional and adventurous moments. Its infectious chorus and driving rhythm, makes it a strong opener for the record but also a track that could become a live ritual.
Eight Legs of Thunder continues with another heroic tale, this time inspired by Sleipnir, Odin's legendary eight-legged horse. The galloping rhythm provides a clear musical match to its topic, with soaring riffs and powerful vocal passages giving the track a strong sense of movement. It has a memorable melody and battle-ready atmosphere that has the chances of becoming one of the great songs from the band. The accompanying video also takes an unexpected direction with the myth being relocated to a gritty American Western populated by cowboys, pickup trucks, and open roads before Sleipnir appears in a surreal dream sequence. This unusual and fun contrast reinforces the band's willingness to play with its own mythology without losing sight of its identity.
We go darker and deeper with Kvasir's Blood. Inspired by the myth of Kvasir, whose blood was turned into the Mead of Poetry, the song explores the fascinating intersections between wisdom, violence, and creation. It surprise with it heavy metal feel and prominent bass line which establishes a darker, almost doom like atmosphere compared to the opening tracks. The topic itself is also a good analogy for the band's creative inspiration and heaviness, as Kvasir's wisdom is transformed into a source of poetic inspiration through an act of murder and deception, creating a story in which beauty and brutality are inseparable.
We Rule the Waves moves the focus towards communal celebration. Its repeated "we are, we are Vikings" chant invites an audience to join in, creating the impression of a song written with the live setting in mind. It also echoes the band's long-standing relationship with its audience, as their concerts have become synonymous with the famous Viking Row, in which fans synchronise their movements as if rowing an invisible longship. This track is bound to embrace that spirit of shared identity and participation, making us imagine it reverberating through a venue with raised fists and voices.
Then comes Upphaf, arguably the album's most unexpected song. Trading crushing guitars for acoustic instrumentation, it offers AMON AMARTH's first fully acoustic song, and immediately sets a different atmosphere. Inspired by the poetic tradition of the Edda, it combines a folk feeling with a more intimate form of storytelling around a campfire. It is both reflective and grand in a more emotional sense, like passing a tale down to the next generation so that it continues to live. That unusual rhythm also allows the lyrics and listener to breathe in a way the heavier tracks rarely permit. We are given an opportunity for reconnection and reflection in a contemporary world increasingly shaped by technology, distraction, and disassociation. It is a reminder that the band's musical identity does not solely depend on volume and aggression.
The heaviness is, however, never far away. It returns with Die With a War Cry. Built around strong guitar work and a slower, deliberate progression, the track feels less like an immediate explosion and more like the preparation for battle. The riffs can become repetitive at times, but this repetition also creates a solid foundation, allowing the song to build a sense of anticipation. The result is effective in its own way, even if it lacks the immediate impact of the album's strongest material.
Raven God holds a measured pace while reintroducing folk-inspired elements. Its solemn, majestic riffs give the track a slightly different feel and the instrumental is some of the album's most satisfying melodic play. A traditional heavy metal quality comes up again in its arrangement with the guitars developing into an extended feature. When listening to the track, there is no doubt that this is a band that knows itself well and is a well oiled machine. They easily prove how much atmosphere can be created without relying on constant speed or overwhelming heaviness.
The title track, The Allfather Awakens, fades a bit into the band's repertoire. Its central ideas and mechanics are fitting for the album, but the song feels like it stretches its material longer than needed. The repetition occasionally undermines its momentum and it struggles to establish an identity that is different from the strong tracks coming before. The guitar solo and production are however notable.
Oden's Hunt is more adventurous in its composition. Rather than launching straight into a familiar riff, the guitars seem to communicate with one another, establishing an atmosphere before the song accelerates dramatically. The powerful drumming added creates a momentum that approaches speed metal territory. The arrangement is genuinely interesting and new, bringing a different energy to the album. The vocals seem to struggle to find their place in comparison. It feels disconnected from the powerful instrumental happening, sometimes feeling like it is almost in the way and the song would have worked best as an instrumental break. However, the repeated "Oden's Hunt" chant is strong and befitting, making us wish that there was more of that in the song.
The album closes with Ascending Like an Eagle, which combines the bands established strengths with some of the more exploratory elements introduced throughout the record. It continues to the narrative of overcoming obstacles through persistence and determination, as a continuation of Serpent's Trail from The Great Heathen Army. It is not as memorable as the early tracks on the album but makes sense in its overall.
The Allfather Awakens does not attempt to change everything we know about AMON AMARTH. It reinforces what they're known for and allows room for experimentation. The band understands its strengths, and much of the album's appeal is that confidence with which they continue to deploy them. If this will likely make longtime fans happy, others might wish to have seen more of the new cards brought to the table. All in all, it is less of a reinvention and more of a deliberate expansion of their territory. Which is how all conquests begin. And as Odin's pursuit of wisdom reminds us, awakening is not necessarily about abandoning everything that came before. Sometimes it is about seeing familiar things from an entirely different perspective. For a band whose identity has always been built around the stories of gods, warriors, and sacrifice, that is a good place to open another chapter.
Score: 7/10
The Allfather Awakens will be released on 2nd October 2026 via Metal Blade Records.
Words: Lysandre Pons
Photos: Sylwia Makris & Christian Martin Weiss
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