Amon Amarth Live Review || Friday Sept. 2, 2011- The Complex, SLC

Woe is my fucking eardrums, more like it!

Amon Amarth slayed. These five Swedish Viking took the stage for their acclaimed An Evening With Amon Amarth concert series and I’m pretty sure this state nay, the entire southwest, is still reeling from the visit. For the first set the band came out strong and went through the entirety of their new album, Surtur Rising, in just about an hour’s time. The lighting was top notch--not sure if they bring their own with them or we have the venue to thank for that-- the band, and especially front man Johan Hegg were phenomenal, and even from the near very back where we were, we could see everything and felt like part of it all. Even having not really latched on to Surtur Rising as closely as some of their other releases, I thoroughly enjoyed them playing through the album and, I have to agree with Sparks who first pointed this out, the vocals were better live and in person than what I heard on the album.

After a short break during which the band announced they were to “kick back and have a few beers”, they took the stage once more, with even more ferocity than the first time and killed it! They ran through songs off almost every one of their albums, most of my favorites (I would have liked to hear Where Silent Gods Stand Guard. And maybe they did play it, I had to leave a little early), and generally made an unholy mess of the place.

Sadly, I can’t tell you to go see this concert series for ours was the second to last stop, but do, if you ever have the chance, go see Amon Amarth live. You will not be let down and since they seem to tour all the time, chances are you will get the opportunity sooner or later. 

Huzzah!