AMON AMARTH

New album, “The Allfather Awakens”, out on October 2nd!

AMON AMARTH announce The Allfather Awakens – a ten-song masterwork that further cements the legacy of the Swedish metal titan’s spectacularly memorable riffs and unflinching melodic aural power.

For Amon Amarth, a new album marks the beginning of a new world. As with previous records, Oden, the Norse “all father” who is a deity of war, wisdom, death, magic, and poetry, is the through-line in Amon Amarth’s lyrics and artwork. Once again, Oden is the band’s inspiration, but The Allfather Awakens is not a concept album, rather a collection of historically inspired epic tales of conflict and sacrifice for a greater good.

Amon Amarth took a new songwriting approach for The Allfather Awakens, the band’s 13th album since 1998’s Once Sent from the Golden Hall. The album came to life across two recording sessions, months apart, at producer Jacob Hansen’s studio in Denmark. Amon Amarth began writing songs while touring, rather than waiting until they were off the road. The first session was Spring 2025; the final recording was completed in March 2026. The writing and recording process allowed the musicians to intensely focus on each track, resulting in an album where each song was treated as a single. “We worked on one song at a time and made each song as good as possible,” says guitarist Olavi Mikkonen. “Then we recorded one song at a time until each track was totally finished–drums, guitars, and vocals. Only then did we start on the next one.” Guitar-wise, Amon Amarth opted for a slightly less modern approach sonically, moving away from 5150 amps and back to Marshalls.

Music is written before lyrics, and often sets the tone for the words. The song that inspired the album title, “The Allfather Awakes,” was the last written for the album. With Oden as the titular “Allfather,” there is no shortage of historical influences heard across new songs like “Eight Legs of Thunder,” “Kvasir’s Blood” and “Die With a War Cry,” with the brutally beautiful lyrical rallying cry: “Facing destruction/Annihilation/Master your thoughts and mind.” The Allfather Awakens cover art is a powerful portrait of Oden by Tom Thiel, who created seven of the quintet’s album covers.

Over 30 years later, Amon Amarth remains a band of brothers, and that loyalty and unity allow for harmony and a united front that conquers both the stage and record. Frontman Johann Hegg’s powerfully rendered lyrics on The Allfather Awakens’ on “We Rule The Waves” sum up the band’s unrelenting intent. “From cradle until the grave / As long as the sun sets in the west / We rule the waves / Our restless hearts / Have brought us far / As far as Vinland’s shores / We’ve gone further / Than any man has ever gone before.”

From Amon Amarth’s 1992 formation in Tumba, Sweden, to the worldwide fame they’ve found in the ensuing years, their lyrical, live and recorded musical legacy speaks for itself. Over the past few years the band have performed globally and alongside legendary acts such as Slayer, Iron Maiden, Slipknot, Pantera in addition to monumental takeovers of Los Angeles’ The Forum and Denver’s historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre to name a few. Across seas, Amon Amarth have headlined multiple major rock and metal fests including an epic performance at Germany’s Wacken in 2024 for 85,000. Elsewhere on UK/European soil, the Viking lords have twice headlined the UK’s storied Bloodstock festival, made four appearances at Download (2008 – 2019), and performed at Summer Breeze eight times (2003 – 2024) – six of them as headliner.

Their rapidly increasing sales and touring numbers, plus pre-release buzz to Amon Amarth’s 2026 North American tour with Dethklok and Castle Rat, has managed to garner mainstream success without sacrificing either of their constantly evolving creativity or heaviness. Audience demographics run the gamut from pre-teens to 60-somethings, an inclusive metal experience for those who appreciate epic positivity and powerfully inspirational lyrics.

Their cultural influence cannot be overstated. To wit: The Row. The consensus is that the legendary “Viking row” by audience members first began during the 2009 Amon Amarth set at Bloodstock. Fans get on the ground and, in unison, imitate rowing an invisible longship in a powerfully unifying experience. With the 2022 release of the single and video “Put Your Back into the Oar,” Hegg said, “we thought it was a good idea to write a song about The Row! This one is for you, the fans, wherever you are-and may Oden guide you as you row to your destiny in uncharted seas!”

Over the years the phenomenon has spread to other artist’s’ concerts and global events including 2026 World Cup audiences – but thanks to video footage, it’s safe to say Amon Amarth audiences began the now-iconic trend.

The Allfather Awakens is yet another step up, introducing previously untried efforts, an impressive and conscious musical and lyrical feat after three decades of band-dom.

Amon Amarth