Song by song: Amon Amarth - Versus The World |
Ein Artikel von Odin vom 06.11.2002 (25917 mal gelesen) |
Johann Hegg about Amon Amarth's new album:
1) Death In Fire
“This song is probably, along with the title-track and ”Down The Slopes Of Death”, the most aggressive and powerful song of the whole album. Heavy, thunderous riffing intertwining with fine melodies and harmonies, releasing a ferocity and aggression that really gets you going.
Lyrically it’s about the end of the world, where everything will be consumed by fire.”
2) For The Stabwounds In Our Backs
“This song starts out almost soothingly, only to transform into a blazing inferno of powerful riffs and melodies. The lyrical theme is based on a part of the legend of Ragnarök – the end of the world in Northern Mythology – where the dead will rise from their graves and led by Loke will attack the Asa-Gods in the final battle”
3) Where Silent Gods Stand Guard
“Along with ”Across The Rainbow Bridge”, this is probably the most ”Non-Amon Amarth” song of the album. Yet it is very much Amon Amarth. It’s a much calmer song. Slow beat, almost ”ballad-like” in a twisted way.
For this song I wanted to write lyrics that was totally the opposite of the song. The story deals with a very sick man, who’s firm belief is that all men he kills will be his slaves in afterlife, if only he eats their eyes, drink their blood and sacrificetheir sculls to the Gods. This rite is performed in his own ”temple” where he has statues of the Gods. It is the place ”Where Silent Gods Stand Guard”.”
4) Vs The World
“This song is pure aggression. It starts out in a slower vein, only to explode into a thunderous wall of sound.
The lyrics deal with our history as a band in short terms. From when we started out until present times. Everything is written in metaphor, but it’s fairly easy to see through the story and read between the lines.”
5) Across The Rainbow Bridge
“A year ago, a song like this wouldn’t even have made it past the first rehearsal tape, but we’re living in a changing world and Amon Amarth can change a bit too. This is the most melodious track of the whole album, with melancholic and sad harmonies and melodies.
The story told hereis that of a man who have lived a long and prosperous life. He’s been in many battles and all his friends have been called to Valhalla except him. Now he’s feeling old, and he wants to die in honor, rather than to die as a sick old man, so that he may walk ”Across the Rainbow Bridge” that leads to Valhalla.“
6) Down The Slopes Of Death
“This is the mother of all tanks on the roll. A very heavy and brutal song that yields for no one.
This song takes us back to the main concept of the album – Ragnarök. This is the story of how Oden rides out to the final battle where his fate – Fenris – awaits.”
7) Thousand Years Of Oppression
“This is probably the most epic song on the wholealbum. Meticulously built from the very beginning to build up a very strong support for the lyrical themes dealing with the religiousoppression of people in general, and the chrisitian oppression of the Scandinavian spirit in particular. My sister wrote these lyrics, and they are my favorite lyrics of the whole album. Probably because of the way the lyrics and the music work together.”
8) Bloodshed
“This is a song of sheer brutality. The lyrical theme is again taken from the legend of Ragnarök, but written from a different perspective. This is the story of two brothers who end up fighting each other, and eventually kill each other. ”Brothers shall be each others bane” it is said in ”Völuspa” – the legend that foretells Ragnarök.”
9) … And Soon The World Will Cease To Be
“Musically this song takes us back to the more melancholic and melodic themes. A very emotional song both musically and lyrically. I probably don’t have to explain what the lyrics are about, as most of you probably already guessed it from the title.“
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