AMON AMARTH

Xfinity Center
Mansfield, Massachusetts
August 19, 2023

Photos & Review by Dan Wenc

MANSFIELD, Mass. – Ghost was in town on their Re-Imperatour, at the forefront of the night was Amon Amarth to get the fire started. Amon Amarth as been around since 1992, with twelve studio albums to their name. The latest album release is The Great Heathen Army, from 2022.

Amon Amarth is guitarist Johan Hegg (vocals) Olavi Mikkonen (guitar), Ted Lundstrom (bass), Johan Soderberg (guitar) and Jocke Wallgren on drums.

They took the stage amongst a roaring crowd, with “Ravens Flight,” “Shield Wall” and “Heidrun.” This would start off the nine song set. The music was heavy, the stage was mammoth and the audience loved it. As much as there was a following for Ghost, the Amon Amarth following was every noticeable. The theme of their music is on the lines of death metal, but it has strong storytelling themes of Norse and Viking tales.

There were two large Norse guards towering at each side of the stage with the drummer perched on top of a high rise in the center, over a Viking helmet, with digital screens that gave the appearance of moving eyes. The large backdrop behind the stage were images of Viking warriors.

The Amon Amarth set continued with “Deceiver of the Gods,” and “Put Your Back Into the Oar”; a song that included an audience participation portion where everyone would row in synchronicity, everyone seemed that they knew what to do at that point of the show. It was heavy and hard metal, but great fun, between the music and visual entertainment of the large stage.

“The Way of Vikings,” “Guardians of Asgaard,” “Raise Your Horns” and “Twilight of the Thunder God” would close out the last half of the set.