Amon Amarth have confirmed their 10th album will be released in March and issued a video for the track First Kill.
Jomsviking is issued on March 25 via Sony Music and will be the group’s first ever concept album. It tells a “tragic tale of love and revenge” set in the world of the Jomsvikings, the pagan order of mercenary Vikings from the 10th & 11th centuries.
The record was produced by Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with Megadeth, Testament and Accept, and features guest session drummer Tobias Gustafsson of Vomitory fame.
Frontman Johan Hegg says: “The Jomsvikings were a shadowy and legendary sect of Viking mercenaries, as shrouded in myth now as they were when they fought across Europe and the Middle East.
“Ruthless and deadly warriors who fought for the highest bidder, their code was simple – show no fear, never retreat, defend your brothers, and when called upon, avenge their deaths.”
He adds: “I felt we were finally ready to use their story as the jumping off point for an Amon Amarth album. The Jomsvikings and their world is the background for the story of a young man that is in love with a girl but unfortunately she’s being married off.
“He accidentally kills a man when this happens and he has to flee - but he swears to have revenge and win her back. He can’t let go of the past. He feels that he’s been wronged and his life has been destroyed. The way the story evolves is not a happy story.”
Doro Pesch adds guest vocals to the track A Dream That Cannot Be, with Hegg saying: “It was a great pleasure to work with Doro. She’s a very nice person and did a great job. She was actually the only one we could picture singing this song.”
Jomsviking is available to pre-order now in various formats.
The band head out on a short European tour of small venues in March, including a show at London’ s Underworld.
Amon Amarth Jomsviking tracklist
- First Kill
- Wanderer
- On A Sea Of Blood
- One Against All
- Raise Your Horns
- The Way Of Vikings
- At Dawn‘s First Light
- One Thousand Burning Arrows
- Vengeance Is My Name
- A Dream That Cannot Be
- Back On Northern Shores
AMON AMARTH EUROPEAN DATES 2016
Mar 22: London Underworld, UK
Mar 23: Paris Divan Du Monde, France
Mar 24: Tilburg Hall Of Fame, Netherlands
Mar 25: Berline Postbahnof, Germany
