Amon Amarth - The Allfather Awakens Review

Amon Amarth are a legendary band that needs very little introduction to the metal masses, having made their debut back in 1998 with Once Sent From The Golden Hall. Their thirteeneth album is The Allfather Awakens, bringing forth another chapter of Viking themed revelry.

Opener “Gjallarhorn” has all the catchy and melodic riffs that you expect from Johan Hegg and crew with nearly singalong sections that are more than enough to get the crowd rowing with the best of them as Ragnarok begins around them. “Eight Legs Of Thunder” gallops along with aplomb as Hegg roars through sections as is the expectation, creating plenty of space for future crowd involvement.

The album also includes former standalone singles “We Ride The Waves” and “Upphaf” from last year, helping to buoy the first half of the album which was written in two recording sessions. They fit in nicely with the rest of the newer tracks, the former being a raucous Viking romp and the latter being more of a transitional slower and spoken one; this being the band’s first truly acoustic song ever.

“Raven God” is another song that is classic Amon Amarth without having to be a rapid and rumbling beast, instead aiming for the very Euro metal flavored chanted begging to turn the mic around at future concerts, something that has been with the band since their inception. “The Allfather Awakes” was the last song written for the album and became the title as it acted to help sound the triumphant horn in the name of Oden, a constant source of inspiration throughout this band’s existence, slowly moving in unison with the riffs.

Amon Amarth, as always, offer a fun romp at the expense of their enemies with enough historically relevant lyrics and imagery that you’d swear you were taking to the waves and plundering the shores with them. The Allfather Awakens is an entertaining album that perfectly encapsulates everything Amon Amarth have set out to achieve.

(released October 2, 2026 on Metal Blade Records)