Amon Amarth

As with 2006’s “With Oden On Our Side”, Amon Amarth once again showcase their ever-growing maturity with their seventh studio album.

Whilst they haven’t drastically reinvented themselves from album to album, it is with “With Oden On Our Side” and now “Twilight of the Thunder Gods” they have really come of age. Those albums have really propelled the band to the forefront of not only their genre, but also extreme metal in general.

I don’t think this one is as instantly catchy and memorable as it’s predecessor though. Tracks such as “Valhall Awaits Me”, “Runes to my Memory” and “Cry Of The Black Birds” from “With Oden…” really grab you straight away. It is after a few listens that “Twilight of the Thunder God” really starts to sink in, and you can then start to really appreciate just how amazing the album actually is. They don’t save the best for last that’s for sure, the opener and title track “Twilight of the Thundergod” is one of the highlights of the album and really gets you in the mood as you visualise the story of Thor battling with Jormungandr. The whole album could make it as the soundtrack to some epic Viking film.

The album also features several high-profile guest appearances including Entombed vocalist LG Petrov on "Guardians of Asgaard", Children of Bodom guitarist Roope Latvala who contributes a solo on the track "Twilight of the Thunder God" and Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica as a guest appearance on "Live for the Kill". Amon Amarth has this fantastic quality of making you want to clench your fist in triumph with their epic sing-along chorus’s, huge melodies and catchy hooks, put simply, they are a band that everyone must hear. This is easily one of the contenders for album of the year, 2008.