On November 16, AMON AMARTH will release its new documentary and supporting live album(s), “The Pursuit Of Vikings: 25 Years In The Eye Of The Storm” — which includes a retrospective documentary that features a wealth of live and behind-the-scenes content and extensive band interviews. This film tells the Swedish quintet’s history, through both their own eyes and those of the fans that have supported them along the way. It is a thrilling collection that pays respect to the faithful, as well as making for a detailed and riveting introduction for those new to their inspiring story. Paired with this documentary is the live video/audio, which contains two different sets at 2017’s Summer Breeze festival in Dinkelsbühl, Germany, capturing the unit at their very best.
A performance clip of the song “Raise Your Horns”, taken from “The Pursuit Of Vikings: 25 Years In The Eye Of The Storm”, can be seen below.
Having played the German festival numerous times over the years, and loving the family vibe they have always experienced there, AMON AMARTH leapt at the chance to appear twice in the same year. Playing a secret, smaller scale set that focused primarily on older material, and then headlining the main stage with full production — including their giant sea serpent and lots of fire — allowed them to showcase their songs at their best, though putting together setlists from such a mighty catalog was not the easiest of tasks.
“For the first night, we wanted to write a set that the fans would enjoy by wholly diving into our back catalog but also keeping it interesting,” explains guitarist Olavi Mikkonen. “But putting the two shows together also made us realize that we have a lot of songs to choose from!”
For the band, producer Alexander Milas (who contributed to Kerrang! and was an award-winning editor-in-chief of Metal Hammer, before starting his own creative solutions company, Twin V Ltd.) and director Phil Wallis, “The Pursuit Of Vikings” has been a true labor of love.
“The Pursuit Of Vikings: 25 Years In The Eye Of The Storm” Album Artwork
“I think I first became conscious of AMON AMARTH around the release of 2002’s ‘Versus The World’,” Milas states. “It was a really transitional time for metal, and it seemed there wasn’t a credible band on the heavier end of the scale that hadn’t in some way responded to or been influenced by the pioneering sounds of the Swedish death metal scene, but I distinctly remember thinking that there was something unique about these guys: the artwork, the thematic underpinnings, even that curiously timeless logo.”
While their sound certainly displays strong echoes of the nation that birthed them, AMON AMARTH arguably wield a unique aura, a “lusciously crafted escapism” that Milas likens to the classic bands he grew up with: DIO, IRON MAIDEN and others who exist on a spectrum of their own making.
The DVD/live album can be pre-ordered in the following formats via Metal Blade Records in the USA:
- CD/2DVD 8-Panel Digipak
- Blu-ray (includes audio digital download of Main Stage Show)
- Special edition hardcover book with 6 discs (3DVD, 2CD, 1 Blu-ray) plus amulet and patch – (import – limited to 500 copies)
- Transparent orange vinyl (U.S. retail exclusive — limited to 500 copies)
- Clear with black splatter vinyl (U.S. webstore exclusive – limited to 250 copies)
- Transparent yellow with orange marble vinyl (U.S. webstore exclusive — limited to 250 copies)
CD track listing (Main Stage Show: August 17, 2017):
01. The Pursuit Of Vikings
02. As Loke Falls
03. First Kill
04. The Way Of Vikings
05. At Dawn’s First Light
06. Cry Of The Black Birds
07. Deceiver Of The Gods
08. Destroyer Of The Universe
09. Death In Fire
10. Father Of The Wolf
11. Runes To My Memory
12. War Of The Gods
13. Raise Your Horns
14. A Dream That Cannot Be
15. Guardians Of Asgaard
16. Twilight Of The Thunder God
DVD Digipak and Blu-ray track-listings:
– Documentary
T-Stage Show: August 16, 2017
01. Twilight Of The Thunder God
02. Free Will Sacrifice
03. With Oden On Our Side
04. The Last With Pagan Blood
05. For The Stabwounds In Our Backs
06. Thousand Years Of Oppression
07. Gods Of War Arise
08. Versus The World
09. Asator
10. Under The Northern Star
11. Fate Of Norns
12. Varyags Of Miklagaard
13. Live For The Kill
14. Victorious March
Main Stage Show: August 17, 2017
01. The Pursuit Of Vikings
02. As Loke Falls
03. First Kill
04. The Way Of Vikings
05. At Dawn’s First Light
06. Cry Of The Black Birds
07. Deceiver Of The Gods
08. Destroyer Of The Universe
09. Death In Fire
10. Father Of The Wolf
11. Runes To My Memory
12. War Of The Gods
13. Raise Your Horns
14. A Dream That Cannot Be
15. Guardians Of Asgaard
16. Twilight Of The Thunder God
**Note: special edition hardcover book contains all of the above, plus audio from T-Stage Show: August 16, 2017**
