LIVE REVIEW: Amon Amarth @ O2 Apollo, Manchester

Of the many bands that rigidly stick to a particular gimmick, few have done it quite like AMON AMARTH. Over the course of eleven albums, the band have extensively explored Viking mythology and history and deftly mirrored these themes in their live show and the band’s aesthetic. With 2019 marking the band’s eleventh album Berserker, AMON AMARTH hit the road with fellow Swedes ARCH ENEMY and HYPOCRISY to bring the Halls of Valhalla to Manchester.

Opening their set with Fractured Millennium, Swedish death metal legends HYPOCRISY took to the stage in a room already packed to the brim. So rarely do you get a show with three artists who have all arguably attained legend status, it was clear that every ticket holder was keen to get down early to soak up every minute of the show. Playing a show mainly comprised of their pre-2000 material, straight out of the gate HYPOCRISY looked like a band more than deserving of their reverence. Powerful vocals, heavily melodic, harmonised guitar solos, and crushing death metal verses all come together to make the band a powerhouse that are simply a joy to watch. Their brand of melodic death metal proved to be the perfect precursor to the following two bands, whipping the crowd up into a state of excitement and anticipation for what was to come.

Rating: 7/10

One band utterly synonymous with the modern Swedish metal scene are melodic death metal icons ARCH ENEMY. Kicking their set off with The World is Yours and War Eternal from their latest two releases; 2017’s Will to Power and 2014’s War Eternal respectively, ARCH ENEMY got off to an absolutely blistering start. Accompanied by a light show so intense that it could trigger an epileptic seizure in someone three towns over, right from the get-go, the band’s set had an air beyond that of a simple support slot and instead felt like a headline show in its own right.

With no new material to promote, their set was packed with fan favourites from across their sizeable discography, resulting in a show for existing fans to rejoice in or for those not familiar with ARCH ENEMY to get the full experience of what the band do. Aside from the excellent setlist, the band themselves were in phenomenal form. Vocalist Alissa White-Gluz gave an incredible performance, with vocals as crisp, clear, and powerful as if it was the first day of the tour, all while bounding around the stage and injecting brilliant crowd work when necessary. Guitarists Jeff Loomis and Michael Amott, and bassist Sharlee D’Angelo played with as much skill and precision as if they were machines created for that one purpose. And holding the whole thing together was drummer Daniel Erlandsson, whose ferocious double kick patterns and drum fills were like the room was being shelled by artillery.

Upon ending their set with Nemesis, the majority of the room were shouting each lyric back to the stage, closing the book on an impressive set with style. If ever there was a perfect snapshot of the band at their sparkling best, this was it. From their commanding presence on stage, the flawlessness of their musical finesse, right down to the choice of material to pad-out their setlist, this show was quintessential ARCH ENEMY doing what they do best.

Rating: 8/10

The raising of a massive drop curtain emblazoned with the word Berserker and the album’s logo could only mean one thing: the headliner’s arrival was imminent. The atmosphere in the room was rising to boiling point and the anticipation for the curtain to drop almost unbearable. After the intro track slowly came to an end, the curtain dropped, and the band launched into Raven’s Flight while backed by a barrage of pyro firing in all directions. The stage’s centrepiece was a giant skull with ever-changing screens for eyes, adorned with a Viking’s horned helmet, atop of which sat drummer, Jocke Wallgren.

Immediately following the opening song was one of the band’s older tracks Runes to My Memory, and upon the tracks beginning the two giant Nordic runes that flanked the stage burst into flames and the inferno persisted throughout the song’s duration. Right from the opening two tracks, it was overtly clear that something was different about this show. Even at this early stage in the set, the sheer amount of thought and careful consideration that went into every aspect of the band’s performance was astounding and adding to this the sheer strength of the band’s musical tact, AMON AMARTH are clearly one of a kind.

Drawing from their many years of experience on the touring circuit, the band reached astoundingly lofty heights throughout their set. There is absolutely no hyperbole in saying that the band were absolutely flawless. Musically, the band are in the best shape of their career. With their stunning, powerful back catalogue of songs and their acumen for live performance, whether it be in front of a live audience or on each of their excellent albums, there is no better time to be a fan of AMON AMARTH.

The genuinely breathtaking level of theatrics, stage dressing, and pyrotechnics gave the whole show the feeling of a condensed arena show. Over the course of the band’s set, the staging evolved and changed with each passing song. After the first few tracks the backdrop fell to reveal a Viking berserker like that of the one on the cover of the band’s new album, and further into the set, before the band played Guardians of Asgaard, floor-to-ceiling curtains dropped to reveal two giant statues of Norse warriors ominously flanking the stage. Aside from the stage props, the set was also punctuated by actors clad in costumes from Viking mythology and beyond. During the track Deceiver of the Gods the Norse god of mischief, Loki joined the band on stage complete with glowing eyes and a vest strapped with pyro that exploded upon his arrival. In addition to this, there was also the appearance of two Viking warriors during one of the band’s newer tracks Shield Wall, who went on to battle with sword and shield throughout the track until one was the victor and the other was ‘dead’.

The crowd were fully engaged with the band from beginning to end. From sharing a drink from their drinking horns with the band before the track Raise Your Horns, to reciting every lyric to every song the band played – the packed room was loving every minute. When it came time for an encore, the band played two of their most beloved tracks: The Pursuit of Vikings and Twilight of the Thunder God, in what proved to be the perfect way to bring an end to an utterly incredible set that was nothing short of flawless.

There are not enough adjectives in existence to accurately describe how good AMON AMARTH are. Their live show pushes the boundaries of what a gig should be, and musically the band continue to surpass anything they’ve achieved previously. If you wanted to accurately describe the sheer power metal possesses to someone who has never explored the genre, an AMON AMARTH show would make them a fan for life. With Berserker, AMON AMARTH have added another gem to their back catalogue, and the live show that goes with it is something every metal fan needs to experience. What they did that night will live in the memories of those in attendance for years to come and for good reason, it was mind-blowing.

Rating: 10/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here: