It's kind of hard to fault those lovable Vikings Amon Amarth. Over the years they've slowly become the AC/DC of the extreme metal world, releasing albums that are practically interchangeable to each other, to an immensly growing fanbase. Sultur Rising, while perhaps a bit more polished and glossier than previous releases, is through and through an Amon Amarth album. No real surprises, little deviation from the formula, just solid melodic death metal done up the Amon Amarth way.
Despite the familiarity with just about every riff and growl on Sultur Rising, it's still a pretty enjoyable slab 'o molten metal. Johan Hegg almost sounds all Mikael Akerfedt-ish on the crushing "Tock's Taunt Loke's Treachery Part II", and the band pull off some impressive riff-o-rama & tasty harmony leads on the wild " Destroyer of the Universe". Elsewhere, there's plenty of heavy material that ranks right up there with some of the best that the band has written so far, like "War of the Gods", "Live Without Regrets", and "Wrath of the Norsemen", while "Doom Over Dead Man" mixes progressive & atmospheric passages into their death metal attack for an interesting change of pace.
While Sultur Rising might be a tad too safe and polished for those who can't get enough of Versus the World, Fate of Norns, and Twilight of the Thunder God, chances are if you like the rest of their back catalog, this one will push all the right buttons once again. However, if you were hoping that Amon Amarth were going to try something a little different, better look elsewhere.
Track Listing
1. War of the Gods
2. Tock's Taunt Loke's Treachery Part II
3. Destroyer of the Universe
4. Slaves of Fear
5. Live Without Regrets
6. The Last Stand of Frej
7. For Victory or Death
8. Wrath of the Norsemen
9. A Beast Am I
10. Doom Over Dead Man
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