Band: Amon Amarth
Title: Surtur Rising
Label: Metal Blade Records
Distribution: Rough Trade Benelux.
Release date: March 25th 2011
Review: CD

I don’t need to introduce this magisterial Swedish band anymore. I just won’t.
I just need to say: except for just a handful of others, this is one of those bands that rules the scene (at least ‘my’ scene) when it comes to the most epic form of Death Metal.
Without exception, every release needs to be reviewed with superlatives. Some recordings were stronger than some others, yet not one single effort was of a minor quality!
What about Surtur Rising? It’s been more than two years (oh, that magisterial Twilight Of The Thunder Gods) – not that long, but long enough – we didn’t have but some re-issues in mean time (The Crusher, review posted on October 26th 2009, and Versus The Worlds, see update December 3rd ‘09).
And what a disappointment! No, Surtur Rising isn’t a bad recording, but it does bring (almost) nothing extra-ordinary this time. All former releases did have that something more to reach the highest level, but that’s not the case with this full length.
As a matter of fact, I’ve heard Surtur Rising many times before. The album just sounds like a (cheap) collection of tracks that didn’t make the former albums, lacking of any utter highlight. It sounds catchier and groovier, but it lacks of epic inspiration. Does not mean: not epic – on the contrary. Still Amon Amarth know, of course, how perfectly to combine pride and glory with aggressive rhythms and persuasive compositions.
A pro is the variation of the album, meaning: the hymns consist of different levels, with interaction between contrasting melodies and tempos - and the sound (production: Jens Bogren at Fascination Street – think Draconian, Bloodbath, Opeth, Gwyllion amongst many others) is, as usual, overpowering and colossal.
Surtur Rising as a Death Metal album is better than the average, yet seen as another Amon Amarth release, it might be one of their minor efforts???

81/100

Ivan Tibos.