Iconic Swedish heavy metallers Amon Amarth approach a new way of songwriting on their first-ever acoustic excursion “Upphaf”. The song strips away the fury of modern melodic heavy metal to reveal the ancient, skeletal frame of a Norse epic. Reimagined for the gathering space of a longhouse hearth, the song features hypnotic melodies and mesmerising quires. The stripped-back composition carries the solemnity of an oral history whispered under the shadow of the Allfather, proving the band’s interest in Oden cuts just as deep by firelight as it does on epic global stages. The single serves as the quiet moment to what lies ahead, before the fury of their next studio album.
“Upphaf” was produced by Jacob Hansen and is available via Metal Blade Records across all digital retail alongside its video directed by Pavel Trebukhin.
Listen / Share / Playlist “Upphaf”: https://lnk.to/Upphaf
Watch Official Music Video:
From Amon Amarth’s 1992 formation in Tumba, Sweden, to the worldwide fame they’ve found in the ensuing years, their lyrical, live and recorded musical legacy speaks for itself. Over the past few years the band have performed globally and alongside legendary acts such as Slayer, Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, and Pantera in addition to monumental sold out takeovers of Los Angeles’ The Forum and Denver’s historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre to name a few. Across seas, Amon Amarth have headlined multiple major rock and metal fests including an epic performance at Germany’s Wacken in 2024 for 85,000 rabid fans which was deemed “a 19-song masterclass in unbeatable, indefatigable force…a repertoire of songs that can conquer the biggest crowds on the planet,” by Louder. Elsewhere on UK/European soil, the Viking lords have twice headlined the UK’s storied Bloodstock festival, made four appearances at Download (2008 – 2019), and performed at Summer Breeze eight times (2003 – 2024) – six of them as headliner.
Their rapidly increasing sales and touring numbers, plus pre-release buzz to Amon Amarth’s 2026 North American tour with Dethklok and Castle Rat, has managed to garner mainstream success without sacrificing either of their constantly evolving creativity or heaviness. Audience demographics run the gamut from pre-teens to 60-somethings, an inclusive metal experience for those who appreciate epic positivity and powerfully inspirational lyrics.
Amon Amarth continues to garner universal musical respect and reverence from fans and critics, and an ever-growing popularity in North America. In Europe, Amon Amarth reached #1 on German album charts with Jomsviking, Berserker, and 2022’s The Great Heathen Army also topped the US Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart, the Canadian Billboard Top Current Albums chart, and earned a Swedish Grammy nomination for hard rock/metal album of the year.
Their cultural influence cannot be overstated. To wit: The Row. The consensus is that the legendary “Viking row” by audience members first began during the 2009 Amon Amarth set at Bloodstock. Fans get on the ground and, in unison, imitate rowing an invisible longship in a powerfully unifying experience. With the 2022 release of the single and video “Put Your Back into the Oar,” frontman Johann Hegg said, “we thought it was a good idea to write a song about The Row! This one is for you, the fans, wherever you are–and may Oden guide you as you row to your destiny in uncharted seas!” The phenomenon has now spread to other artist’s’ concerts and global events including 2026 World Cup audiences – but thanks to video footage, it’s safe to say Amon Amarth audiences began the now-iconic trend.
Over 30 years later, Amon Amarth remains a band of brothers, and that loyalty and unity allow for harmony and a united front that conquers both the stage and record. Hegg’s powerfully rendered lyrics on last year’s “We Rule The Waves” sum up the band’s unrelenting intent. “From cradle until the grave / As long as the sun sets in the west / We rule the waves / Our restless hearts / Have brought us far / As far as Vinland’s shores / We’ve gone further / Than any man has ever gone before.”
THE ALLFATHER AWAKENS TOUR will raid cities across Europe later this year, featuring Sweden’s heaviest army: Amon Amarth, Orbit Culture, and Soilwork.
UK Dates:
Fri 9th Oct – ENGLAND – Manchester, O2 Apollo
Sat 10th Oct – ENGLAND – London, Eventim Apollo
Sun 11th Oct – ENGLAND – Wolverhampton, Civic Hall
EU Dates:
Tue 13th Oct – FRANCE – Paris, Zenith
Wed 14th Oct – LUXEMBOURG – Esch sur Alzette, Rockhal
Fri 16th Oct – GERMANY – Stuttgart, Schleyer-Halle
Sat 17th Oct – GERMANY – Frankfurt, Festhalle
Sun 18th Oct – BELGIUM – Antwerp, Lotto Hall
Tue 20th Oct – NETHERLANDS – Den Bosch, Mainstage
Wed 21st Oct – GERMANY – Hamburg, Sporthalle
Fri 23rd Oct – SWEDEN – Gothenburg, Scandinavium
Sat 24th Oct – SWEDEN – Stockholm, Hovet
Mon 26th Oct – FINLAND – Helsinki, Ice Hall
Tue 27th Oct – ESTONIA – Tallin, Unibet Arena
Thu 29th Oct – POLAND – Gliwice, PreZero Arena Gliwice
Fri 30th Oct – GERMANY – Leipzig, Quarterback Immobilien Arena
Sat 31st Oct – GERMANY – Oberhausen, Rudolf Weber Arena
Mon 2nd Nov – HUNGARY – Budapest, Barba Negra
Tue 3rd Nov – AUSTRIA – Vienna, Gasometer
Wed 4th Nov – GERMANY – Bamberg, Brose Arena
Fri 6th Nov – CZECH REPUBLIC – Prague, O2 Universum
Sat 7th Nov – GERMANY – Berlin, Velodrom
Sun 8th Nov – GERMANY – Munich, Zenith
Tue 10th Nov – ITALY – Milan, Alcatraz
Wed 11th Nov – SWITZERLAND – Zurich, The Hall
Fri 13th Nov – SPAIN – Barcelona, Sant Jordi Club
Sat 14th Nov – SPAIN – Madrid, Vistalegre
Sun 15th Nov – PORTUGAL – Lisbon, Sala Tejo
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