Fear, Emptiness, Decibel: Amon Amarth Get Their Third Decibel Cover

Before there were blogs there were these things called magazines, and the only metal magazine we still get excited about reading every month is Decibel. Here’s managing editor Andrew Bonazelli…

This August, Amon Amarth join pretty select company by appearing on their third Decibel cover. I’m not gonna go through all the names (way too hung over to research something so simple), but Cannibal Corpse and Converge are among them, and those bands figured pretty prominently in special dB events this year. So, Johan Hegg, since everyone knows you read this spirited advertorial with bated breath every week, let’s get cracking on that acoustic ice floe performance on Lake Vänern this December. You may think it was enough that you and your band did an autograph session in our office before a show at the Trocadero five or six years ago. It wasn’t.

But seriously, folks, something we’ve come to appreciate about Amon Amarth—much like Cannibal Corpse—is their consistency. That does not necessarily mean lack of diversity. They dance with the riffs that brung ’em here, and are cautious of never getting too bloated with ill-advised, head-up-the-ass “ambition.” The general public seems to agree, and for once, they’re right about something! Ninth full-length Deceiver of the Gods is estimated to move 14,000 and 17,000 its first week, which will give AA yet another solid showing in Billboard. Not enough to take out Kanye West, but perhaps enough to make Kanye West fleetingly aware of their existence. Anyway, read J. Bennett’s cover story here, along with the Prowler in the Yard HOF, Metal Maniacs oral history and tons of other Deci-goodies.