AMON AMARTH # 1 on Billboard

The monarchs of Swedish Death Metal Amon Amarth, have hit the number one spot on the Billboard Charts with their new album titled "Surtur Rising" (released on March 20, 2011). Their eighth studio album is a head crushing very well written album, so its not surprising at all that they have hit the top of the charts.

"Surtur Rising" is the follow-up to their punishing 2008 release, "Twilight Of The Thunder God". An album that Revolver Magazine listed as number 7 on their Top 20 albums of 2008. Metal Sucks defined this album as: "a bottomless gauntlet of riffs that the band endlessly takes gargantuan swigs from, sounding both lush and emotive as well as skull crushingly heavy… every goddamn one is a chest-beating anthem." The famous Time Out New York noted that "Amon Amarth plays some of the most unabashedly epic metal you’re likely to find these days."

Here are some facts about "Surtur Rising":

- Named in tribute to Surtur, leader of the fire giants of Muspelheim (“flame land”) and the oldest being in the nine worlds of Norse mythology.

- "Surtur Rising" was listed among Decibel Magazine's most anticipated albums of 2011.

- The record features 10 tracks of sword-wielding, fist-pumping, hyper climactic battle anthems.

- It was recorded, mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studios Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren and features strikingly brutal cover art by Tom Thiel.

- Here are the chart positions to this day for "Surtur Rising":

#34 Billboard 200
#7 Rock Albums
#6 Independent Albums
#19 Canadian Albums
#10 Tastemaker Albums

- Track listing:

1: War of the Gods
2: Töck'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

Amon Amarth is:
Johan Hegg: Vocals
Olavi Mikkonen: Guitar
Johan Söderberg: Guitar
Ted Lundström: Bass
Fredrik Andersson: Drums

4/14/2011 The Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
4/15: Station 4 - Saint Paul, MN
4/16: Granada Theater - Lawrence, KS
4/17: The Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
4/19: Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR
4/20: Showbox Sodo - Seattle, WA
4/22: The Regency - San Francisco, CA
4/23: Ace Of Spades - Sacramento, CA
4/24: House of Blues - West Hollywood, CA
4/25: Nile Theatre - Mesa, AZ
4/27: White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX
4/29: Culture Room - Fort Lauderdale, FL
4/30: Beacham Theatre - Orlando, FL
5/01: Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
5/02: Jaxx - Springfield, VA
5/03: Peabody’s - Cleveland, OH
5/05: Best Buy Theater - New York, NY
5/06: Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
5/07: Theatre Of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA

EUROPEAN tour - SURTUR RISING

Presented by METAL HAMMER
Special Guests BLACK DAHLIA MURDER & EVOCATION

13/5 (N) OSLO / Betong
14/5 (S) STOCKHOLM / Tyrol
15/5 (S) GOTHENBURG / Trädgarn *
17/5 (DK) COPENHAGEN / Vega
18/5 (D) HAMBURG / Grosse Freiheit 36 (Tickets)
19/5 (B) ANTWERP / Hof Ter Lo
20/5 (NL) AMSTERDAM / Melkweg
21/5 (D) COLOGNE / E-Werk (Tickets)
22/5 (F) PARIS / Elysee Montmartre
24/5 (D) MUNICH / Tonhalle (Tickets)
25/5 (I) MILAN / Limelight
27/5 (D) DESSAU / Metalfest Germany
28/5 (A) MINING / Metalfest Austria
29/5 (CH) PRATTELN / Metalfest Switzerland

*without Black Dahlia Murder

Horns way UP to Amon Amarth, Metal Blade Records and Earsplit PR!

Related links:
Surtur Rising Landing Page
Amon Amarth's Official Site
Amon Amarth on MySpace
Amon Amarth on Facebook
Amon Amarth on Twitter
Bilboard Charts