Amon Amarth is considered by many, if not all, to be the biggest band within melodic death metal with a Viking theme, often called “Viking metal” among fans. You can certainly understand this if you, like us at Hovet, witnessed the concert and experienced what was on offer.
The cheers from the audience are unmistakable—they know, or at least suspect, what lies ahead even before the band has entered the stage. There's no doubt why everyone is here: battle! A war horn sounds throughout Hovet and the entire venue knows it's going to be a night of epic proportions!
Amon Amarth takes the stage and the evening begins with the second single, ‘Gjallarhorn’, from the new album The Allfather Awakens, which was released on October 2, 2026.
The audience’s reaction mimics my own—delight and excitement for where this evening will take us. For me, this is the first time witnessing the band’s live performance, and it starts in an exceptional way.
Already after the first song, it’s clear that the production is of very high quality, both visually and audibly. The soundscape is clear, with nothing to complain about. Every instrument is crisp and distinguishable, and nothing overpowers the rest. Guitar solos are crystal clear. The kick drums hit your chest in a way that contributes to the sense that a battle has begun. Johan Hegg’s brutal growling vocals are loud, clear, and precise, with everything from the 196cm-tall, impressive man easily understood.
The stage setup is, as should be with Amon Amarth, in Viking style. Large pillars on both sides of the stage stand majestically. Behind the drum podium sits an arch inscribed with runes, seemingly reaching up to the ceiling. Columns of fire accompany the music excellently. This production is well thought out. An appealing scenic décor in the form of a stage backdrop/visual backdrop can be glimpsed in the background. Between songs, the background changes motifs, from dark skies to various atmospheric Viking scenes depending on the song, which matches the music and greatly enhances the audience's overall experience.
Death In Fire, the third song in, is where Johan takes command of the audience and delivers the first call for engagement, as he raises his fist and shouts “Hey, hey, hey” in true metal fashion. The audience responds without hesitation, raising their fists toward the stage and chanting as Johan leads them.
When the title track from the new album, The Allfather Awakes, is played, the same call and chanting of “Hey, hey, hey” is taken to a new level, as the audience joins with all their might.
The stage presence is formidable; Amon Amarth are consummate entertainers, which is evident in how they move across the stage and interact with each other. That they are enjoying themselves on stage is beyond question, and it rubs off on the audience, who are with them all the way from the start.
When the song ‘Put your Back into the Oar’ is up, most here know what that means. Johan roars out, “You know what to do, on my command, sit down and row!” This part, and this song, has become a trademark for Amon Amarth, and when the song comes to the part where Johan sings “row, row, row”, the entire arena sits and rows in time with Johan’s voice. An impressive sight, not soon forgotten.
Another memorable moment from the evening is when the song ‘One Thousand Burning Arrows’ is dedicated to Tompa Lindberg (singer in At The Gates), who passed away on September 16, 2025, after a battle with cancer at just 52 years old. During the song, the audience calms down, as if to show respect for the fallen brother.
The song ‘Upphaf’, next in line and the first single from the new album, transforms the stage into a campsite. The band gathers around the campfire, acoustic instruments come out, and the high tempo that has characterized the evening eases off. Here, the audience gets a chance to catch their breath, but not for long, as after ‘Upphaf’, when ‘Guardians Of Asgrad’ kicks off, the tempo quickly returns to its previous high pace.
When it’s time for ‘Raise Your Horns’, the entire band gathers at the front of the stage with their drinking horns held high and toasts with the crowd. Here, Johan also takes the opportunity to thank the Stockholm audience for its fantastic engagement throughout the evening. He announces that it’s great to be back home in Sweden and welcomes everyone to Valhalla.
Regarding the audience, there have been moshpits and crowd surfing in different parts of the venue all night, but it’s during the song ‘For Victory Or Death’ that crowdsurfing reaches a new level. A steady stream of bodies floats above the crowd's heads and arms toward the stage. One by one, the surfers are taken away when they reach the barricade in front of the stage, only to return to the crowd.
Throughout the evening, there have been actors on stage dressed as Vikings, helping to visualize the songs. During the song ‘The Way Of The Vikings’, however, something unexpected happens: two Viking warriors take the stage and a sword fight breaks out between them to the audience’s great delight. There’s fencing, swords blocked with shields, kicks are thrown, and finally, one combatant is defeated and left lying on the stage. But only briefly, after which the two warriors embrace, thank the audience, and disappear backstage. A fun feature that truly enhances the evening’s experience.
Next up is ‘Saxons and Viking’, which deals with the legendary battle between the Anglo-Saxons and our Scandinavian Vikings. The first time I heard the song, I was surprised to hear a familiar voice featured—none other than Biff Byford’s.
For those who may not know who Biff Byford is, he is the singer of the classic British heavy metal band Saxon. Appropriate indeed, and when Biff appears on the stage backdrop behind the drum podium and participates in the song, it is another element in this production that makes it stand out.
The final song that closes out the evening is ‘Twilight Of The Thunder God’.
Amon Amarth switches up the energy for the grand finale and the audience engages, if possible, even more as an evening of perfect metal comes to an end. It’s as though everyone wants to squeeze out the last bit of energy from body and soul before leaving the venue and returning to everyday life.
After the song is over, the band stands on stage, tired but happy, and thanks everyone for a fantastic night at Hovet in Stockholm. The audience clearly enjoyed themselves as well, as they, too, are worn out after this energetic evening.
It is an art in itself to keep the entertainment value high for a two-hour concert with 19 songs, without a single moment feeling listless. But we can guarantee that Amon Amarth manage this brilliantly. They have truly earned their place in Valhalla’s halls among the other Einherjar!
