Photo by: Sylwia Makris & Christian Martin Weiss
Official press release:
Amon Amarth announce The Allfather Awakens – a ten-song masterwork that further cements the legacy of the Swedish metal titan’s spectacularly memorable riffs and unflinching melodic aural power. The Allfather Awakens sees its release October 2 via Metal Blade Records. Pre-order/pre-save here.
For Amon Amarth, a new album marks the beginning of a new world. As with previous records, Oden, the Norse “all father” who is a deity of war, wisdom, death, magic, and poetry, is the through-line in Amon Amarth’s lyrics and artwork. Once again, Oden is the band’s inspiration, but The Allfather Awakens is not a concept album, rather a collection of historically inspired epic tales of conflict and sacrifice for a greater good.
Following the release of Amon Amarth’s first-ever acoustic excursion “Upphaf”, the band unleash The Allfather Awakens’ opening track and epic tale of “Gjallarhorn”. Where the stripped-back “Upphaf” carried the solemnity of an oral history whispered under the shadow of the Allfather, “Gjallarhorn” arrives as a furious Amon Amarth classic. Its driving, upbeat guitar riff and high tempo, catchy chorus fuse with a few surprises that ensure itself to be a future live staple.
To gain wisdom beyond mortal comprehension, Oden made the ultimate sacrifice — gouging out his own eye and casting it into the Well of Wisdom, Mímisbrunnr, in exchange for cosmic insight and foresight that would shape the fate of gods and men alike. Now, Amon Amarth bring that ancient reckoning to life with “Gjallarhorn”— and they are extending Oden’s offer to you. Those who received the eye know what must be done. Those who did not: seek it out. Sacrifice your sight. Gain your foresight.
Amon Amarth took a new songwriting approach for The Allfather Awakens, the band’s 13th album since 1998’s Once Sent from the Golden Hall. The album came to life across two recording sessions, months apart, at producer Jacob Hansen’s studio in Denmark. Amon Amarth began writing songs while touring, rather than waiting until they were off the road. The first session was Spring 2025; the final recording was completed in March 2026. The writing and recording process allowed the musicians to intensely focus on each track, resulting in an album where each song was treated as a single. Guitarist Olavi Mikkonen:
“We worked on one song at a time and made each song as good as possible. Then we recorded one song at a time until each track was totally finished–drums, guitars, and vocals. Only then did we start on the next one.”
Guitar-wise, Amon Amarth opted for a slightly less modern approach sonically, moving away from 5150 amps and back to Marshalls.
Music is written before lyrics, and often sets the tone for the words. The song that inspired the album title, “The Allfather Awakes”, was the last written for the album. With Oden as the titular “Allfather”, there is no shortage of historical influences heard across new songs like “Eight Legs of Thunder”, “Kvasir’s Blood” and “Die With a War Cry”, with the brutally beautiful lyrical rallying cry: “Facing destruction / Annihilation / Master your thoughts and mind.” The Allfather Awakens cover art is a powerful portrait of Oden by Tom Thiel, who created seven of the quintet’s album covers.
The Allfather Awakens track listing:
- “Gjallarhorn”
- “Eight Legs of Thunder”
- “Kvasir’s Blood”
- “We Rule the Waves”
- “Upphaf”
- “Die with a War Cry”
- “Raven God”
- “The Allfather Awakes”
- “Oden’s Hunt”
- “Ascending Like an Eagle”
