AMON AMARTH

Inside the noise there are clean riffs, orchestral flourishes and tempo changes that add melodicism while the Swedish death-metal combo Amon Amarth collectively flails like a possessed Viking warrior. The band’s sound is bottom-heavy to be sure, with dual guitars attacking the jugular while the vocalist’s growl loosens dirt off the rafters. Norse mythology pervades its lyrics, and after two decades into its revolving doom, Amon Amarth rolls on with the mayhem, unaffected by musical trends. To non-metal ears it may be repetitive, where the amps run off at breakneck speeds, but there’s a cohesive originality underneath it all. (Samir Shukla)

Price: $33