The Avenger (album)
The Avenger is the second full-length studio album by Swedish death metal band Amon Amarth, released by Metal Blade Records on September 2, 1999. It was the first Amon Amarth album with guitarist Johan Söderberg and drummer Fredrik Andersson, Thus completing the line-up that remained up until 2015, following Andersson's departure from the band. It was also released as a digipak version, containing a bonus track "Thor Arise", a re-recording of the title track from their first demo, Thor Arise. The album was also released as an LP version. Later, Metal Blade Records re-released the album in 2005 on Picture LP, limited to 500 hand-counted copies. A deluxe edition was released in 2009 that featured the album remastered by Jens Bogren, and a bonus cd of the original album played live in its entirety in Bochum, Germany.
| The Avenger | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 2, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | March 1999 | |||
| Studio | The Abyss | |||
| Genre | Melodic death metal | |||
| Length | 36:12 | |||
| Label | Metal Blade | |||
| Producer | Peter Tägtgren | |||
| Amon Amarth chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
Quote and feud
Exact quote for the album, by the band:
Any references made to implicate that there are cover bands out there that really sucks [sic] found in this recording are purely intentional.
The quote was a result of a short-lived feud with heavy metal band HammerFall, and fears consumers and press alike viewed the album as unoriginal or a near-cover work of another band.
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Johan Hegg.
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bleed for Ancient Gods" | Olavi Mikkonen | 4:31 |
| 2. | "The Last with Pagan Blood" | Mikkonen | 5:39 |
| 3. | "North Sea Storm" | Mikkonen | 4:56 |
| 4. | "Avenger" | Mikkonen | 7:11 |
| 5. | "God, His Son and Holy Whore" |
| 4:00 |
| 6. | "Metalwrath" | Mikkonen | 3:50 |
| 7. | "Legend of a Banished Man" | Mikkonen | 6:05 |
| Total length: | 36:12 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 8. | "Thor Arise" (re-recording from Thor Arise demo) | 5:07 |
| Total length: | 41:19 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bleed for Ancient Gods" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) | 4:29 |
| 2. | "The Last with Pagan Blood" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) | 5:00 |
| 3. | "North Sea Storm" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) | 5:12 |
| 4. | "Avenger" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) | 7:15 |
| 5. | "God, His Son and Holy Whore" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) | 4:09 |
| 6. | "Metalwrath" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) | 3:57 |
| 7. | "Legend of a Banished Man" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) | 6:03 |
| Total length: | 36:05 | |
Personnel
- Fredrik Andersson − drums
- Olavi Mikkonen − lead guitars
- Johan Hegg − vocals
- Johan Söderberg − rhythm guitars
- Ted Lundström − bass
- Engineered and mixed by Peter Tägtgren.
- Mastered at Cutting Room in Stockholm by Peter In De Betou, April 1999.
- Cover and layout by Thomas Everhard.