Amon Amarth Set To Ravage Canada Like Good Vikings Should

07/03/07 5:30pm

by Pete Richards (CHARTattack)

As The Sounds Of The Underground tour is about to embark on its third summer journey across North America, Amon Amarth will represent the Swedish Viking portion of the travelling festival.

Amon Amarth formed in Sweden at the height of death metal's popularity and are now in their 15th year. Their goal is to let younger metalheads know what they're all about.

"It's gonna be fun," says guitarist Olavi Mikkonen. "We've never been on a summer run in the U.S., and we definitely haven't done any festival tour in the U.S. before, so it's going to be a new experience for us.

"It is a great opportunity because there are going to be a shitload of people who don't know who we are."

Those who are in the know should be familiar with the band's roots in melodic Swedish death metal, their imagery and their fascination with ancient Scandinavian and Viking culture. The band are touring in support their most recent album, 2006's With Oden On Our Side, which is as epic as anything they've ever made.

"I think the whole thing with Vikings is pretty awesome," says Mikkonen. "I think they did what most people can't achieve today.

"I think it's cool to have something to sing about that actually happened. I think that for me, being a Scandinavian, I'm just proud of it and I will be happy if other people around the world will learn more about our history. But also for our band, it's something to write about that's different than other bands."

Sounds Of The Underground will hit Canada for three shows and Amon Amarth will also play on their own in Winnipeg and Regina, giving fans a chance to see them for the first time in several years.

"I would say the Canadian audience is more like a European audience," says Mikkonen. "The crowd is more fixed and they sing along more.

"The U.S. crowd is more of a mosh pit crowd. But I think that the Canadian crowd, and also the people, I think the whole of Canada reminds me more of Europe than the U.S."

Here are Amon Amarth's Canadian dates:

July 18 Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus (Sounds Of The Underground)
July 25 Winnipeg, MB @ Royal Albert
July 26 Regina, SK @ The Exchange
July 27 Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall (Sounds Of The Underground)
July 28 Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Conference Centre (Sounds Of The Underground)