It can’t come as a surprise to anyone who follows our reviews on a regular basis that we here at Metalmoments like Amon Amarth. A lot. Actually, I can’t remember ever giving them a bad review here…

Still, this night was special, even more so than usual.
For the first thing, it was Wacken; and even at 2:00 a.m. Wacken just brings its own special atmosphere to the show.
Secondly, Amon Amarth where visited at several points in the show by their friends the Jomsvikings, who both stood on guard (like silent gods), and also put on a wild and furious fight-show for us.
Thirdly, there was the stage itself. Apart from the incredibly large pyro-show, the Norsemen arrived to the festival in their very own dragon-ship, and didn’t throw anchor before they were halfway up the stage. The addition of the mighty Viking ship right there in the centre of the stage lifted the atmosphere of the show to new unknown heights.

This was also easily seen on the crowd.
Even though the day had been long, filled with good music and probably too much beer, there wasn’t one tired person to be found in the wild throng. The pressure was unreal, and there was constant crowd surfing! The latter isn’t a favourite of mine; there’s nothing which can destroy a perfectly good show, as being constantly kicked in the back of head with steel-toed boots.
Still, not even this managed to so much as put a dent in the well-oiled warmachine that is Amon Amarth live.

The setlist didn’t offer much in the way of surprises; what it did offer was some well tested live classics which all could sing and headbang along to without a problem. And since Amon Amarth only had a stage time of one hour, it is understandable that they chose the way they did. Not everyone has the chance to see them live on a weekly basis (although this would be sweet), and therefore it is probably wise to pick such songs as they did for such an event as this.

With the way the band acted, the settings they were put in, and the feeling of it all, I think it is safe to say that this was one of the best Amon Amarth concerts I have seen so far, and my fist defiantly kept the Viking horns high long after I had gone to sleep that night.

Setlist:

Twilight Of The Thunder God
Free Will Sacrifice
Asator
Varyags Of Miklagaard
Runes To My Memory
Guardians Of Asgaard
Live For The Kill
Victorious March
The Pursuit Of Vikings
Cry Of The Black Birds
Death In Fire