Amon Amarth - 'Father Of The Wolf' from Deceiver Of The Gods (2013)

OK, so 'Father Of The Wolf' is the 'Thriller' of Viking Death Metal Videos. It is just that awesome. I saw Amon Amarth in the late 2000's and I was like, yeah, alright! It wasn't really my bag, but it was good and rocking, the kind of thing one would raise mead to triumphantly, etc. For whatever reason, the 2013 Amon Amarth album like, totally grabbed me and will not let go. I think it is the lead guitar work is really super-finely melodically interwoven, like dwarven ceremonial chain mail or something. This is a concept album about Loki, which is also rad. It is entirely possible that Amon Amarth would have produced an earlier Loki concept album and I would be none the wiser. My interest in them was piqued today, once again, by cable metal streaming actions. I didn't actually hear 'Father Of The Wolf' nor see its amazingly epic video, rather I heard 'Deceiver Of The Gods' which, if anything, is an even better song than 'Father Of The Wolf', despite the latter having much more beautiful solos, but has a less epic video, even though it is derived from a movie in which lead vokillist of Amon Amarth, Johan Hegg, plays a Viking Warrior, and so is essentially one long Amon Amarth Video anyway? 'Deceiver Of The Gods' is diamond-hard and very difficult to dislodge from memory once heard a couple times, at least for me! Also, that twin-guitar intro just kills me. Is this the closest Amon Amarth have come to Heavy Metal? because if so, I am really really digging this. Speaking of Johan Hegg, when he brings out the wolf on the death growls I get weak. Speaking of intricate lead work, 'As Loke Falls' is a perfect example of why this album is pulling it down for me. I almost want to cry I find this so beautiful. I never thought I would be saying this about an Amon Amarth album in 2016, but there you go, life is full of surprises. Deceiver Of The Gods is a great example of how sometimes being heavy has nothing to do with being actually heavy, but by doubling leads and playing them slightly differently in order to get that metal feeling that can't be manufactured, only grown organically over time. I can't recommend this stuff highly enough if you are not already into it. And just in case all of this was not enough, on 'Hel', Johan duets with Messiah Marcolin formerly of Candlemass and it totally rules. Here is the entirety of Deceiver Of The Gods as an 'Official Playlist'! It gets better the more times I play it! Hail Loki Hail!!!