Berserker (Amon Amarth album)

Berserker is the eleventh studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth. It was released on 3 May 2019 through Metal Blade Records and Sony Music.[2] The album was produced by Jay Ruston and marks the first album by the band to feature drummer Jocke Wallgren, who joined the band in 2016.

Berserker
Studio album by
Released3 May 2019 (2019-05-03)
GenreMelodic death metal
Length56:45
LabelMetal Blade, Sony Music
ProducerJay Ruston[1]
Amon Amarth chronology
Jomsviking
(2016)
Berserker
(2019)
The Great Heathen Army
(2022)
Singles from Berserker
  1. "Raven's Flight"
    Released: 19 March 2019
  2. "Crack the Sky"
    Released: 17 April 2019

Critical reception edit

Exclaim! rated the album 8/10, describing the band's "sound that emphasized strong, triumphant riffage and bombastic songwriting" and stated that the album "features some of their strongest material" since Twilight of the Thunder God.[3] Loudwire named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2019.[4]

Track listing edit

All songs written by Amon Amarth

No.TitleLength
1."Fafner's Gold"5:00
2."Crack the Sky"3:49
3."Mjölner, Hammer of Thor"4:42
4."Shield Wall"3:46
5."Valkyria"4:43
6."Raven's Flight"5:20
7."Ironside"4:30
8."The Berserker at Stamford Bridge"5:13
9."When Once Again We Can Set Our Sails"4:24
10."Skoll and Hati"4:27
11."Wings of Eagles"4:03
12."Into the Dark"6:48
Total length:56:45

Personnel edit

Amon Amarth edit

  • Olavi Mikkonen − lead guitar
  • Johan Hegg − vocals
  • Ted Lundström − bass
  • Johan Söderberg − rhythm guitar
  • Jocke Wallgren − drums

Production edit

  • Jay Ruston − producer
  • Michael Lord – orchestration on "Into the Dark"

Cover art edit

  • Brent Elliott White – cover art, interior art

Charts edit

Chart (2019) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[5] 19
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[6] 2
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[7] 11
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[8] 48
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[9] 19
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[10] 67
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[11] 57
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[12] 4
French Albums (SNEP)[13] 50
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[14] 1
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[15] 12
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[16] 33
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[17] 27
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[18] 16
Scottish Albums (OCC)[19] 9
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[20] 20
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[21] 5
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 1
UK Albums (OCC)[23] 25
US Billboard 200[24] 47

References edit

  1. ^ Calum Slingerland. Amon Amarth Return with 'Berserker' Album. Exclaim!. 20 March 2019.
  2. ^ AMON AMARTH To Release 'Berserker' Album In May; First Single, 'Raven's Flight', Now Available. 20 March 2019. Blabbermouth.net
  3. ^ Jack Kelleher. Amon Amarth Berserker. Exclaim!. 1 May 2019.
  4. ^ "The 50 Best Metal Albums of 2019". Loudwire. Townsquare Media. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Amon Amarth – Berserker". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Amon Amarth – Berserker" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Ultratop.be – Amon Amarth – Berserker" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Ultratop.be – Amon Amarth – Berserker" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Amon Amarth Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 20.Týden 2019 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Amon Amarth – Berserker" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Amon Amarth: Berserker" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  13. ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 19, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 13 May 2019.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Amon Amarth – Berserker" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2019. 19. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  16. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 40 Album uke 19, 2019". VG-lista. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  17. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Amon Amarth – Berserker". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Top 100 Albums: Semana 19". Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  21. ^ "Veckolista Album, vecka 19". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  22. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Amon Amarth – Berserker". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  23. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  24. ^ "Amon Amarth Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 May 2019.