The Avenger is the second studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth, released by Metal Blade Records and Sony Music on 2 September 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
Studio album by
Released2 September 1999
RecordedMarch 1999
StudioThe Abyss
GenreMelodic death metal
Length36:12
LabelMetal Blade, Sony Music
ProducerPeter Tägtgren
Amon Amarth chronology
Once Sent from the Golden Hall
(1998)
The Avenger
(1999)
The Crusher
(2001)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Quote and feud edit

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 edit

All lyrics are written by Johan Hegg

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Bleed for Ancient Gods"Olavi Mikkonen4:31
2."The Last with Pagan Blood"Mikkonen5:39
3."North Sea Storm"Mikkonen4:56
4."Avenger"Mikkonen7:11
5."God, His Son and Holy Whore"
4:00
6."Metalwrath"Mikkonen3:50
7."Legend of a Banished Man"Mikkonen6:05
Total length:36:12
Limited digipak edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
8."Thor Arise" (re-recording from Thor Arise demo)5:07
Total length:41:19
2009 remastered edition bonus CD
No.TitleLength
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 edit

References edit