04.08.2012 Amon Amarth

Wacken Open Air XXIII

Wacken (Germany)

(Pentax K-5 with Sigma AF 70-200mm 2.8 EX DC APO HSM II)

At the back of the stage there were the burning riders and it was obviously what should follow: Amon Amarth, the Swedish viking export was ready to conquer the True-Metal Stage. In front of that just like in front of the Black-Stage next to it was chock-full with the people having large expectations.
Lively they stormed onto the stage and directly started with "War Of The Gods" of the latest album "Last Sutur Rising". Singer Johan Hegg was grinning from ear to ear all the time of the concert, he had that much fun and his alley on strings Ted Lundström, Johan Söderberg and Olavi Mikkonen as well as Fredrik Andersson on drums as well. The same for the audience singing song after song loudly along, waving the devil horns through the air and simply having a good time. Inbetween even goose bumps arose when so much voices were singing one of the largest and well known songs of the band "The Pursuit Of The Vikings" no matter if they knew the lyrics or not (at least Johan asked them to do so by saying: "Sing, even you don't know the lyrics! It does not matter, because it is Death Metal an no one will notice the difference!"). Incredible! Besides that there was this great show on stage with pyro and light effects as well as changes of the large banner in the back of the stage which somehow were hard to recognize. Amon Amarth had to exchange the slot with Scorpions shortly before the festival begun and so had to start 2 hours earlier whilst sun was still shining. Never mind!
Truely epic it was getting during the encores when Johan entered the stage with a large thors hammer with him, the thunder was rolling out of the speakers and the first sounds of "Twillight Of The Thunder Gods" could be heard. Incredible! I knew them only of CD beforehand but you really have to see them live. You can't discribe by words what is happening there!