Band:	Amon Amarth
Album:	The Avenger
Style:	Melodic death metal
Release date:	November 01, 1999
Guest review by:	Uirapuru

Disc I
01. Bleed For Ancient Gods
02. The Last With Pagan Blood
03. North Sea Storm
04. Avenger
05. God, His Son And Holy Whore
06. Metalwrath
07. Legend Of A Banished Man
08. Thor Arise [bonus]

Disc II [limited reissue bonus]
[Live at Bloodshed Over Bochum, 29.12.2008]
01. Bleed For Ancient Gods
02. The Last With Pagan Blood
03. North Sea Storm
04. Avenger
05. God, His Son And Holy Whore
06. Metalwrath
07. Legend Of A Banished Man

After an excellent start with their first full-length ''Once Sent From The Golden Hall'', the Swede's of Amon Amarth present us with ''The Avenger'' in the year of 1999. They were absolutely successful in maintaining the proven quality of their first work in a way that makes it hard to choose which of the albums is superior. It seems that ''Once Sent...'' stands out musically, while ''The Avenger'' better uses the Viking theme within the songs. Nevertheless, this album presents a musical quality above the average.

''Bleed For The Ancient Gods'' starts the album in an appropriate way, without negative surprises for those who have only heard their previous work, because it presents a variable dynamic of riffs and drums, typical Amon Amarth feature. Even the vocals are diversified during the chorus. The variable dynamic will be maintained until the end of the last track. ''The Last With Pagan Blood'' follows up with it's heart-beat interlude that separates the heavy mid-paced riffs from the amazing solo.

Some other tracks also deserve the listener's special attention: ''North Sea Storm'' has riffs better defined in the structure of the track, and alongside with ''Avenger'', represents the high point in Viking thematic use, inspiring once again the warlike atmosphere of the Viking world with narrations of sea battles. It also has the best solo in the album.

The next song, ''Avenger'', is the longest and slowest track in the album, it also presents the aforesaid excellent riffs and vocals, but it has an specific melancholic atmosphere, unique in this work (and an excellent vocal work from 4:02 to 4:28). There is also ''Metalwrath'', an unusual Amon Amarth song, faster, heavier and shorter than the others, but as the time passes it becomes adjust to ''The Avenger'' climate.

In conclusion, ''The Avenger'' is an excellent choice for the ones seeking for a brutal, direct and well-structured sound, without excesses both in regard to the heavy and melodic parts. Amon Amarth's sound lacks in linearity, it is always varied, the listeners will hardly get tired of this album, the repetitiveness is well calculated, and the compositions are appropriately different from each other. Considering its purpose, this album has maintained Amon Amarth standards properly, and it is highly recommended.