The band is composed of lead guitarist Olavi Mikkonen, vocalist Johan Hegg, bassist Ted Lundström, rhythm guitarist Johan Söderberg, and drummer Jocke Wallgren. Amon Amarth has released 12 studio albums, one compilation album, one EP, one video album, and ten music videos. Their first studio album, Once Sent from the Golden Hall, debuted in 1998. Five more studio releases followed, before the band saw its breakthrough with the 2008 album Twilight of the Thunder God, which debuted at No. 10 on the Swedish album charts and No. 50 on the US Billboard 200. Five more albums, Surtur Rising, Deceiver of the Gods, Jomsviking, Berserker, and The Great Heathen Army followed in 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022 respectively.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amon_Amarth
Studio albums
Once Sent from the Golden Hall (1998)
The Avenger (1999)
The Crusher (2001)
Versus the World (2002)
Fate of Norns (2004)
With Oden on Our Side (2006)
Twilight of the Thunder God (2008)
Surtur Rising (2011)
Deceiver of the Gods (2013)
Jomsviking (2016)
Berserker (2019)
The Great Heathen Army (2022)
Atrocious Humanity
Amon Amarth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With rhythm these five warriors march
No matter how much the bleeding wounds
From enemy sword cuts, hurts to the bone
The revenge they sought was taken in blood
No mercy was showed, no mercy was showed
They ignore the pain that hammer like pounds
From falls off slain, horses to the ground
Not even a glimpse of remorse in their eyes
They slew men ruthless, fed the wolves with flesh
And now they leave this land side by side
Now they're headed home, five swordsmen who fought repentlessly
Their story will be told of five brave men endlessly
All sorrow is left for women to bare
The children cries, they'll live in fear
No man has spared, no house or farm remains
No Christian woman, their church consumed by flames
Their steel shines red with enemy blood
It sings of victory granted by the Gods
And as they return bleeding but proud
The horizon turns and the song is ringing loud
The lyrics of Amon Amarth’s song “Atrocious Humanity” depict the rampage of five swordsmen who seek revenge for an offense that left them bleeding and wounded. The opening line conveys a gruesome image of blood-soaked ground, perhaps a battlefield. The warriors march with rhythm, despite the pain inflicted by enemy swords that hurt to the bone. The warriors do not exhibit any signs of weakness, weariness, or remorse as they ruthlessly kill their enemies, feeding the wolves with the flesh of the slain. The women and children are left to bear the sorrow and live in fear, as no man, house, or farm remains. Even the Christian women's church is consumed by flames. The warriors leave proudly, with a story for future generations to retell endlessly.
The song suggests that there are times when humanity can be atrocious, and violence may seem like the only way to seek justice. It also indicates that certain cultures glorify violence and war, and stories of bravery emerge from these conflicts. The song is aggrandizing violence, which can cause listeners to think about violence in different ways, as well as histories that are steeped in bloodshed.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten heavy feet walks the bloodsoiled ground
A group of warriors march through a battlefield stained with blood.
With rhythm these five warriors march
The warriors move together with precision and coordination.
No matter how much the bleeding wounds
Despite being injured and bleeding, the warriors continue on.
From enemy sword cuts, hurts to the bone
The wounds they've sustained go all the way to the bone, causing great pain.
The revenge they sought was taken in blood
The warriors have successfully avenged something, and many people were killed in the process.
No mercy was showed, no mercy was showed
The warriors did not show mercy to their enemies.
They ignore the pain that hammer like pounds
Despite their injuries, the warriors soldier on and don't let the pain stop them.
From falls off slain, horses to the ground
Their horses have been killed, and they've fallen off them to the ground.
No signs of weakness, no signs of weariness
The warriors don't appear weak or tired, despite all they've been through.
Not even a glimpse of remorse in their eyes
The warriors don't show any signs of guilt or regret over their actions.
They slew men ruthless, fed the wolves with flesh
The warriors killed people mercilessly and left their bodies for wild animals to feast on.
And now they leave this land side by side
The warriors are leaving the battlefield together.
Now they're headed home, five swordsmen who fought repentlessly
After their victory, the warriors are returning home, having fought without regret.
Their story will be told of five brave men endlessly
Their triumph will be celebrated and passed down through stories for generations.
All sorrow is left for women to bare
The women left behind will feel great sadness and loss.
The children cries, they'll live in fear
The children left behind will be traumatized and afraid.
No man has spared, no house or farm remains
The warriors have destroyed everything and everyone in their path.
No Christian woman, their church consumed by flames
The warriors have even targeted religious institutions and women who practice Christianity.
Their steel shines red with enemy blood
The warriors' weapons are covered in the blood of their slain enemies.
It sings of victory granted by the Gods
Their success is attributed to the favor of the Gods.
And as they return bleeding but proud
The warriors are wounded, but they feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.
The horizon turns and the song is ringing loud
As they return home, their triumphant song echoes across the land.
Contributed by Gianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.