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)
Where Silent Gods Stand Guard
Amon Amarth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one is left alive
They thought that they could take me down
But it's not my time to die
I wipe the blood from my sword
And slide it in my belt
This is the sweetest of rewards
Ten men are dead by my feet
I smell their steaming blood
And I smile, cause it makes me
Makes me feel so good
They were crawling on their knees
Begging for their pathetic lives
Now their souls belong to me
As well as their eyes
Each man has something that I crave
I ate their steaming eyes
And drink their blood to make them my slaves
At Odin's feet in afterlife
I bring the skulls to my shrine
Where silent gods stand guard
Soak them in blood and in wine
A sacrificial ritual
One thousand heads are on display
Collected through years of thirst
Macabre trophies from my prey
Picked clean of flesh by Odin's birds
I am a wolf in human shape
I am a predator with flaming rage
I'm a wolf in human shape
Every man is prey
A predator with flaming rage
Blood is in my trace
I will die with sword in hand
And then my seat's secured
When Odin calls from golden hall
He will greet me at the door
The song "Where Silent Gods Stand Guard" by Amon Amarth tells the story of a Viking warrior who has just defeated his enemies in battle. He reflects on his victory with satisfaction, relishing in the feeling of power and control that he has over the defeated. The imagery of blood and violence is prevalent throughout the song, as the warrior describes how he has killed each of his opponents, savored their blood, and taken their eyes as trophies. He also speaks of his devotion to Odin, bringing skulls to the god's shrine as a sacrifice and hoping to secure his place in the afterlife.
The lyrics of "Where Silent Gods Stand Guard" are evocative of the violence and brutality that characterized the Viking Age. The warrior's satisfaction with killing and his willingness to sacrifice for Odin's favor are indicative of the values that were prominent in Viking society. At the same time, the song's lyrics suggest that even in death, the warrior's legacy will be preserved, as he will be remembered for his victories and his devotion to his gods.
Overall, "Where Silent Gods Stand Guard" is a powerful and evocative song that captures the spirit of Viking warrior culture. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the brutality and devotion that defined this period of history, and the music itself is intense and driving, conveying the energy and power of the Viking warriors.
Line by Line Meaning
The last head falls to the ground
I have just slain my final enemy and their head drops to the ground.
No one is left alive
All of my opponents have been vanquished, and there are no survivors.
They thought that they could take me down
My enemies believed that they were strong enough to defeat me.
But it's not my time to die
However, I am still alive, and it is not my time to die yet.
I wipe the blood from my sword
I clean the blood from my sword after the battle.
And slide it in my belt
I sheathe my sword on my belt.
This is the sweetest of rewards
This victory is the greatest reward I could ask for.
The best rush I have felt
I feel an exhilarating rush of adrenaline after the battle.
Ten men are dead by my feet
Ten of my enemies have died, and their bodies are at my feet.
I smell their steaming blood
I can smell the hot, fresh blood from their wounds.
And I smile, cause it makes me
The sight of their blood and the sound of their dying screams fills me with joy.
Makes me feel so good
It brings me immense pleasure to see my enemies die at my hands.
They were crawling on their knees
My defeated enemies were begging for mercy and crawling on their knees.
Begging for their pathetic lives
They were pleading for their lives, which I found to be pitiful and shameful.
Now their souls belong to me
I have claimed their souls as my own.
As well as their eyes
I have taken their eyes as a macabre trophy of my victory.
Each man has something that I crave
Each of my defeated enemies possessed something that I desired.
I ate their steaming eyes
I consumed their eyes as a way of claiming their souls and power.
And drink their blood to make them my slaves
By consuming their blood, I have made them my eternal servants in the afterlife.
At Odin's feet in afterlife
My enemies will serve me in the afterlife, at the feet of the god Odin.
I bring the skulls to my shrine
I collect my enemies' skulls and bring them to my sacred shrine.
Where silent gods stand guard
My shrine is guarded by the silent gods, who watch over my trophies.
Soak them in blood and in wine
I anoint my skulls with blood and wine as part of my sacrificial ritual.
A sacrificial ritual
My offering of blood and wine is a ritualistic act of devotion to the gods.
One thousand heads are on display
I have amassed a collection of one thousand skulls as trophies of my victories.
Collected through years of thirst
I have spent many years hunting and killing my enemies to obtain these trophies.
Macabre trophies from my prey
Each skull is a macabre reminder of my victories over my enemies.
Picked clean of flesh by Odin's birds
Odin's birds have stripped the skulls of all flesh and left only the bones behind.
I am a wolf in human shape
I am a fierce predator, disguised as a human.
Every man is prey
To me, every man is a potential victim and prey.
A predator with flaming rage
I am an unstoppable predator, fueled by an intense rage.
Blood is in my trace
The scent of blood is always with me and drives my relentless pursuit of my enemies.
I will die with sword in hand
I know that I will die in battle, with my sword in my hand.
And then my seat's secured
However, I am not afraid of death, because I have secured my place in the afterlife.
When Odin calls from golden hall
When I die, I know that the god Odin will call me to his golden hall.
He will greet me at the door
Odin will welcome me into his hall, where I will spend eternity as a warrior.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: FREDRICK ANDERSSON, JOHAN HANS HEGG, JOHAN OLOF SODERBERG, OLAVI PETTERI MIKKONEN, TED LUNDSTROM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind