The Crusher

Amon Amarth | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: May 8, 2001
• Label: Metal Blade Records
• Copyright: (C) 2001 Metal Blade Records, Inc.
• Total Length: 49:29
• Genres: Hard Rock & Metal/Death Metal
• ASIN: B0016O5RHU
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,813 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High energy death-metal, September 13, 2004

By 

Ilya Malafeyev (Russia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crusher (Audio CD)

Amon Amarth are a kind of a band that you don't have to guess what their other album sounds like. Yes, throughout their not so long career they mostly played the same type of music, the hybrid of the so-called Gothenburg sound, or Swedish melodic death, with viking-metal, and a bit of black-metal thrown in to spice things up. If you liked one of their albums, you'll like them all. That's the case with me, as I fell in love with this furious sonic attack since I first put it in a CD-player.

Make no mistake, Amon Amarth don't reinvent the wheel, and all the elements you are to hear on "The Crusher" you've probably already heard somewhere. But it's the emotional sincerity and dedication to their music that work favorably here. The band presents us with 9 tracks, each of them having its own touch. The songs mostly fall into 2 types, either they are a ferocious high-speed death metal attack, backed with incredibly fast double bass kicks and black-metal styled rhythm-guitar, or they are a slower, kind of epic sounding songs, whose influence goes back to legendary Swedish band Bathory of the 80s (the type of epic Nordic feel that, to the best of my knowledge, first appeared on "Enter the Eternal Fire" from Bathory's album "Under the Sign..."). The singer, or to be precise, the growler Johan Hegg does excellent job conveying his rage and fury in each line he sings. The guitars sound not very typical, with only a scarce few solos thrown in, and a peculiar way to provide melodics to songs, which is more of a black metal feel than a death metal. The drumming is absolutely superb! Either on fast or slower tracks, it sounds like a powerful group of barbarian battle drums that pound hard rhythms to pump up the blood in fierce warriors' hearts.

The lyrics suit this Nordic battle feeling excellently, but its the lyrics that might be a major turn-off here. Centered around Nordic mythology and vikings' military traditions, the lyrics have a lot of lines about merciless killing and terrorising christians, and throwing Christianity out of Nordic lands. I know that many people would be highly offended by such matters. But that's Amon Amarth. These guys provide genuine Nordic battle style death metal, and they seem not to care at all whether this naturalism is appreciated by people or not. So either you're like me and love it, or you better stay away from this band's records.

The tenth song on the CD is a cover-song originally performed by cult proto-death metallers Possessed. I hardly understand the cult status of Possessed, and I feel this song is out of tune with the rest of the album. Other than that, the album's incredible energy and furious power are very addictive, and every time I put it in a player, it stays there for a long time.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, Brutal Nordic Metal, July 16, 2002

By 

Azrael (Lake Forest, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crusher (Audio CD)

It's interesting to still see that even in modern times, bands are still writing material about Nordic gods and warlords wreaking havoc upon infidels and enemies alike. This album by Amon Amarth stands out in that it is both incredibly brutal and yet has a very strong underlying message: infidels and heathens (especially christians) should prepare for an ultimate reckoning at the hands of Odin and all his comrades. This album does not let up after you first push play, and it truly makes you wish you were on some hill in the days of old leading hordes of Nordic savages and vikings down upon those who dare to test your wrath with their devotions. On top of all this, the production is top quality. The clarity of the instruments and vocals are superb, and this album all around further enforces the fact that the Scandinavians are still leaders in phenomenal metal. I highly recommend this to anyone who's a fan of absolutely relentless, brutal metal in the Nordic vein.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every kind of genre mix in just one album..., October 14, 2004

By 

Angelofdarkness666 (Hell) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crusher (Audio CD)

Amon amarth plays all kinds of music which means, you'll find something you either love and be obsses with...From a little blackmetal feel to viking metal to straight melodic deathmetal and more? You'll fall in love with amon amarth's music! The minute i began listining to amon amarth's "crusher" i thought to myself... Masterpiece? Yes. I love am and i always been a fan, because their one talented band! I recommend!!