Amon Amarth committed to the grind

Amon Amarth bassist Ted Lundstrom believed the hard work they’ve done to achieve success will be wasted if they ever stop pushing.

He remembers a time when the Bloodstock main stage act would “rather do something else” than rehearse, because of the pressures of their day-jobs. And he wants to make sure they don’t end up back in the same position.

Lundstrom tells Arte Concert: “Before we made it big enough to do this full-time it was a hassle. You have to work, get time off for touring; you get tired if you work a whole day then you need to go to rehearsal in the evening. You’d rather go home and do something else.”

He’s glad to report the band’s schedule is “easy” and “fun” these days – but he knows they can’t let things slide. “You can never relax just because you reach a certain level,” he says. “That’s when you’re going to start going down again.

“You reach a new level and then you have to work even harder, come up with greater plans, make better albums, better shows.”

Amon Amarth – who released ninth album Deceiver Of The Gods in June – appear at Bloodstock tonight, before playing the Limelight in Belfast on August 12 and the Academy in Dublin on August 13. More European and North American dates follow.

Keep up to date with Metal Hammer’s live Bloodstock coverage at MetalHammer.com, on Facebook and via Twitter. Stay tuned for details of a Metal Hammer Show Bloodstock special from TeamRock Radio. A live video stream is available all weekend via Dailymotion.

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.