Amon Amarth: We'll never stop writing about Vikings

Amon Amarth
Amon Amarth

Johan Hegg says Amon Amarth will never stop writing about Vikings.

While the vocalist admits that the band’s chosen subject might seem “weird” to other people, he says that he finds its culture and history fascinating.

When asked whether they would ever stop writing about Vikings, he tells Banger TV: “Whenever I get the question, I say, ‘It’s not like anyone asks Satyricon if they’re gonna stop writing about devils and demons, or, ask Cannibal Corpse whether they’d stop writing songs about blood, guts and gore.’

“I think it’s because Vikings are such a weird topic for people. They’re not familiar with it. They’re kind of like, ‘How much can there be?’”

Hegg continues: “There are so many aspects of Viking culture that are really fascinating. Just the fact that they actually travelled to North America 400 years before Christopher Columbus ever did – that’s a big thing.

“We haven’t even touched that aspect of it yet, which is one idea that I have – maybe in the future we’ll do something about Leif Erikson.

“It’s such a fascinating thing how they actually settled and lived around them for 40 years.”

Amon Amarth released their album Jomsviking earlier this year. They’ll play Download Festival this month.

Amon Amarth tour dates 2016

Jun 03: Nuremberg Rock Im Park, Germany
Jun 05: Nymegen Goffertpark, Netherlands
Jun 09: Nickelsdorf Nova Rock, Austria
Jun 10: Interlaken Greenfield Festival, Switzerland
Jun 11: Paris Download festival, France
Jun 12: Donington Download Festival, UK
Jun 17: Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting, Belgium
Jun 18: Clisson Hellfest, France
Jun 23: Copenhagen Copenhell, Denmark
Jun 25: Halden Tons Of Rock, Norway
Jul 01: Norrkoping Bravalla Festival, Sweden
Jul 02: Leipzig With Full Force, Germany
Jul 15: Pecs Rockmaraton, Hungary

What happens in the studio with Amon Amarth?

Former TeamRock news desk member Christina joined our team in late 2015, and although her time working on online rock news was fairly brief, she made a huge impact by contributing close to 1500 stories. Christina also interviewed artists including Deftones frontman Chino Moreno and worked at the Download festival. In late 2016, Christina left rock journalism to pursue a career in current affairs. In 2021, she was named Local Weekly Feature Writer of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards.