AMON AMARTH

Sons of the thunder god

-What’s the craziest rumor you had ever heard about yourself and or your band?
If there are rumours they don’t seem to reach us... I haven’t really heard any.

-I think your stories would suit the big screen perfectly. Have you never thought about writing a regular screenplay for a movie?
I think it’s a lot harder and not that very easy. For me, that’s nothing I desire. Maybe Johan would want that I have no idea, but I actually doubt it.

-By the way, could you tell me about that mad idea of drawing AMON AMARTH comic?
It was planned as a teaser for the album. The initial idea was to have a comic about us band members, working on the new album but we didn’t like that idea but instead we wanted a real story and we felt that the title track would fit perfect for it.

-To the best of my knowledge you are still one of the best selling metal acts these days. So I'm wondering, where do you stand on the great discussion of the future of CD format? The illegal downloading has ruined music market completely and many people say there's no future for traditional music formats, such as CD, vinly or cassettes. In the other hand, despite problems with illegal MP3 files, some people are still buying albums...
A lot of people are still buying albums, especially metal heads. Those sales would probably be a lot bigger if it weren’t for the fact that it’s so easy to download music. It doesn’t affect us too much as we never sold any amounts 10-15 years ago before downloading. But I’m sure it’s noticable for bands that were around back then and sold 10 times more to what they do now- and still draw more people to their live shows then they used to. However, as an established band it doesn’t really affect us. It’s going to be tougher for younger bands though without labels who wants to invest their money in getting a band out. It’s also getting more and more popular for labels to offer so called 360-deals, it means that they ask for a cut of all the bands income. Live shows, merch, everything. Leaves less money left for the band. Of course if the labels aren’t making the money they used to they have to do anything to earn more money, that’s their business.

-How much has metal scene changed since you released your debut album? How much has AMON AMARTH changed metal music?
The scene has grown I think. When we started it was just before the great metal depression in the late 90’s. Everyone was listening to Grunge and stuff and metal was dead. That’s when a lot of bands gave up and packed in. We stayed and it has paid off now.

-You have undoubtedly achieved a great success as a band, becoming almost an icon of metal music. Did you ever imagine this when you started out?
No of course not. Back then the biggest goal was to get a gig and possible some free beer. Never dreamed that it would be possible to share stage with Slayer, or to live off the music only.

www.amonamarth.com

Line Up:
Johan Hegg - Vocals
Olavi Mikkonen - Guitar
Johan Söderberg - Guitar
Ted Lundström - Bass (Eternal Oath (Swe))
Fredrik Andersson - Drums

Discography:
Once Sent from the Golden Hall (1998)
The Avenger (1999)
The Crusher (2001)
Versus the World (2002)
Fate of Norns (2004)
Wrath of the Norsemen (DVD 2006)
With Oden On Our Side (2006)
Twilight of the Thunder God (2008)