Amon Amarth paying tribute to pagan gods

During their stint on the main stage of annual heavy metal marathon the Mayhem Festival this past summer, Sweden’s Amon Amarth performed with the hull of viking ship jutting out from the stage.

That’s a fitting mode of travel for these hirsute Scandinavians, who sound like a horde of seafaring raiders out for blood — or at least your Budweiser, as evidenced by the spherical majesty of frontman Johan Hegg’s beer gut, which he proudly displays in all his shirtless glory at the band’s gigs.

Pretty much every song from the melodic death metallers revolves around Norse mythology and vengeful pagan gods throwing down, Odin-style, on ye wretched humans.

Oh, and did we mention that Hegg has been known to swill mead from a ram’s horn onstage?

Did we even have to?

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476. Follow on Twitter @JasonBracelin.