All photos by Dieter Unrath
Viking metal lords Amon Amarth continue to make history as the band closed out their monumental Metal Crushes All Tour this over the Memorial Day Weekend. The 24-date trek further emphasized Amon Amarth's fixed perch high atop extreme music's elite, becoming a true death metal gamechanger in taking such aggressive art to such massive spaces.
Among the important takeaways from the Metal Crushes All Tour include Amon Amarth's grand scale production invading iconic destinations including a performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, CO and the band's epic finale in Southern California as Viking horde transformed the Honda Center into an arena-sized Valhalla.
Unleashing the live wallop with selections from their celebrated 2022 full length, The Great Heathen Army, Amon Amarth compiled comprehensive set that sourced essentials from the band's vast catalog including Fate of Norns, Twilight of the Thunder God, Berserker, Deceiver of the Gods, Jomsviking and Surtur Rising. Crafting an immersive experience that transported fans from the arena into their universe of Nordic folklore, Amon Amarth proved magnificent showmen and expert storytellers, all the while never relenting on the brutality that has long been the hallmark of the band.
While at the head of the table for the evening's ceremonies, Amon Amarth also functioned as savvy curators, enlisting a steadfast roster of support for the duration of the Metal Crushes All Tour. With legends in their own right like Cannibal Corpse and Obituary joining rank, the package proved especially significant in seeing such musical extremity unleashed in an arena setting.
Roping in the genre's next generation, Amon Amarth also recruited Texas-bred Frozen Soul to open the evening's festivities. Speaking to Amon's continued resonance with new fans and existing loyalists alike, the move reiterated Amon stature as respected patriarchs of death metal - bridging the veteran elite with the emerging new school.
Living up to the title of the tour, Amon Amarth more than delivered in their role as master of ceremonies. The band's combination of grand production along with powerful performance are indicative of their continued upward trajectory decades into their storied careers. Coined as the band's most ambitious live effort to date, Metal Crushes All not only proved an effective mantra, but a rallying cry for fans of extreme music with Amon Amarth leading the siege.
See the images from the finale of the Metal Crushes All Tour at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA below.
