With Oden on Our Side

With Oden on Our Side
Studio album by Amon Amarth
Released	22 September 2006 (2006-09-22)
Recorded	May – June, 2006 Fascination Street studios, Örebro, Sweden
Genre	Melodic death metal
Length	42:17
Label	Metal Blade
Producer	Jens Bogren
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Blabbermouth.net link Alternative Press link
Amon Amarth chronology
Fate of Norns (2004) With Oden on Our Side (2006) Twilight of the Thunder God (2008)

With Oden on Our Side is the sixth full-length studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth, and their first album to enter the Billboard charts, the Top Heatseekers and the Top Independent Albums, peaking at number 15 and number 26 respectively.^[1]

It was recorded in May and June 2006 and was released in Europe on 22 September 2006 by Metal Blade Records. A limited edition digipak was also released with a second disc that includes live songs, demos, and unreleased recordings. With Oden on Our Side was also released on a limited red LP. The songs "Runes to My Memory" and "Cry of the Black Birds" were both made into music videos.

With Oden on Our Side takes on a heavier approach compared to their previous album Fate of Norns; according to vocalist Johan Hegg, in an interview with Dutch metal magazine Aardschok, the album would go back to their roots such as their debut, Once Sent from the Golden Hall. When asked about the meaning of the album's title, Hegg remarked:

The album cover art features the Norse God Odin riding on his fabled octopedel horse Sleipnir. The background depicts the Valknut, a symbol whose meaning is uncertain, though archeological evidence clearly shows it to be associated with Odin. Letters of the Runic alphabet can be seen on the edges of the triangles forming the Valknut.

Track listing

1. "Valhall Awaits Me" – 4:44
2. "Runes to My Memory" – 4:33
3. "Asator" – 3:04
4. "Hermod's Ride to Hel - Lokes Treachery Part 1" – 4:41
5. "Gods of War Arise" – 6:03
6. "With Oden on Our Side" – 4:35
7. "Cry of the Black Birds" – 3:50
8. "Under the Northern Star" – 4:17
9. "Prediction of Warfare" – 6:37

Bonus disc (Limited digipak edition)

1. "Where Silent Gods Stand Guard" (Live at Wacken 2004) – 6:11
2. "Death in Fire" (Live at Wacken 2004) – 4:55
3. "With Oden on Our Side" (Demo version) – 4:32
4. "Hermond's Ride to Hel - Lokes Treachery Part 1" (Demo version) – 4:49
5. "Once Sent from the Golden Hall" (Sunlight recording 1997) – 4:03
6. "Return of the Gods" (Sunlight recording 1997 - previously unreleased song) – 3:34

The inspiration for the album art is of a depiction of Odin on the Tjängvide image stone.

• Track 3 and 4 recorded at Amon Amarth's rehearsal studio, January 2006.
• Track 5 and 6 recorded at Sunlight Studio, March 1997.

Personnel

Band members

• Johan Hegg − Vocals
• Olavi Mikkonen − Guitar
• Johan Söderberg − Guitar
• Ted Lundström − Bass
• Fredrik Andersson − Drums

Other

• Produced, mixed and engineered by Jens Bogren.
• Additional recording by Anders "Shadow" Ström.
• Mastered by Thomas Eberger at Cutting Room, Stockholm.

References