Amon Amarth是一支深深根植于死亡金属并有着坚定而强烈的维京神话信仰的乐队。乐队的名字取自英国文学家J.R.R Tolkien那本著名的幻想历史小说《The Lord of the Rings》（指环王），Amon Amarth在小说中是指一个特定的地点，即The Mountain of Doom（厄运之山），Tiamat乐队为他们的一首早期经典作品也取了同样的名字。乐队的风格为比较凶狠的旋律黑死金属，双吉他，没有键盘。他们的歌曲整体上感觉比较压抑，但又不失凶狠，有点象At the Gates与Dark Tranqullity的结合。Swedish death metal band Amon Amarth originally formed in 1988 under the name Scum; by the time the new moniker was adopted four years later, the line-up consisted of vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olli Mikkonen and Anders Hansson, bassist Ted Lundstrom and drummer Niko Kaukinen. In 1993, the quintet recorded their first demo Thor Arise, which went unreleased due to sound problems; a second demo, Arrival of the Fimbul Winter, followed in 1994, quickly selling out all 1000 copies. Signing to the Singapore-based Pulverised label, Amon Amarth issued the EP Sorrow Throughout the Nine World in mid-1996; soon after Kaukinen exited, and was replaced by drummer Martin Lopez for 1998's full-length Once Sent from the Golden Hall. When both Hansson and Lopez defected from the line-up, the remaining members of Amon Amarth tapped new guitarist Johan Söderberg and drummer Fredrik Andersson for 1999's The Avenger. Crusher followed three years later.