Written By Caine Blackthorn
Swedish melodic death metal titans Amon Amarth “Eight Legs Of Thunder” has arrived, offering another thunderous preview of the Swedish melodic death metal titans’ forthcoming 13th studio album, The Allfather Awakens, out October 2 via Metal Blade Records.
Inspired by Sleipnir, Odin’s legendary eight-legged steed, the track charges straight into familiar Amon Amarth territory with a galloping main riff, huge chorus and the Norse mythology that has become inseparable from the band’s identity. The accompanying music video takes an unexpected route, combining the mythology surrounding Sleipnir with the dusty atmosphere of a modern American Western.
Director Dariusz Szermanowicz described the concept as a collision between a modern Western and the darker mythology surrounding Odin’s steed, complete with cowboys, open roads and a surreal appearance from Sleipnir himself.
The Allfather Awakens was produced by Jacob Hansen and contains ten tracks. The record also finds Amon Amarth venturing somewhere genuinely new: “Upphaf” marks the band’s first acoustic offering.
Musically, “Eight Legs Of Thunder” finds Amon Amarth firmly in the territory that has made them one of melodic death metal’s most recognizable bands. Galloping guitars, muscular rhythms and Johan Hegg’s unmistakable growl give the track the kind of enormous, battle-ready character that has become synonymous with the band, while its subject matter reaches directly into Norse mythology.
The single also offers another glimpse into The Allfather Awakens, Amon Amarth’s first full-length studio album since 2022’s The Great Heathen Army. Rather than abandoning the sound that has defined them, the band appears to be expanding around it. One particularly notable inclusion is “Upphaf,” which has been described as Amon Amarth’s first acoustic offering, giving the forthcoming record an intriguing wrinkle alongside the band’s considerably heavier material.
Watch the official “Eight Legs Of Thunder” video below.
Official Amon Amarth album/preorder page: The Allfather Awakens via Napalm Records
“The Allfather Awakens” track listing:
01. Gjallarhorn
02. Eight Legs Of Thunder
03. Kvasir’s Blood
04. We Rule The Waves
05. Upphaf
06. Die With A War Cry
07. Raven God
08. The Allfather Awakes
09. Oden’s Hunt
10. Ascending Like An Eagle
AMON AMARTH is:
Johan Hegg – Vocals
Olavi Mikkonen – Guitar
Johan Söderberg – Guitar
Ted Lundström – Bass
Jocke Wallgren – Drums
Amon Amarth – The Allfather Awakens
Release date: October 2, 2026
Label: Metal Blade Records
Produced by: Jacob Hansen
About The Author
Caine Blackthorn writes music news, trending topics, commentary, and feature pieces for Metal Lair with a focus on the shifting culture surrounding rock and heavy metal. From rising ticket prices and touring collapse to legacy artists, industry absurdity, and the changing soul of live music, his work blends sharp observation with the grit, humor, and frustration of the scene itself. Whether covering modern chaos or metal history, Caine approaches heavy music as something lived through, not simply reported on.
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