Deceiver of the Gods

Deceiver of the Gods
Studio album by Amon Amarth
Released June 25, 2013
Genre Melodic death metal
Length 47:52
Label Metal Blade
Producer Andy Sneap
Amon Amarth chronology

Surtur Rising
(2011)		 Deceiver of the Gods
(2013)		 TBA
(2016)

Deceiver of the Gods is the ninth studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth. It was released in Sweden and Finland June 19 2013, and in USA June 25 2013. Former Candlemass singer Messiah Marcolin makes a guest appearance on the track "Hel".[1]

The title of the album and its artwork were revealed on April 12, 2013,[1] and the title song was released on the band's homepage a day later, available for streaming or as a free download. A video for the song was released in September 2014.[2]

In Canada, the album debuted at number 9 on the Canadian Albums Chart.[3] This would be the band's last album with longtime drummer Fredrik Andersson before he left the band in March 2015.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 67/100[4]
Review scores
Source Rating
About.com [5]
Allmusic [6]
Decibel Magazine [7]
Exclaim! 8/10[8]
The Guardian [9]
Pitchfork 5.6/10[10]
Revolver [11]

According to Metacritic, the album received "generally favorable reviews based on 7 critics", with an aggregate score of 67 out of 100.[4] Allmusic praised the album for balancing "unyielding blasts of Viking brutality" with "artful melodies"[6] while Exclaim.ca similarly awarded a favorable score for the band's mixture of "soaring melodies" with the "raw precision" of the rhythms.[8] However, Pitchfork criticized the album as formulaic and uninspired[10] while About.com described the album as a "letdown" due to Amon Amarth's "playing it safe" approach.[5] This view was contrary to that expressed in Decibel Magazine, where the album was praised for duelling guitars invoking Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest while the "expertly woven ebb and flow of tempo and style" caused the album to go "from rampaging to brooding to anthemic over a well-conceived trajectory."[7]

Track listing

No. Title Length
1. "Deceiver of the Gods"   4:19
2. "As Loke Falls"   4:38
3. "Father of the Wolf"   4:19
4. "Shape Shifter"   4:02
5. "Under Siege"   6:17
6. "Blood Eagle"   3:15
7. "We Shall Destroy"   4:25
8. "Hel" (featuring Messiah Marcolin of ex-Candlemass) 4:09
9. "Coming of the Tide"   4:16
10. "Warriors of the North"   8:12
Total length:
 47:52
Under the Influence EP (Limited 2 CD digipak edition)
No. Title Length
1. "Burning Anvil of Steel"   4:27
2. "Satan Rising"   4:20
3. "Snake Eyes"   3:13
4. "Stand Up to Go Down"   3:27
Total length:
 15:27

Personnel

Amon Amarth
Additional musicians
Production

Charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[12] 7
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[13] 48
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[14] 44
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[15] 9
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[16] 27
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[17] 12
French Albums (SNEP)[18] 67
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[19] 3
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[20] 15
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[21] 156
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[22] 37
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 9
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 9
UK Albums (OCC)[25] 67
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[26] 14
US Billboard 200[27] 19
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[28] 4
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[29] 4
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[30] 5
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[31] 2

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "AMON AMARTH: New Album Title, Cover Artwork Unveiled - Apr. 12, 2013". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "Video Premiere: Amon Amarth's 'Deceiver of the Gods'". Blabbermouth.net. September 20, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  3. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-albums
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Deceiver of the Gods Reviews". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Schalek, Dave. "Amon Amarth - Deceiver Of The Gods Review". About.com. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Monger, James. "Deceiver of the Gods Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Tepedelen, Adam (August 2013). "Amon Amarth - Deceiver of Gods". Decibel Magazine (106): 90–92.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Wiebe, Laura (2013-06-24). "Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
  9. ↑ Lawson, Dom (20 June 2013). "Amon Amarth: Deceiver of the Gods – review". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Currin, Grayson (19 July 2013). "Amon Amarth Deceiver of the Gods". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  11. ↑ Camisasca, Paige (11 June 2013). "Review: Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods". Revolver. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien.
  13. ↑ "Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods" (in Dutch). Ultratop.be. Hung Medien.
  14. ↑ "Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods" (in French). Ultratop.be. Hung Medien.
  15. ↑ "Amon Amarth Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Amon Amarth.
  16. ↑ "Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods". Danishcharts.com. Hung Medien.
  17. ↑ "Amon Amarth: Deceiver of the Gods" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  18. ↑ "Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods". Lescharts.com. Hung Medien.
  19. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
  20. ↑ "Top 40 album-, DVD- és válogatáslemez-lista – 2013. 27. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. LightMedia.
  21. ↑ "ディシーバー・オブ・ザ・ゴッズ - アモン・アマース - ORICON STYLE".
  22. ↑ "Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods". Norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien.
  23. ↑ "Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods". Swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien.
  24. ↑ "Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods". Swisscharts.com. Hung Medien.
  25. ↑ "Amon Amarth | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart
  26. ↑ "2013-07-06 Top 40 Independent Albums Archive | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart
  27. ↑ "Amon Amarth Album & Song Chart History" Billboard 200 for Amon Amarth.
  28. ↑ "Amon Amarth Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Independent Albums for Amon Amarth.
  29. ↑ "Amon Amarth Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums for Amon Amarth.
  30. ↑ "Amon Amarth Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Amon Amarth.
  31. ↑ "Amon Amarth Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top Tastemaker Albums for Amon Amarth.