Sometimes, the Internet is a very bad thing. It offers temptations, sometimes temptations that I find irresistible. And I’m not talking about porn. I’m talking about . . . what you’ll find in this post.
The backstory: Amon Amarth was one of the bands on that 70,000 TONS OF METAL cruise that we started making fun of more than a year ago. In fact, in the first of several posts about the cruise, as it was being announced and promoted, we said this on February 2, 2010, imagining what we would be asking a year later as the cruise ship limped back to port:
- Is there anything left of the ship?
- “70,000 Tons of Metal” — but what was the total tonnage of weed smuggled on board?
- How many people went over the side, never to be seen again?
- How many people were hospitalized along the way?
- How many passengers are still in jail on Cozumel?
- How many tourists signed up for this, thinking it was just a normal Caribbean cruise?
- Did Amon Amarth eat any of those tourists?
- Was the bilge big enough to hold all the projectile vomiting?
- Did anyone actually go up on deck into the sunlight?
- Have photos surfaced on the interwebs?
Well, the cruise is now over, and as far as we know, Amon Amarth didn’t eat any wayward tourists. But Johan Hegg did do a karaoke performance of the best song on System Of A Down‘s Toxicity album, “Aerials”. And yes, his performance did surface on YouTube, and it was, and is, a wondrous thing.
So wondrous, in fact, that Amon Amarth is including a cover of the song as an iTunes-exclusive bonus track on the forthcoming Surtur Rising album. Wanna hear it? Stay with us after the jump, then . . .
To do this topic justice, you first need to watch John Hegg’s karaoke performance. Now, either this dude really loves the song, so much so that he could rip this awesome vocal off the top of his head — or, the band was planning this song as a cover for Surtur Rising before the cruise started.
Pretty damned good, huh?
Well, let’s not stop there. Let’s hear the song as it will appear on the iTunes version of Surtur Rising. (Yes, this is where the evil of the Internet comes into the story). This song is so badass I can hardly stand it. I am so looking forward to consuming the rest of this album that I can hardly stand it. Listen:
[audio:https://www.nocleansinging.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/11.-Aerials-Bonus-Track.mp3|titles=Amon Amarth-Aerials (Bonus Track)]I’m sorry to say that this is likely to be the high point of my day, and yours. Come what may, it’s probably all downhill from here.
20 Responses to “SYSTEM OF AN AMON AMARTH”
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I got a promo version of Surtur Rising. You will not be disappointed.
I’m all a-quiver! Have you done your interview with Johan yet? I am really looking forward to reading that!
Sent the questions off, just waiting for answers next week. I’m all a-quiver too, like a silly fangirl. 🙂
Very cool that you’re doing that, and I know your questions will be far more interesting than most questions he gets. I don’t think I could muster the courage to do it!
I’ve always wondered what a Heavier version of Aerials would sound like, now I know. It turned much better than I thought it would.
I wish I was on that cruise, ‘Sailing’ Through the Void with AMON AMARTH.
I’m with you. Though we had fun poking fun at the idea of the cruise, everything I’ve seen about it makes me wish I’d been there. Watching this karaoke performance in the flesh, for example, would have been massively cool.
I just woke up, and I’m pretty damn hungover. So yeah, this will be the highlight, I am sure!
Either way, damn cool stuff! Allthough I must say, I’m glad Johan doesn’t do any clean vocals in AA, 😉
The impressive thing about Johan’s cleans is not that he does them well, but that he can do them at all. 🙂
My advice is to move very slowly, if at all today. 🙂
One of the first tracks I learned to play about 8 or 9 years ago when I bought my guitar. Have to say that AA version is about 10 times better than the original. Like the thick bass behind it. Sounds fuckin’ amazing!
Cool, you play guitar. You don’t know where I can get decent tab for “Hammer Smashed Face?” I can’t seem to find one.
There are several links to tabs on their Encyclopaedia Metallum page, all the way at the bottom.
AHHHHG!!! IT SOUNDS AMAZING!!!! I want it… but I collect CDs… and I bet it’s going to be album only on iTunes… I’m kinda’ torn on whether to get it off iTunes or as the CD…
Yeah, tough choice. If you visit this message board and look for the comments by “Laphroaig” — which seems to be either Johan or someone else in AA — you’ll see that the song right now is set up as an iTunes exclusive, and it’s not included in the CD track listings I’ve seen.
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/amon-amarth/667454-amon-amarth-aerials-cover.html
Unfortunately, if it’s an iTunes exclusive, that probably means it won’t be offered as a separate song download on iTunes, but will only be included with the album purchase.
I just checked the iTunes store (U.S.), and indeed it shows “Aerials” as an album-only bonus track on the Surtur Rising pre-order page.
Thanks Islander.
That cover just… works. Really sounds like AA, regardless of the original’s sound. Impressive.
It’s an unusual pick for an AA cover. Before I heard it, I thought, “this isn’t going to work.” But it works fantastically well, and I think it adds a very interesting dimension to AA’s music. Now I’m thinking they should do more covers. 🙂
Been a long time since i last visited ncs, and now i come here and listen to the best song ive heard all day, thank you!
System of a down is the only “nu-metal era” band that i like and have a huge respect for, and amon amarth is well… AMON FUCKING AMARTH.
the cover is absolutely awesome, ive got to get my hands on surtur rising.
Welcome back man. Glad you found something you liked upon your return.
Finally got a chance to listen to this. All apologies to Alexis, but this is fucking epic. And the scream at the 1:54 mark is just flat fucking evil.
Johan singing clean vocals is just weird, but in a good way.