What’s happen’en, Butcher Crew?! The Saw is here to share with you the new song (and accompanying video) for, “Put Your Back into the Oar,” by the masters of Melodic Death Metal – Amon Amarth! 

Amon Amarth are one of the hardest working bands in the industry. Their mission to bring chaos and carnage to the globe is highly successful. They have laid siege and raided most of the civilized world. And now, they have returned with their (usual) anthemic war tactic – a catchy, hook-laden single – to gain our support on their next adventure. 

“Put Your Back into the Oar” showcases Johan’s incredibly deep gutterals (his “normal” speaking voice is really deep, too!) and the band’s complete control over killer riffs and hypnotizing harmonizing. Viking Metal at it’s finest! The video is well made and speaks of “A Tale of Death and Glory” in the opening credits. 

In the video an archeologist discovers a Viking skull buried in the earth, and that’s where her nightmare begins. “Row! Row! Row!” is the next thing you hear, while Johan and crew sail the open ocean. Feasting, drinking, and war are the themes. “The oar is your best friend.” It seems, the oar is they key to victory. “Hearing calls from beyond the waves,” it is the oar that takes us to our next place of glory!

I’ve talked before about Amon Amarth’s evolution from the early days of Black Metal to Melodic Death Metal over the recent decades. It is an interesting listen to hear the progression from their early records (like 1998’s, Once Sent from the Golden Hall), through their mid-career (2004’s, Fate of Norns for example), to their most recent albums (2019’s, Berserker). 

The Saw wrote a report for a history class in college based on the album, Jomsviking (2016). My professor was well-aware of my source, and allowed me to use Johan Hegg as an authority on Viking history. Your Master Butcher scored an ‘A’ on that paper! 

If you want to learn more about Amon Amarth, check out my Band of the Week post, and the New Album Review from 2019’s Berserker. Raise your horns for Amon Amarth! ROW!!

Stay Metal,

THE SAW