A little over a year ago, my dear friend and roommate visited her home country of Norway for a month. Obviously, I insisted that she visit Neseblod Records, the infamous record store originally opened by Euronymous (as Helvete) back in the 90s, located in Oslo. While she was there, frightened by its certainly haunted basement section, she found physical copies of both The Road Less Traveled and The Heart of the Matter, Norwegian heavy/power metal troupe Triosphere’s prior two albums—and bought them for me at my enthusiastic request. Both of these records hold a special place in my catalog, memorializing an accidental discovery of what would quickly become one of my favorite power metal discographies ever, small though it is. 12 years since the release of The Heart of the Matter, which slots at #1 on my personal list of favorite power metal albums, I feared that nothing would be able to fill its shoes, even if it was penned by Triosphere themselves. In fact, I feared I would never hear another record like it in my lifetime. Mercifully, Oceans Above, Stars Below is soon upon us, and I couldn’t be happier with it.
Occupying a nifty space where Heart meets Symphony X and taking a few notes from Nevermore, Triosphere’s current sound feels like a significant evolution of what The Heart of the Matter offered, fortified by the same gutsy crunch The Road Less Traveled boasted. Ida Haukland, a criminally undersung power metal icon if there ever was one, delivers a fierce vocal performance here that blows her own past work out of the water. Simultaneously, she delivers lots of low-end bass beef behind T.O. Byberg’s hefty riffs and Marius Silver Bergesen’s screaming leads and inspired solos. Not to be outdone, drummer Kenneth Tårneby outputs a level of percussive ass-kickery hitherto unheard as his reliably excellent cymbal work somehow levels up again and his rhythmic muscularity reaches new PRs. This is a band at their pinnacle, supporting a sound that nobody else currently in the scene replicates, releasing an album of romantically inclined inspirations, soulful exuberance, and an execution so vibrant that it makes my heart and soul soar into the stratosphere.
The best part is that I don’t have to wait long before that skyborne launch sends me alight, and at no point does Oceans Above, Stars Below let me down. First track proper, “Of Tyrants,” is a massive triumph, replete with heavy riffs and a chorus that short-circuits my whole nervous system every time as Ida belts high notes with a brassy fullness no other vocalist in this category approaches. From that point, banger after banger fires out of Triosphere’s chamber. “Oceans Above, Stars Below,” “Monster’s Ball,” and “Through the Phantom Wall” in particular burn barns down to cinders with high-octane lead melodies, effervescent vocal lines, and satisfying chuggy crunches. Mid-album stingers “Lightning in a Bottle,” “Shorelines,” and “Embers” bring more upbeat verve and heart to the affair, while also reintroducing Marius’ trademark bluesy solos that bleed with an emotive quality few guitarists in this scene achieve. The hits keep coming, with closing duo “Orpheus’ Bane” and “Cadence of Chaos” pushing the limits of what I expect from Triosphere’s sound. In the former example, Nevermore’s influence is felt in its chromatic, staccato riffing and full-bodied tones, while the latter offers a tempo switch-up between verse and chorus that abnormally activates my salivatory glands like only the best prog-power writing can.
Memorable, immediate, and sticky, Oceans Above, Stars Below is more than just a collection of great songs. It transcends the standards set by the heavy/prog/power blueprint. Through the use of melodies that would feel at home on any 80s album, metal or otherwise, Triosphere nail the nostalgia that tugs the ears of those who pine for the ways of olde. With their soulful soloing, powerful vocal payloads, and tight transitions, Triosphere exude theatricality that attracts folks drawn to epic cinematics and righteous pyrotechnics. Clever layering and deceptively sophisticated complexities woven into familiar frameworks permit accessible entry points for audiences scouting for intelligent writing and extended staying power. Even the central ballad “Encore” and closer “Gjenklang,” a cello/violin-led instrumental reprisal finale, offer compelling contributions to the whole that those who crave music that touches the heart will surely appreciate.
Oceans Above, Stars Below has more than just something for everyone. If enough people listen and take notes, as they should, it possesses the power to shift the scene, to move the needle. Even if it somehow fails at that, it’s more than I could’ve asked for from one of the most anticipated follow-ups in my rotation. I was sure 12 years was too long to wait, and that nothing Triosphere offered would make me fall in love with them all over again. I was wrong, and I’ve never been happier to be wrong. An album this excellent, this passionately performed, this finely honed, deserves a universal audience. Forget the trappings of genre or category. Oceans Above, Stars Below is a record I’ll be recommending to anyone and everyone. It is the embodiment of everything I love about music, heavy or otherwise. By sharing it, I share a piece of my bleeding heart that Triosphere somehow captured in vivid detail. Thank you, Triosphere, for this gift. I will cherish it forever!
Rating: Iconic!1 DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream HELL2 Label:Frontiers Records Websites:Official | Facebook Releases Worldwide: August 28th, 2026
Some albums revisit the past. Reminiscence presents itself as something recovered from it: a musical artefact left behind by a civilization that was at once prehistoric, extraterrestrial and far more advanced than humanity. Italian technical death/thrash metal quartet MISCREANCE are now streaming their sophomore album in full through Decibel Magazine, two days before its official […]
In one month, Detroit post-punk greats Protomartyr return with Hotel Usona, the new album that they recorded with Dave Fridmann, a producer with a whole lot of classics under his belt. We already posted lead single “Sounds We Cannot Hear,” and now Protomartyr have a new one called “Feed The Sewer,” a supremely ugly skronk-rock freakout that manages to be oppressive and cathartic at the same damn time.
The story of Frankenstein has survived countless retellings because the question at its heart remains unresolved: what separates a living being from something merely constructed? IRON SAVIOR revisit that mystery on “The Creature’s Tale,” approaching the familiar narrative from the perspective of the creation itself. Built around a heavy, relentless pulse, the new song favours […]
I think everyone knows someone who, when they enter the room, starts to add color to the discussion. Not the primary color, Jackson Pollack splat of conspiracy or disproven theory, but the rich tint that binds various hues together into a well-formed montage. Nashvillian, by way of several points in the Deep South, Afton Wolfe […]
When: Friday, August 28, 2026 Time: 10:40pm BST Watch FREE: Live on BBC One. The set will then be broadcast on BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards Watch from anywhere: Try Nord VPN 100% risk free
The annual Reading and Leeds Festivals kick off today (August 27) with Fontaines D.C. headlining Reading on Friday night. They’re joined on top of the bill by co-headliners Charli xcx, Florence And The Machine, Raye, Chase And Status and Dave.
The BBC are once again on-hand to bring us the action from Reading, and they’ll be broadcasting select headline sets over the course of the weekend on BBC One, with the footage set to be uploaded to BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards.
How to use a VPN
NordVPN: 30-day money-back guarantee NordVPN is our top choice VPN. It’s easy to use and boasts strong security features. All plans offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, and there’s currently 75% off the usual price.
If you’re going to be out of the country and want to watch the Fontaines D.C. set as soon as it hits iPlayer, you’ll need a VPN to help you.
Virtual Private Networks are used to change the location of your IP address, enabling you to watch Fontaines D.C. from anywhere. Nord VPN is Louder’s favourite. Here’s how to use a VPN:
1. Install a VPN: As we’ve mentioned above, Nord VPN is Louder’s favourite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN: If you’re currently outside the UK on holiday or on business and want to watch the set from the Reading Festival, just select ‘UK’ from the list, then log into your streaming service account.
3. Turn the volume up as loud as you’re able and relax: That’s it – you’re all set to watch the performance.
How to watch in the UK
Viewers in the UK will be able to watch Fontaines D.C. on BBC One, with the programme set to get underway at 10.40pm on Friday, August 28. If you miss the late-night coverage, you’ll be able to catch up through BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards, providing you have a valid TV licence.
If you’re a UK viewer away from home, a VPN such as Nord VPN will let you access your usual free stream from anywhere in the world.
How to watch in the US
If you’re in the US on holiday and want to watch Fontaines D.C. from the Reading Festival, you’ll be able to catch up on their set shortly after the main BBC One programme ends via BBC iPlayer. At the time of writing, no official time has been given.
A VPN like Nord VPNwill allow you to access your usual stream from overseas.
You can watch the video for Marianne – the first single from the record – below.
Speaking about the new album, frontman Grian Chatten said: “The album itself is a dopamine chamber. You step inside, and we test these different mind or mood-altering pieces of music on you.”
Following Reading and Leeds, Fontaines D.C. will play the Stradbally Hall Electric Picnic in Ireland on August 30, before heading to the US for further live shows.
(Image credit: XL Recordings)
(Image credit: Reading Festival/Pepsi)
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
A handful of European fans have already encountered these songs under a different name. Now, with a new title, new artwork and an international label behind it, the latest chapter in WHIPLASH history is ready for its definitive worldwide release. The New Jersey thrash metal veterans have signed with Time To Kill Records, which will […]
Amon Amarth’s albums tell a story almost nobody else in metal can match: twelve studio records across thirty-four years, every single one released through Metal Blade, with the same core lineup and zero stylistic panic. While most of their nineties melodic death metal peers chased trends, split up or reinvented themselves into oblivion, the Swedes just kept perfecting the same thing until the rest of the world caught up. This is the complete discography ranked worst to best — and their 1998 debut sits higher than four records that came after they became famous.
How this ranking was built
Not chart positions, and not nostalgia.
Three things: songwriting quality front to back, how much the record moved the band or the genre, and whether it still holds up when you press play today.
There’s a fourth factor unique to this band, though. Amon Amarth are relentlessly, almost stubbornly consistent — there are no disasters in this catalogue and no wild left turns. So the separation between the top and the bottom is narrower here than on almost any discography we’ve ranked. Even the last-placed records are good.
That consistency is also the point. Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg are one of the most underrated guitar duos in metal, weaving Iron Maiden-style twin harmonies into Swedish death metal grit, and they’ve been doing it without a misstep since the Clinton administration.
The count, cleared up
Quick clarification, because it trips people up.
Amon Amarth have twelve studio albums. There’s also a 1996 EP, Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds, which is where the story properly starts and which is included in this ranking as a matter of historical record.
The foundation stone, and the only non-album entry here.
Recorded at Abyss Studio with Peter Tägtgren, this five-track EP is the sound of a band clawing out of the Swedish underground. Cavernous, dripping with nineties atmosphere, and noticeably more blackened than anything that followed.
It introduced the Norse and Viking lyrical themes that would eventually underwrite a billion-stream career. Raw, dirty and essential history — but an EP, and placed accordingly.
12. Surtur Rising (2011)
The safest record they’ve made.
It arrived during a period of enormous global expansion, and it sounds like a band operating comfortably inside a fortress they’d already built. “War of the Gods” crushes and Johan Hegg’s roar is as commanding as ever, but the creative leaps of its predecessor aren’t here.
Pristine production, professional execution, no risk. In a catalogue this strong, that lands you near the bottom.
11. The Great Heathen Army (2022)
Their most recent album, and a deliberate turn back toward darkness.
Tracks like “Get in the Ring” — written for AEW wrestler Erick Redbeard — show a band leaning hard into aggression rather than anthems. It’s less stadium and more shield wall, and it rewards repeat listens more than first impressions.
A respectable, brooding record that proves they aren’t coasting. It just lacks the wall-to-wall density of their mid-2000s peak.
10. Berserker (2019)
A masterclass in stadium metal production.
Polished, enormous, and built with hooks designed to be screamed by eighty thousand people at Wacken. “Shield Wall” and “Raven’s Flight” are modern monsters, and they demonstrate that nobody in this genre writes a rhythmic anthem better.
It’s a celebratory record from a band who’d already won. Which is exactly why it isn’t higher.
9. The Avenger (1999)
Lean, aggressive and mean.
Just over thirty minutes long and it doesn’t waste a second of it. This is a band hungry to prove the debut wasn’t a fluke, and it’s faster and more relentless than anything from their cinematic era.
If you only know the modern Amon Amarth, this is the reminder of the raw Swedish fury underneath all of it.
8. The Crusher (2001)
Where the classic sound starts taking shape.
A deliberate move toward groove and songwriting dynamics rather than pure aggression. “Masters of War” and “The Sound of Eight Hooves” are the moment the band steps into world-class composition territory.
Everything that exploded a year later was built on this record.
7. Fate of Norns (2004)
Frequently criticised for its slower, mid-tempo pace — and it contains the single most important song in their history.
“The Pursuit of Vikings” defined the band’s rhythmic identity for the next two decades. It’s still the song, still the one that opens the pit, still the one non-fans know.
The rest of the album is sombre, atmospheric and deeply rooted in Norse mythology. A more mature, more patient side of the band that plenty of people have come round to since.
6. Deceiver of the Gods (2013)
A triumphant return to form after a slightly complacent stretch.
Thrashier and faster than the two records before it, with a legendary guest spot from Messiah Marcolin of Candlemass and a title track that’s genuinely high-octane.
Proof they still had fire in them and weren’t settling into a routine.
5. Jomsviking (2016)
Their first full concept album, and a real creative risk.
Jomsviking tells a cohesive story of love and revenge across the Viking world, and “Raise Your Horns” became an instant global anthem — the kind of song that turns a festival crowd into one organism.
“The Way of Vikings” showed they could write complex, layered material without losing an ounce of brutality. It brought a cinematic depth the band hadn’t reached before.
4. Once Sent from the Golden Hall (1998)
The debut, and still untouchable.
Cold, epic and profoundly Swedish. “Victorious March” is effectively the blueprint for the entire Viking metal genre — and if you want to understand how much of that whole scene traces back here, this is the document.
It captures the exact moment the band realised they had something nobody else did. Twenty-eight years on, it still sounds like a discovery.
3. With Oden on Our Side (2006)
The moment they became global.
Jens Bogren’s production finally gave them a wall of sound that matched the scale of their ambition. “Runes to My Memory” and “Cry of the Black Birds” are perfect demonstrations of how to weld extreme metal to undeniable melody.
A flawless execution of the formula, made by a band who’d stopped wondering whether it would work.
2. Versus the World (2002)
The album that changed everything.
This is the Black Album of Viking metal — the record that took them from underground clubs to the main stages of the world’s biggest festivals. “Death in Fire” remains a peak of every live set they’ve played since.
Dark, heavy and enormously influential. It’s the record that convinced a generation of listeners that melodic death metal could headline anything.
1. Twilight of the Thunder God (2008)
The magnum opus, and it isn’t close.
From the opening title track through “Guardians of Asgaard,” every moment is iconic. It balances their death metal roots against melodic grandeur in a way almost nobody has managed before or since — heavy enough for purists, huge enough for a field of eighty thousand.
It cemented them as the kings of the scene and it remains the gold standard for melodic death metal in this century. Eighteen years later, nothing in the catalogue has touched it.
The full ranking
13. Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds (EP, 1996) 12. Surtur Rising (2011) 11. The Great Heathen Army (2022) 10. Berserker (2019) 9. The Avenger (1999) 8. The Crusher (2001) 7. Fate of Norns (2004) 6. Deceiver of the Gods (2013) 5. Jomsviking (2016) 4. Once Sent from the Golden Hall (1998) 3. With Oden on Our Side (2006) 2. Versus the World (2002) 1. Twilight of the Thunder God (2008)
Amon Amarth releases in order
Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds — 1996 (EP) Once Sent from the Golden Hall — 1998 The Avenger — 1999 The Crusher — 2001 Versus the World — 2002 Fate of Norns — 2004 With Oden on Our Side — 2006 Twilight of the Thunder God — 2008 Surtur Rising — 2011 Deceiver of the Gods — 2013 Jomsviking — 2016 Berserker — 2019 The Great Heathen Army — 2022
Where this ranking will start fights
The 2004–2008 run is where the real argument lives.
Plenty of people would put With Oden on Our Side first, and the production case for it is genuinely strong. Others will argue Versus the World is the more important record even if Twilight is the better one — and that’s a distinction worth having.
The other flashpoint is the debut at four. Purists want it higher, and they’re not wrong that it invented the template. But invention and execution aren’t the same thing, and three records executed it better.
Nobody’s going to argue about the bottom, though. That’s the thing about this band — even the weakest entries here would be career highlights for most of their peers.
Twelve studio albums plus one 1996 EP, spanning 1996 to 2022 — all released through Metal Blade Records.
Best: Twilight of the Thunder God (2008) — the magnum opus, and the gold standard for melodic death metal this century.
Worst: Surtur Rising (2011) — professional and pristine, but the safest record they’ve made.
The game-changer: Versus the World (2002), which took them from clubs to festival main stages.
The most important single song: “The Pursuit of Vikings” from Fate of Norns (2004), which defined their rhythmic identity for twenty years.
The consistency: no disasters, no reinventions, same label for three decades, and the same core lineup since the nineties.
FAQ
What is the best Amon Amarth album?
Twilight of the Thunder God, released in 2008. It’s the record where the band’s death metal roots and melodic grandeur finally balanced perfectly, producing the title track and “Guardians of Asgaard,” and it remains the benchmark for modern melodic death metal. Versus the World (2002) and With Oden on Our Side (2006) are the two most credible challengers.
How many albums does Amon Amarth have?
Twelve studio albums: Once Sent from the Golden Hall (1998), The Avenger (1999), The Crusher (2001), Versus the World (2002), Fate of Norns (2004), With Oden on Our Side (2006), Twilight of the Thunder God (2008), Surtur Rising (2011), Deceiver of the Gods (2013), Jomsviking (2016), Berserker (2019) and The Great Heathen Army (2022). They also released the EP Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds in 1996.
Where should I start with Amon Amarth?
Twilight of the Thunder God. It’s the most complete representation of everything the band does, and it works equally well for listeners coming from death metal or from more mainstream heavy music. From there, Versus the World and With Oden on Our Side are the logical next steps.
Who produced Amon Amarth’s best albums?
Jens Bogren produced several of their peak-era records, including With Oden on Our Side and Twilight of the Thunder God — the two most frequently cited as their strongest work. Their 1996 debut EP was recorded at Abyss Studio with Peter Tägtgren of Hypocrisy.
Who is in Amon Amarth?
Vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg, bassist Ted Lundström and drummer Jocke Wallgren. The band formed in Tumba, Sweden in 1992, taking their name from the Sindarin name for Mount Doom in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, and have remained with Metal Blade Records throughout their career.
Twelve albums, thirty-four years, one label, and not a single bad record in the lot. Is Twilight really untouchable, or does Versus the World take it? Settle it in the comments. And keep it locked on the Loaded Radio stream — follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.
A little over a year ago, my dear friend and roommate visited her home country of Norway for a month. Obviously, I insisted that she visit Neseblod Records, the infamous record store originally opened by Euronymous (as Helvete) back in the 90s, located in Oslo. While she was there, frightened by its certainly haunted basement section, she found physical copies of both The Road Less Traveled and The Heart of the Matter, Norwegian heavy/power metal troupe Triosphere’s prior two albums—and bought them for me at my enthusiastic request. Both of these records hold a special place in my catalog, memorializing an accidental discovery of what would quickly become one of my favorite power metal discographies ever, small though it is. 12 years since the release of The Heart of the Matter, which slots at #1 on my personal list of favorite power metal albums, I feared that nothing would be able to fill its shoes, even if it was penned by Triosphere themselves. In fact, I feared I would never hear another record like it in my lifetime. Mercifully, Oceans Above, Stars Below is soon upon us, and I couldn’t be happier with it.
