Amon Amarth "The Avenger (2CD, 2009 Reissue, Remastered, Digipak, Germany, Metal Blade Records, 3984-14731-0)"

The Avenger is the second studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth, released by Metal Blade Records and Sony Music on 2 September 1999. It was the first Amon Amarth album with guitarist Johan Söderberg and drummer Fredrik Andersson, Thus completing the line-up that remained up until 2015, following Andersson's departure from the band. It was also released as a digipak version, containing a bonus track "Thor Arise", a re-recording of the title track from their first demo, Thor Arise. The album was also released as an LP version. Later, Metal Blade Records re-released the album in 2005 on Picture LP, limited to 500 hand-counted copies. A deluxe edition was released in 2009 that featured the album remastered by Jens Bogren, and a bonus cd of the original album played live in its entirety in Bochum, Germany.

Exact quote for the album, by the band:

Any references made to implicate that there are cover bands out there that really sucks [sic] found in this recording are purely intentional.

The quote was a result of a short-lived feud with heavy metal band HammerFall, and fears consumers and press alike viewed the album as unoriginal or a near-cover work of another band.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Johan Hegg

1. "Bleed for Ancient Gods" Olavi Mikkonen 4:31
2. "The Last with Pagan Blood" Mikkonen 5:39
3. "North Sea Storm" Mikkonen 4:56
4. "Avenger" Mikkonen 7:11
5. "God, His Son and Holy Whore" Mikkonen/Martin Lopez  4:00
6. "Metalwrath" Mikkonen 3:50
7. "Legend of a Banished Man" Mikkonen 6:05

Total length: 36:12

Limited digipak edition bonus track

1. "Thor Arise" (re-recording from Thor Arise demo) 5:07

Total length: 41:19

2009 remastered edition bonus CD Live - Zeche Bochum, Germany, Dec. 29, 2008 

1. "Bleed for Ancient Gods" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) 4:29
2. "The Last with Pagan Blood" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) 5:00
3. "North Sea Storm" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) 5:12
4. "Avenger" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) 7:15
5. "God, His Son and Holy Whore" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) 4:09
6. "Metalwrath" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) 3:57
7. "Legend of a Banished Man" (live in Bochum, Germany in 2008) 6:03

Total length: 36:05

Recording information:

Recorded at 'The Abyss' Studios, March 1999.

Engineered and mixed by Peter Tägtgren.

Mastered at Cutting Room in Stockholm by Peter In De Betou, April 1999.

Cover and layout by Thomas Everhard.

Disc 2:

Recorded December 29, 2008 in Zeche Bochum, Germany.