Amon Amarth, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary & Frozen Soul
April 29, 2024
Edmonton Convention Centre, Edmonton, AB
Canadian Beats Passport
Last Monday, April 29, 2024, Viking metal goliaths Amon Amarth visited Edmonton on their latest crusade. Bringing along their allies in Frozen Soul, Obituary, and Cannibal Corpse – This was an ultra-heavy lineup to satiate all of the ravenous headbangers of the Great White North.
Frozen Soul was a band that was new to me, they delivered a short but ferocious set that quickly set a very high bar for the rest of the bands to follow. They managed to whip up a massive circle pit very early in the night, so clearly the Edmonton crowd was here to raise hell and fuck shit up.
Old school death metal veterans Obituary followed, delivering a set that was mostly focused on their newest release “Dying of Everything”, aside from two tracks from their 2005 album “Frozen in Time”. I really expected more of a nod towards the older albums such as Slowly We Rot and Cause of Death. Though I’m not super familiar with their newest album, the band was super tight and put on a fantastic show.
Cannibal Corpse was up next, and that’s the band I was there to see. The juggernauts of Death Metal are an unstoppable force that bleeds brutality with every new release. With a nine-song set spanning seven albums, there was plenty of variety regardless of what era you enjoyed most. For me, it’s weird not hearing songs like “Skull Full of Maggots” and “Devoured by Vermin”, but I’m always happy to hear cuts like “Death Walking Terror”, “I Cum Blood”, “Stripped, Raped and Strangled”, and “Hammer Smashed Face”. Even as these guys age, their performances don’t slow down, and neither does the intensity of their delivery. Between Alex Webster’s endless headbanging and Corpsegrinder’s superhuman windmills, it’s always a challenge to catch these guys for photos with faces showing instead of a whirlwind of hair.
Finally, the Guardians themselves – the almighty Amon Amarth! Vocalist Johan Hegg is a force to be reckoned with, a massive frontman brimming with personality, a jovial giant who gets the crowd moving from the beginning and keeps it up the entire set. He seemed to have a massive smile on his face the entire show – maybe it being his birthday helped? (Nah, yes always like that). The band laid down a 15-song set that covered most of their discography. Fans chanted, cheered, and sang the entire duration – and you can’t leave out the rowboat mosh pit.. that part of the show always brings me great delight – I wish I could take photos during it!
Amon Amarth is a band that brings together metalheads old and new and really encourages that sense of community and like-mindedness. I always have a really great time at their shows, despite not being the biggest fan – or a band I really even listen to on my own time.. but watching their live show I always find myself unable to turn away or stop smiling. Their stage setup with the giant Viking helmet drum riser, and the massive inflatable set pieces that change every few songs – Their set is always a super fun ride to Valhalla that you can’t help but love.
