### Thousand Year War: Tyrants and men

#### 12/01/12 || revenant

When you read the description “melodic death/viking metal”, what band comes to mind? That’s a rhetorical question, by the way. I already know your answer: Amon Amarth, which was my exact thought when this latest label sent CD came with that description. Being a bit of fan of AA myself, I made the claim on this one hoping for some good old fashioned Thor praising fun. Now I knew with a description like “melodic death/viking metal” to expect some resemblance to Amon Amarth, what I wasn’t expecting was to hear an album that completely fucking rips them off. Think “Twilight of the Thunder God”, only less catchy, less melodious and a little harsher and you get this album. OK, it doesn’t have the cheese factor of Amon Amarth either, but cheese is part of the Amon Amarth charm so I don’t see that as a negative. But maybe I’m looking at it wrong. Maybe this album is album is for people who don’t like Amon Amarth for that reason? Whatever. All I know is Thousand Years of Oppression War’s sound strays way to close to that of Amon Amarth, a band I’d much rather listen to any day of the week.

4/10: That’s 6 points on merit, minus two points for lack of originality.