Norse Mythology in Modern Culture Essay

Amon Amarth is one of the most blatantly Norse Mythological metal flocks in existence. In fact, they argon probably the only band in the human race that is this closely tied to Norse Mythology. Everything from their album names, to their song titles, to the lyrics embedded in the gut wrenching brutality of their fast-paced melodic guitar riffs, screams Odin, Thor, Loki and alone the other gods and characters spoken of in the sagas and stories passed from generation to generation through both written and vocal methods. In true saga style, with the oral tradition of the most old-fashioned establish workforcets and peoples in the Nordic region, they sing the stories of the Eddas and send praise to the gods long after the m of their magnificence.The introductory album from Amon Amarth, entitled Sorrow Through bring out the Nine Worlds, has many different references to the gods Odin, Loki and Baldr throughout the album. One of the more obvious references is from the song Sorrow Thr oughout the Nine Worlds, which refers to the universal weeping from the story Baldrs Dreams in the poetical Edda by Snorri Sturluson. In Baldrs Dreams, Baldr, the second of Odins sons, dreams of dying and the Aesir are so disturbed by this that they send Odin down to Hel to figure out the meaning of the dreams. Subsequently, he is in fact murdered by the hand of his blind brother Hod, facilitated by Loki and the spear he fashioned out of mistletoe. followers the death, Hermod goes on a quest to return Baldr to the realm of the existent. He meets with Hel, daughter of Loki and ruler of Niflheim, and, after much pleading, she makes a deal with him stating that only if all things, living and dead, will weep for him(Lindow), shall he be able to return to the land of the Aesir. The first song on the album shares the album title and lays out Baldrs Dreams in a novel poetic way that is also exceedingly heavy metal. The lyrics play out the dream and then the revealing of the culprit, Lo ki, as follows Nightmares, demons sponsor my taunted mind, Im scared, my deaths foreseen ungloryful. Please Father make my demons disappear, please Mother, death is everywhere. The evil force around us still wants to reverse me. Who is the evil slayer, I cannot see? Loki, the deceitful God, discover the arrow of death. Pointed for the Hod the blind by the jealous Loki the arrow cut through the skin and into the heart of the iridescent one. Silence spread throughout the hall Aesir as the God of Light fell to his knees dying Sorrow throughout the nine worlds the b rightly God is gone, move to Niflheim by the deceitful (Dark Lyrics) When looking at the original story and the lyrics, the connection is painfully obvious.The subsequent albums are entitled, Once Sent from the Golden Hall, The Avenger, The Crusher, Versus the World, Fate of Norns, With Odin On Our Side, Twilight of the Thunder God and Surtur Rising. Once Sent from the Golden Hall is a hint to Valhall and the great halls of the many Aesir. The Avenger, The Crusher and Twilight of the Thunder God are referring to Thor who is commonly known throughout Norse Mythology and Nordic histories as the god of thunder. Versus the World is about Ragnarok, the epic impending competitiveness between the world of the Aesir and the world of giants colliding to determine the future of the universe. Fate of the Norns is self-explanatory. The Norns in Norse Mythology are the determiners of the fate of everything in existence. With Odin on Our Side is another Ragnarok reference of sorts in that a twosome songs on the album speak of fighting on Odins side during the great battle to end all time. Lastly, Surtur Rising is about the rise of the giants right before the start of Ragnarok. Surtur, or Sutr as it is spelled in the Eddas, is the final opponent of Freyr during the battle of Ragnarok. He weilds his giant sword that has a glow so saucy that none can look upon it without a squint as described in both the Poetic Edda (Voluspa) and the Prose Edda (Gylfaginning).Not only does Amon Amarth do a great job of relaying the stories from the Eddas and the Sagas as the pertain to the gods, but they also describe all of the characters that act as help to, and also those made to antagonize, the gods. Odins Ravens, Hugin and Munin, are mentioned in the song called As Long As The Raven Flies which says that the sky belongs to Asagods as long as the raven flies. (Dark Lyrics) move up From the Sea 2000 is about the Midgard Serpent stating that when Hes risen from the sea. The beasts of hell are here. Come to rule the world. And you will be in fire. (Dark Lyrics) Skoll, the wolf incessantly chasing after the sun until Ragnarok, when he is finally able to catch and devour it, is mentioned in the song, And Soon the World Will Cease to Be, when it is said, Across the westbound sky he runs, a wolf so grim and mean, devours the eternal sun, and soon the world will cease to be.(Dark Lyrics) One last example of the inclusion body of all the elements of the mythology is the power of Thors hammer, Mjollnir, which is hinted at and blatantly mentioned various times throughout all of the albums they suck up put out up to this day. Coincidentally, the number of albums they have out so far happens to be nine. The number nine is a sacred number in Norse Mythology and other mythologies around the world. In Norse Mythology there are nine worlds Asgard, Alfheim, Vanaheim, Midgard, Jotenheim, Svartalfheim , Nidavellir, Muspelheim and Niflheim. Skadi, the snow-shoe-god and her husband Njord, ruler of the motion of the wind(Lindow), would give-up the ghost nine days in the mountains at her home and then spend nine days at his home by the sea, continuing with the nine trend. In Ragnarok, Thor is fighting the Midgard Serpent and as he is engaged in battle with the serpent, he is struck by it. While he is dying, he takes nine final steps before falling to his demise. A final example of this neutering with nine, and perhaps the most important example, is the nine days that Odin spent hanging from Yggdrasil to gain knowledge and power. Amon Amarths lyrical rampage in Thousand days of Oppression tells the story of Odins sacrifice to himself as follows He hung on the windswept world tree whose roots no one knows, for nine unscathed days he hung there pierced, by Gugnir, his spear. Swimming in pain, he peered into the depths and cried out in agony. Reaching out he grasped the runes before falling rear from the abyss. He gave himself unto himself in a world of shearing pain. Go that we all may live our lives by the wisdom that he gained.The Fate of Norns is a emit example of how the band also integrates their personal lives into the myths that they constantly, and consistently, reference in all of their music. This song portrays a mourning of the loss of a son of only sextuplet years old that was the only chance of continuing the legacy of the fathers name. In the middle of the s ong the lyrics state that the fate of Norns await us all there is no way to escape the day to answer Odins call or walk through Hels gate. The Norns established laws, they chose lives for the children of the people, fates of men, meaning they were involved in the fortune of every mans life, or death as it may be. (Lindow)Ragnarok, the final hoorah for the world of the Aesir and the gods themselves, is a extensive influence on the musical flavorings of one of the most amazingly brutal, and yet melodically pleasing, metal bands in existence. Would you expect anything less? Hailing from Sweden, one of the metal capitals of the world, Amon Amarth is one of the most Norse mythologically inclined bands in the world. They use Norse mythology in every aspect of their music and truly epitomize the image of a modern day Viking. They pillage every stage that they bless with their presence and ravage the eardrums that their melodies touch. A live show from these guys brings you back to a more primal time of humanity where the gods were made from and of nature and there was still a mysticism in the hearts and souls of the people. To conclude, Amon Amarth is blatantly Norse and they deserve to be recognized as one of the major contributors to the continuing interest in Norse mythology and love of the past heritage of a great region of the world. The wait is soon at end, always charge, never bend. Morning is here, make your stand. Live for honor, glory, death in fireWorks CitedDark Lyrics.Amon Amarth Lyrics. Metal Lyrics.http//www.darklyrics.com/a/amonamarth.htmlLarrington, Carolyne. The Poetic Edda. parvenue York, New York Oxford University Press 2008.Lindow, John. Norse Mythology A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. New York, New York Oxford University Press 2001.Sturluson, Snorri. Edda. North Clarendon, VT Tuttle Publishing 1995.