WORDS BY DAVID TAYLOR AND PHOTOS BY PETER AMISANO | Go Venue Magazine
On Thursday, August 10, Amon Amarth, off their tour with Ghost, came to Omaha on their Viking ships to decimate the audience that came to the Admiral Theater. They brought two of the heaviest US bands performing music with them, Creeping Death and 200 Stab Wounds. It was one of the heaviest nights of the year for music in Omaha.
200 Stab Wounds from Cleveland, Ohio started the night’s show. They are a death metal quartet that were fast and angry, and that’s all you need from an opener. They got the pit really going, and it continued all throughout the night. I have to give props to lead vocalist/guitarist Steve Buhl for performing double duty with leading guitar playing and also screaming into the microphone. It was intense in the best way. For a band that has been going at it for a couple of years, having been on tours opening up for legends like Soulfly and Obituary, they know how to open a show. They recently signed with Metal Blade Records, with a new full-length album coming hopefully by the end of the year/early next year. They will be on tour with GWAR and The Black Dahlia Murder later this year, but the next time they are in town will be in November (11/16) at the Waiting Room, being the direct support for Frozen Soul, which I’m guessing a ton of people that went to this show will be attending because they crushed it.
Creeping Death from Dallas, TX was the direct support for the evening. This five-piece death thrash band ripped another one into Omaha, having driven all the way up from Dallas to here for this show alone, some serious dedication with I knowing that Omaha is not the greatest city this country has to offer, but nevertheless showed up and kicked ass. This was their second time in Omaha since they opened up for Carcass at the Slowdown last year. It felt like old-school thrash with deathcore vibes. I heard some of those classic Dimebag guitar wails, a respectable tribute to their local hero. The pit was raging and this will definitely not be their last time here. I’m glad this felt like a memorable time here for them. They are hitting the road later this year with the almighty Dying Fetus. Be sure to check out their latest album they put out this past June called, Boundless Domain.
And finally, Swedish Viking death metallers were ready to throw down for the Omaha crowd. This was my second time seeing them, having seen them be the direct support for Megadeth in 2016. They brought an arena-like show to the Admiral while still playing music that was heavy as hell. Frontman Johan Hegg has such a Viking-like presence to him, it’s hard to believe he didn’t exist during the times when Vikings ruled the Earth. The Amon Amarth fanbase are diehards of this band, singing every word at the top of their lungs. No wonder why they decided to choose Omaha for this off-tour show. There were two Vikings that were battling each other throughout the set. The drum riser was a Viking helmet. It made it such a pleasing show for the eye. It was like as if Iron Maiden put their production for a venue that fitted around 1,000 or so people. It was incredible to watch. The mosh pit continued to go strong. Then, when “Put Your Back Into the Oar”, most of the audience on the floor sat on the ground and started to air-row. They ended the night with a ripping performance of “Twilight of the Thunder God”, with Hegg destroying a large inflatable sea monster with a Mjölnir-inspired weapon. What another incredible performance from Amon Amarth. Be sure to check out their latest album, The Great Heathen Army.
Amon Amarth
Creeping Death
200 Stab Wounds
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