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I didn't really like the last Amon Amarth album, 2016's Jomsviking. I thought it was too light and too simplistic, without the heaviness I want from an Amon Amarth release. This band has been getting more melodic since Deceiver of the Gods, but I thought Jomsviking went too far in that direction. I am glad to see Berserker gets some of their viciousness back.

Their past three albums have seen Amon Amarth leaning more on melody, using almost Thrash-styled riffs and songwriting more influenced by Traditional Metal than by Death Metal. While I don't think that's a bad thing, it has led them to ease up too much on their trademark heaviness, with a certain lack of the energy that was a hallmark of their best works. On Jomsviking this approach was mixed with a flat, unexciting production to produce an album that just sounded weak. Berserker does not vary from the songwriting formula, using main riffs that are strongly melodic, but with more meat on the recording, so this sounds like a proper Amon Amarth album. I do wish they would crank the heaviness up even more, but this is definitely an improvement.