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I only bought this one because the special edition has the bonus disc with Amon Amarth's first EP on it. "Sorrow Throughout The Nine Worlds" is still my favorite AA release, but the songs I had heard from this album just didn't grab me, so it has been sitting on my shelf for quite a while without more than a cursory listen.

I have to say I think I have been too hard on this album. I have harshed this CD more than once, but that's in comparison to the band's early material, which is really quite different in style. Taken on its own, I have to admit that "Versus The World" is actually a very enjoyable album. Opener "Death In Fire" is actually the song closest to the old AA style, more melodic and odd-sounding. But the rest of the album is slower, punchier, and mostly more simplistic. But like I said, you can't really compare this to old Amon Amarth material – it will just piss you off - this is more like Dark Tranquility obsessed with Vikings. There are some really enjoyable songs here, from the dirgey march of "Where Ancient Gods Stand Guard" to the simple-but-catchy punch of "Bloodshed". Amon Amarth don't lean on the melody as much as they used to, but they do inject just enough to keep you interested. They just don't pound out the long, arcane epics they used to, but they do deliver a fun album. Amon Amarth may have turned down the path of 'yet another Death Metal band', but at least they are still a good Death Metal band. "Versus The World" is certainly worth getting, as it is way more entertaining than I had given it credit for at first spin, and if you find the special edition with the EP and all the demos, grab that sucker right away.