Tag Archives: Amon Amarth

BACON BLOODY BACON: Matt Bacon on the Importance of PR

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This is one I haven’t tackled in a while so I figure it’s worth circling back around on it. Your band basically needs PR and needs to prioritize it over most other marketing expenses for your band. If your band puts out a record, but no one pays attention to it does it really count as a release? Yeah, I didn’t think so. What it really comes down to is that you want people to be writing about your music. You want publications to be posting it. You want there to be some level of traction, of attention being generated around what you are trying to do. These things don’t happen on their own. So many bands seem to think that there are journalists trawling new releases on Bandcamp and Spotify looking for things to cover. There are literally hundreds of metal records coming out every week and so many of them don’t even do the slightest bit to promote. If you miss this basic step then you’re wasting your time.Continue reading →


Amon Amarth Books European Tour This Fall

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Riding high on their new album Berserker (Metal Blade/Columbia), Amon Amarth has booked a tour of Europe later this year. For exclusive shows booked for the UK, Arch Enemy and Hypocrisy will act as direct support. Other openers will be named soon for other countries. All dates for the tour can be seen below. Tickets for all shows can be purchased at the link below from 10am local time on Tuesday 18th June. A variety of VIP bundles will also be available once ticket sales begin.Continue reading →


BACON BLOODY BACON: Matt Bacon on Respecting Your Scene Elders

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Here’s something that I often see a lot of people dropping the ball on – respecting your scene elders. They’re the people you see at shows in 2019 who have literally been going to shows since the 70s. It’s still relatively easy to meet people who saw The Ramones back in the day. There are a ton of living people out there who saw all your favorite hardcore bands, back in their heyday. Hell, an even greater number have probably seen the full range of predecessors to today’s modern metal bands. Yet, so often I see people ignore them or try to mine them for personal gain. Here’s the thing though – paying attention to scene elders, giving them their due respect and coordinating with them over the long term is not only going to teach you about our community and lead to rewarding friendships, it will also help grow your own projects. In this article, I want to shine a spotlight on the importance of scene elders and share some insights they’ve taught me over the years.Continue reading →


Amon Amarth Share Their New Music Video for “Mjolner”

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Fresh off of their North American tour with Slayer, Amon Amarth has shared a new music video. The video for ‘Mjolner’ is the final chapter in the trilogy of videos that included ‘Raven’s Flight’ and ‘Crack the Sky’ all directed by Roboshobo, and have launched their recent album Berserker, out now via Sony/Metal Blade Records. The band continues to support the release and will appear at Download Festival 2019 on the main stage, on Sunday 16th of June. Watch the video now!

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BACON BLOODY BACON: Matt Bacon on How To Get Good Opening Slots for Bands

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So, a question I’m often asked is “How do we secure support slots for bigger bands?” Well, a lot of this ties back to the core thesis of pretty much everything I do, which is “reach out to your community and see what happens.” As you can probably tell, I think this is obviously the best and most effective way to connect with people and make friends. Yet beyond that, there’s another secret to securing your first few good support slot dates on a tour. It involves growing in your region, and using that to show that you’re a band worthy of opening slots. Essentially, what I’m trying to push is that if you spend time growing your draw in the six markets closest to you then you’ll be able to secure — with greater ease — invitations to play regional dates. If you show that you’re pro on that level, then maybe someone will take a chance on you for a set of national dates. Again – it’s about immersing yourself in the community so that people can start to see you are a band worth taking out.Continue reading →


Slayer – Lamb of God – Amon Amarth – Cannibal Corpse: Live at BB&T Pavilion

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We were gathered at The BB&T Pavilion to pay respects to the life and times of the almighty Slayer. Joining us here in the congregation is Cannibal Corpse who showered us in hymns new such as ‘Red Before Black’ and old, like ‘Hammer Smashed Face’. A funeral pyre of from Amon Amarth which included ‘Twilight of the Thunder God’, ‘As Loke Falls’ as well as Raise Your Horns’. A fitting tribute.

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BACON BLOODY BACON: Matt Bacon on How To Get A Manager

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I get asked all the time “how do I get a manager for my band?” The goal, of course, is not to get someone’s girlfriend to manage the band. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. The goal is to get a manager who is going to go to bat for you and get you cool opening slots and tours all around the country. People in metal have increasingly realized that the managers and booking agents are really the people who can give you those opportunities – not so many labels any more. Sure, a label might get you some introductions and help you get the connects you need but that’s not really their focus these days. So, the point being – the way to get a real manager is very simple. You need to show that you are pros who work your faces off and you need to show that you are going to be financially soluble – that it will make sense for these crazy busy people to want to invest some of their very valuable time in what you are trying to do. Continue reading →


BACON BLOODY BACON: Matt Bacon on Connecting with People

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You attract what you put out. It’s as simple as that. If you’re out there exuding love and positivity, you’ll generally get that back. If you’re trying to pick fights and be grouchy to people, then you will get that. Ultimately, it’s your choice which approach you will embrace. Here’s the thing though – by picking one over the other, you’re significantly more likely to get your band somewhere meaningful. At the end of the day, it’s not about being right, it’s about trying to sell some goddamn records and make this entire endeavor a little less pointless. How do you do this? Embrace the world with a focus on what you enjoy. The reason for this is, quite frankly, entirely selfish — it allows you to connect with people on a more meaningful level. It’s all strategy — you need to meet people who can help your band grow, and open the sorts of doors that you are going to need opened as you attempt to push your brand in 2019. I know how these people work, so here is how you connect with them.Continue reading →


BACON BLOODY BACON: Matt Bacon on Engaging with the Community at Scale

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In these articles, I talk non-stop about the importance of engaging with your community at scale. This continually, however, seems to be something that gives people pause. They are consistently asking me, “Matt but HOW do I engage with the community meaningfully.” Now first and foremost it is important to remember that this isn’t really easy and it’s not really the sort of thing that is going to always make sense from first blush so don’t expect it too. However, by following through on some of the ideas, the tasks laid out on this article you are going to be able to help your scene push forward in a meaningful way. By giving without expectation of something in return you will be able to reach that critical next juncture for your band. If you want more contacts, friends or people to generally work with as you try and expand what your band is all about then there is basically nothing you can do that will be more impactful than engaging deeply. Continue reading →