Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth have released "Upphaf", the first acoustic song of their career. The track strips back the band's usual heavy sound to present a sparse, Norse-inspired composition built around hypnotic melodies and choral vocals, evoking the atmosphere of a longhouse hearth. The single is presented as a quiet prelude to the band's forthcoming studio album.

"Upphaf" was produced by Jacob Hansen and is out via Metal Blade Records across digital platforms, accompanied by a video directed by Pavel Trebukhin. The release arrives amid a busy period for the band, who formed in Tumba, Sweden, in 1992 and have since shared stages with acts including Slayer, Guns N' Roses and Pantera, headlined festivals such as Wacken Open Air (playing to 85,000 people in 2024) and Bloodstock, and topped album charts in Europe and North America. Amon Amarth are also preparing for a 2026 North American tour with Dethklok and Castle Rat. The current line-up is Johan Hegg (vocals), Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg (guitars), Ted Lundström (bass) and Jocke Wallgren (drums).