Amon Amarth playing House of Blues

The bearded badasses in Amon Amarth guzzle mead from ram horns and look a lot like the vikings they frequently sing of. The shaggy Swedes are pretty much the AC/DC of death metal: Their albums all sound the same and are the better for it as they've perfected a formula of anvil-heavy groove, melody and menace.

Their latest disc, "Surfur Rising," which the band is performing in its entirety on tour, boasts an epic rager called "Destroyer of the Universe," which is exactly what this bunch strives to be.

See Amon Amarth at 7 p.m. Thursday in the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Tickets are $28.50 in advance, $32 day of show; call 702-632-7600.