Swedish death metallers AMON AMARTH have issued the following year-end update:

"We want to thank everyone that has supported and helped us in 2012.

"2013 will be another intense year for AMON AMARTH, and looks like it will be slightly unpredictable and mischievous…

"We've just finished writing all the songs for the next full-length album, and we're ready to enter the studio to start recording them in the New Year."

AMON AMARTH has tapped British producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY, ACCEPT) to helm the band's next studio album, tentatively due in June 2013 via Metal Blade Records.

Regarding AMON AMARTH's decision to work with Sneap after utilizing Jens Bogren for the band's last three studio efforts (2006's "With Oden On Our Side", 2008's "Twilight Of The Thunder God" and 2011's "Surtur Rising"), AMON AMARTH guitarist Olavi Mikkonen told Decibel magazine, "We were looking for a change, and Andy has been in our thoughts for some years now. After meeting with him, we felt a good connection. We think this is going to be a ripper."

AMON AMARTH's eighth studio album, "Surtur Rising", sold around 15,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 34 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Twilight of the Thunder God", opened with more than 11,000 copies back in 2008 to land at No. 48.