If ever there was a band that has been badly used by the internet it is Immortal: Whether it’s those interminable mostly unfunny ‘memes’ or cracks about the Abbath crab-walk, the internet has mostly ignored the one bright, blazing fact that Immortal were one of the greatest metal bands ever, any genre, no argument. From the full on black metal classic of Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism through to the epic winter metal assault of the last four albums, three of which are classics themselves, Immortal were just…. Immortal. I mean they even managed to stay out of the fallout from the early nineties shit. And they refused a Norwegian Grammy. Class.
Then the sideshow started. I mean they’ve never been workaholics but the lack of new music just gave space over to those fucking memes, the continued questions over Demonaz’ health playing wise not helping perhaps, and finally there came hugely unseemly legal squabbles over the band itself. Demonaz and Horg seem to have been awarded as the keepers of that name, though if they ever do anything remains to be seen.
So then, grass not growing under his permafrost, cometh Abbath the ‘band’, baggage train clumping along behind. I use inverted commas as the three piece that recorded this album is already now just Abbath standing. ‘Personal reasons’ times two for Per Valla and Kevin Foley, guitars and drums. Oh aye, and the promo photos came over more Lordi than blizzard beast. I mean what the fuck is this? A ‘get something out before the opposition do ‘ band?
Thankfully no, though that may have been a driver. No, this is more a violent, black metal version of the I project of a decade ago when Immortal were last on hiatus, or a continuation of All Shall Fall. I mean you know it’s not going to be shit with Abbath on the tiller, but are we talking ‘Between Two Worlds’ heavy metal inflected good or ‘Sons Of Northern Darkness’ world crafting winter metal brilliance?
Well, ‘To War’ opens this album with the kind of death metal drum battery that Blizzard Beasts had. Not my favourite Immortal album but it’s a great, powerful sign of commitment and about three quarters of the way through the first sign of that signature Immortal cold, edgy melody pounding on the spine of the riff can be heard. This aspect rushes in full tilt on the wonderful ‘Winterbane’ which could have been lifted from All Shall Fall: a bitter bright, pounding rhythmic Abbath beatdown and those distinct, croaking vocals. Suddenly I’m more than a little hopeful here. ‘Ashes Of The Damned’ is a more speedy affair without entirely thrashing it up Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism style; I find it a bit shapeless if I’m honest, even when a more heavy metal style kicks in but it’s OK. No disaster and a good solid blizzard blast.
‘Ocean Of Wounds’ is back to that rhythmic, edgy style. It has to be said here that this songwriting couldn’t be anyone other than an Immortal alumni. It has their signature sound stamped hard down to the foundations of every single note and makes you wonder how much of this had already been written and intended for the next Immortal opus. Nothing here would have been out of place under that mantle. Even titles like ‘Count The Dead ‘, a punchy grim and determined number with a faster pace again, are seemingly pitched into the Immortal vein with no compromise. ‘Fenrir Hunts’ is even faster but so tight it just blitzes you, leaving wreckage in the wake for the people ‘Root Of The Mountain’ to roll over you in the same kind of way that ‘At The Heart Of Winter’ did. ‘Endless’, the finisher, is a full on thrash; fast and vicious, a decapitation attack with a fine melodic sting in the tail. An end to an album every bit as brutal and angry as All Shall Fall.
This is basically an Immortal album in sound. No hedging.
Now I know this may not make much sense but the biggest problem I have here is that really this sounds exactly like Immortal circa All Shall Fall. Exactly. With a ‘band’ that for whatever reasons turned out to be just session musicians, and a sound that frankly leaves Demonaz and Horg very little room to manoeuvre in sounding distinct and yet still sound like Immortal, this is the definition of both a pure solo project and a calculated coup d’etat. “I may not have the crown, but I have the kingdom. Everyone will know who owns the sound .. ” type blow.
It’s just a little, a tiny bit lacking in the insulated-don’t-give-a-toss-about-anyone-outside-the-band-or-it’s-mythology vibe; that added little extra that is always there when it’s a proper band. If this was an Immortal album it would be Damned In Black. Very good, more than worth the entrance fee, but not quite the classic. This time. Give him chance to actually have a band not hired guns and maybe… maybe. Even so this is a fine, enjoyable, angry album that any Immortal fan should own.
For sure, Immortal are going to have to launch a serious counter attack, and soon, or Abbath will have the kingdom to himself.
(8.5/10 Gizmo)
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