When the classic lineup of a band changes it’s understandable for fans to worry if their signature sound will be compromised in any way. Case in point: Norwegian black metal veterans Immortal faced such anxieties in the middle of the last decade with the departure of Abbath and recently Horgh.
However, with Demonaz the creator of Immortal’s fantasy land Blashyrkh alone at the helm, Norway’s most arena friendly black metal group are back with a tenth album that has put many a worry about the band’s output at ease.
Immortal returned without Abbath in 2018 with the very impressive Northern Chaos Gods and now alone on the metaphorical mountain, Demonaz continues the adventures into the band’s crazed and warped otherworld.
Everything you would expect from a typical Immortal release is present: precision blast beats, jagged tremolo picking, screaming squarks about a mythical land ruled by gods of chaos engaged in a constant battle for supremacy. The idiosyncrasies that put these guys from Trondheim on the metal map have been retained and another chapter in the ongoing grimoire of Blashrykh has been written to keep the metal world informed of its evil wonderment.
So overall, Immortal have remained true to their roots despite the difficulties thrown at them over the past decade, and it should be noted that this album does not outstay its welcome with the song lengths and pacing of the melodies and crescendos totaling 38 minutes of Norwegian black metal bliss.
However, given that the band have not changed their shtick it’s not the kind of album for people who expect a band’s evolution to involve experimentation or journeying into new territories both audibly or synthetically. Many of the biggest names in Norwegian black metal have experimented with other genres and musicianship across their careers and Immortal found their typical sound long ago and haven’t stepped away from the fantasy land they inhabit in their lyrics. That’s not to say this album is disappointing, but if you were hoping for this to be a whole new direction for the band, you’re not going to be smiling.
Another wholly decent piece of Norwegian black metal from one of its longest serving veterans who aren’t mellowing anytime soon.
(7.5/10 Demitri Levantis)
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