Review Summary: When it’s cold outside..
Immortal are a black metal band from Bergen, Norway and have been on the scene since 1991. The band were founded by frontman and guitarist Abbath Doom Occulta (Olve Eikemo), guitarist Demonaz Doom Occulta (Harald Naevdal) and later drummer Horgh (Reidar Horghagen) in 1996.
Now let’s get all the bull*** out the way.
It’s no secret that Immortal have had an incredibly turbulent last few years. They split up in 2003 until 2007 for ‘personal reasons’, prior to that one of the founding members (Demonaz) had to leave his duties on guitar due to an issue with acute tendinitis to which he still continued with the band just as a tour manager and lyricist.
As well as the aforementioned issues one of the founding members then (Abbath Doom Occulta) left in 2015 due to a legal dispute with the other band members over the rights to the Immortal name, logo and overall trademark. You still with me? - Now fast forward to present day.
Demonaz has now re-joined the band on both vocals and guitar – his operation to treat his tendinitis was clearly a success so early this year teased Immortal’s 9th album release. According to Demonaz, "We have put a massive amount of energy into this and wanted to deliver our absolutely best. It has been a pleasure to finish the studio process and most of all being stoked about the final result. Peter Tägtgren has done an outstanding job in producing and mixing it. We now look forward to have it released and are excited to share our 9th full length with you all."
Northern Chaos Gods was released on July 6th, 2018 under Nuclear Blast Records and it’s the bands first album for 9 years.
Lyrically, unlike other black metal bands that have satanic-themed lyrics the theme once again here is the fictional, wintery, and isolated demon filled ‘Blashyrkh’.
The album starts with the title track North Chaos Gods and we are introduced to our new vocalist. Demonaz does an excellent job, his vocals are in the mid to higher pitch range and he has this venomous rasp to his tone which I quite like and dare I say it – actually prefer. It’s a frantic song in both the guitar and drum work and serves as a great opener for the album.
The bands german-thrash metal influences are apparent throughout the whole album especially with the songs, Into Battle Ride & Called to Ice.
Overall the album’s production has you hearing every instrument and every tone. The sound is well balanced and unlike some death or black metal albums you aren’t just faced with a wall of noise. Guitar solos punch through and the vocals compliment the guitar tone which was always one of my gripes with some of their earlier work, in particular At the Heart of Winter – as great as it still is today.
The riffs on this album are incredible and they are consistent throughout. It really is those domineering, heavy guitar riffs that define this album.
The last track on the album and the song the band released to tease the album release is Mighty Ravendark, and this has to be my favourite song on the album – it has an eerie ness about it similar to some of Agalloch’s work, particularly during the introduction. It’s dark, damning and powerful and you’ll have the words “Mighty Ravendark” stuck in your head all day.
Until now Craft’s latest release White Noise and Black Metal held the top-spot for me for black metal album of the year however Immortal have just taken it.
It’s the release they needed at this point of their career and I really can’t find anything negative to say about it – so I won’t.
