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Content Introduction Norwegian black metal heavyweights Immortal release their first new album in 9 years, 'Northern Chaos Gods'! No need to worry even without Abbas. Immortal is more Immortal than ever. Immortal is one of the leading bands in the Norwegian black metal scene. They are the face of black metal, but can also be seen as a band that achieved success by reversing the identity of black metal. Immortal was formed in 1991, centered around bassist/vocalist Abbas and guitarist Demonas. Its predecessors were the death metal bands Old Funeral and Amputation. The early 90s saw a huge movement in Norway when black metal became popular, and kids who had been playing death metal all changed their allegiance at once. Immortal was one of those bands. After releasing a demo and a 7" EP, they signed with the up-and-coming Osmose Productions. In 1992, they made their album debut with "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism." They continued to release albums steadily, including "Pure Holocaust" (1993) and "Battles in the North" (1995), gaining great popularity, especially in Europe. If you want to know a part of the reason why they have gained so many fans, you should definitely check out the music videos for "Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms" and "Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)" (both from "Battles in the North"). You're sure to smile at the sight of them playing in corpse paint and with their legs spread wide, running around in the mountains. Immortal is a band that brilliantly overturned the stereotype that "black metal = scary music." As a result, they opened the doors of the closed world of black metal to many people! Immortal began their activities during the heyday of the infamous Inner Circle. Abbas was inspired by the late Euronymous and became hooked on black metal, and even played with Varg Vikernes of Burzum in Old Funeral. However, they had a firm resolve not to engage in criminal activity. You might think, "Of course they wouldn't commit crimes!" But Norway at that time was a different world where values ??that defy common sense prevailed, such as "You're not a real black metal band unless you set churches on fire; if you can't, you're a fake." They made the world of demons and anti-Christ, which had previously only been fantasy, a reality by burning down churches. Black metal had to be truly dangerous music. That was the identity of black metal at the time. While being right in the middle of that scene, Immortal directly rejected that identity. They took on the role of sending demons back into the world of fantasy. Some hardcore fans were probably angered after seeing their music video, thinking, "That's not black metal! It's outrageous!" However, evil and humor are two sides of the same coin. Venom, the pioneers of black metal, understood this well, which is why they sang about demons while never forgetting the spirit of humor. Immortal revived the elements that Euronymous and Burzum had dismissed as "No Fun," and by returning to the roots of Venom, they captured the hearts of many fans. I wrote at the beginning that "Immortal reversed the identity of black metal," but if Venom is the origin of black metal, then "Immortal is the most legitimate successor to black metal." However, Immortal's journey has had its ups and downs. After adding Horgh on drums and releasing their fourth album, "Blizzard Beasts," in 1997, Demonas suffered from severe tendinitis and was unable to play guitar. Consequently, on the following three albums, "At the Heart of Winter" (1999), "Damned in Black" (2000), and "Sons of Northern Darkness," Demonas's role was limited to providing lyrics. Abbas was forced to handle the guitar. Despite being produced under such difficult circumstances, "At the Heart of Winter" remains a masterpiece of melodic black metal and continues to receive high praise from around the world. As a result, with "Sons of Northern Darkness," they moved to Nuclear Blast, Europe's largest metal label, and were expected to achieve even greater success. However, in 2003, Immortal suddenly announced their disbandment. The sudden turn of events left many fans sighing in disappointment. The turmoil continued. After a four-year hiatus, they resumed activities in 2007. After making their long-awaited return at major European festivals such as Wacken Open Air in Germany and Inferno in Norway, they released a new album, "All Shall Fall," in 2009. It seemed as though they had made a complete comeback. However, despite fans' hopes that "this time for sure," another problem arose. A legal dispute arose among the members over the trademark of the band name "Immortal." Abbas claimed that the name "Immortal" belonged solely to him, while Demonas and Horg argued that all three members owned the rights. Ultimately, in March 2015, Abbas left Immortal and is currently pursuing a solo career. Having overcome various difficulties, it seemed that Immortal might have to disband again without Abbas, but they were not the type to give up so easily. Demonas and Horg decided to continue the band. And now, finally, their first new album in nine years, "Northern Chaos Gods," has been released! Without recruiting a replacement for Abbas, Demonas is also handling vocals. Peter T?gren is participating as a guest bassist. Of course, some may feel uneasy thinking, "Immortal without Abbas..." But there is absolutely no need to worry. Immortal remains Immortal. The album title, "Northern Chaos Gods," is unmistakably Immortal, but the content is even more so. This is in stark contrast to Abbas, who has recently deviated somewhat from black metal. Some may be tired of the overused description, "a work that unleashes a storm of chilling riffs like a blizzard," but is there any band that deserves the description "blizzard" more than Immortal? To be more specific, "Northern Chaos Gods" might be best described as a modern, upgraded version of the good old Immortal black metal of albums like "Pure Holocaust" and "Battles in the North." Of course, Horg's incredible drumming is still present. "Northern Chaos Gods" is an album that will undoubtedly excite any Immortal fan or Scandinavian black metal fan. Even so, the fact that the band split up over the trademark of their band name is truly befitting of a legitimate successor to Venom. [Includes Japanese liner notes/lyrics translation] [Members] *Katakana spelling currently being confirmed Demonas (vocals/guitar) Horg (drums) Peter Teckren (session bass) [CD tracklist] 01. Northern Chaos Gods 02. Into Battle Ride 03. Gates to Blasilk 04. Grim and Dark 05. Cold to Ice 06. Where Mountains Rise 07. Blacker of Worlds 08. Mighty Ravendark Media reviews and more Norwegian black metal heavyweights Immortal release their first album in 9 years! No need to worry even without Abbas. Immortal is more Immortal than ever! (C)RS