Immortal: Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism (1992)

This is the third entry in a short series of black metal classics that have recently shown up in my collection.

Immortal is one of the most consistent Norwegian black metal bands of the second wave.  They have never really altered their sound over the entire course of their history.  They did slow down somewhat in the early 2000's, mostly as a result of injuries to Demonaz, who simply could not play as fast anymore.  But even though they slowed down their songs, does not mean they were any less intense.  They have re-formed a couple of times in recent years to put out a couple more great black metal albums.  But this time, we are going back in time, to their debut album.

Unlike a lot of other black metal bands from the time period, Immortal always knew they were inherently silly.  Just look at the video for "The Call of the Wintermoon" in which the band members, dressed in corpse paint and resembling professional wrestlers, ran around aimlessly in a forest, oddly enough in what appears to be Spring.  Immortal never seemed to take themselves too seriously, even if the music did not often convey that.  Instead of singing about evil and Satanism, Immortal created their own mythology, which was starting to show here.

The recording quality, as could be expected is very raw here.  It would be several more albums before Immortal achieved some decent production values.  That's a shame because the music here is great.  It is not as chaotic as Immortal would soon become and there are some genuinely terrific riffs on full display.  There is a very evil atmosphere to the entire album, aided by the snarling rasp of Abbath and the sinister guitar tone.  "A Perfect Vision of the Rising Northland" is the big highlight here, with an epic feel to it, particularly in the breathtaking guitar solo.  This song forecasts what Immortal was capable of producing.

This album sounds quite a bit unlike any other early Immortal album.  It would not be long before blinding speed became the band's calling card.  There is probably not a lot here that really separates Immortal from the other Norwegian black metal bands of the time period.  But that does not mean that the album is bad.  Far from it.  This is a terrific album that would stand on its own better if it was not an Immortal album.  Very underrated.

My 100 Favorite Metal Bands Pt. 54: Immortal

Immortal was covered recently as my favorite metal band from Norway. The band has been around for quite a long time, as one of the leading groups in the second wave of Norwegian black metal. Their sound is much more chaotic and thrashy than some of their fellow groups. That is probably the reason I like them better. Their early material was so fast that guitarist Demonaz developed a condition in his arm that greatly limited his ability to play the material. Thus, Immortal plays a slower style now, but their intensity and ferocity has never wavered. Immortal recently reunited and look like they will continue to put out good music for the foreseeable future.

FAVORITE ALBUM: PURE HOLOCAUST

My Favorite Metal Band from Norway

Admittedly, Norway was very difficult. I kind of knew it would be. As much as I like the black metal scene in Norway, I have never really considered what my favorite band from the scene would be. So when I finally set to it, I was not sure what the answer would be.

I guess I picked Immortal due mostly to the fact that they are more of a raw thrash metal band similar to the early black metal bands such as Bathory and Venom. Their fast riffs and dark atmosphere was truly unique from the other bands in the scene. All of their albums have been exceptional, as opposed again to some of the other bands from the scene. Immortal disappeared for awhile but came back strong in 2009. Quite simply, everything the band has done has been great.

NOTABLE SCENES: Second wave black metal, duh.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
1349
Blood Tsunami
Burzum
Darkthrone
Dimmu Borgir
Emperor
Enslaved
Gorgoroth
Ihsahn
Khold
Mayhem
Nocturnal Breed
Satyricon
Syrach
Tristania
Vreid

Year in Metal: 2002

BEHEMOTH: ZOS KIA CULTUS (HERE AND BEYOND)
The sixth album from the Polish metal band represented a bit more of a departure in musical style from their previous albums. At this point, the band existed far more on the death metal side of the fence with some black metal influences. Behemoth has always had a very dark sound and this album took that to even more of an extreme. Of course, the twisted Morbid Angel-style riffs, the deep vocals of Nergal, and the mystical and occult lyrics are all present. This is one of my favorite albums by Behemoth.

IMMORTAL: SONS OF NORTHERN DARKNESS
Norwegian black metal goofballs Immortal released their seventh album, and at the time, their final album in 2002. The band would reunite years later, but at this time, this was to be it. This album was a bit more of a streamlined blackened thrash metal album and was a little on the slower side than their previous hyperfast material. Nevertheless it is one of the catchiest releases in Immortal's impressive discography.

LACUNA COIL: COMALIES
I have a bit of a soft spot for this release from Lacuna Coil. The music is fairly standard gothic metal/rock, but it is Cristina Scabbia's voice that makes this one worthwhile. Her sensual crooning is definitely the highlight of this album. This is much more of a romantic metal album than aggressive or angry. This album garnered the band quite a bit of attention and they were often compared to Evanescence, although their music was significantly better.

NIGHTWISH: CENTURY CHILD
I apologize about having two albums from groups with female lead singers that are more geared towards the mall-goth demographic this year, but this is my favorite album by Nightwish and one which my fiancee really enjoys as well. The symphonic power metal band's fourth album featured the first male vocals of the band's career which were delivered in more of a gruff style and some of the darkest music.

SYMPHONY X: THE ODYSSEY
Progressive metal band Symphony X released one hell of an epic album in this, their sixth album. This was the first time I had heard of the band though and was interested in checking them out due to the 24 minute take on the travels of Odysseus after the Trojan War. I have always been interested in Greek mythology and The Odyssey is one of my favorites. Musically, this album reminds me a lot of Kansas's progressive rock albums, with more of a metal bent.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: IN FLAMES: REROUTE TO REMAIN; KATAKLYSM: SHADOWS AND DUST; OPETH: DELIVERANCE; SHADOWS FALL: THE ART OF BALANCE.

BANDS THAT FORMED IN 2002: DevilDriver, Eluveitie.

Year in Metal: 1993

CARCASS: HEARTWORK
Carcass is revered for being a pioneer in the grindcore genre. However, in their later years the band put out one of the all-time great death metal albums, Necroticism-Descanting the Insalubrious. Still later though, Carcass had a major hand in the formation of melodeath with this amazing album. Featuring cover art from H.R. Giger and some absolutely sick riffs and melodies, this is a great album without which we would not have had melodeath. At least the good stuff anyway.

CYNIC: FOCUS
Along with Atheist, Cynic is responsible for bringing jazz and fusion influences into death metal. Sounds like something doomed to failure, but it surprisingly works quite well. The songs often run the gamut between death metal and more ethereal, serene soundscapes. The vocoder vocals can be a little irritating at times, but it's nothing to stop listening for. Cynic did not release much after this, going on hiatus until just recently releasing their second full-length album.

IMMORTAL: PURE HOLOCAUST
One of the more well-known bands in the Norwegian black metal scene, Immortal is also probably my favorite of the groups. Immortal knows their sound and largely sticks to it, and their sound is chaotic and unholy thrash riffs played with ungodly speed and shrieking vocals. Immortal has created their own world on this album. They may be a little cheesy-looking in pictures and videos, but there is nothing cheesy about this music. Excellent black metal.

MORBID ANGEL: COVENANT
The first time I have ever heard of Morbid Angel was when the video for "God of Emptiness" was on Beavis and Butthead. I thought to myself that I had to get that album. The music was so evil and unlike anything I had ever heard to that point. Well, I was not able to find the album until I really started looking within the last few years. Now, this is one of my favorite death metal albums ever. Terrific death metal that other bands have been trying to copy for years.

PARADISE LOST: ICON
You won't see a lot of gothic metal in these lists, but there will be some. Paradise Lost is probably my favorite such group next to Type O Negative. The English band helped usher in the death/doom genre with Cathedral, My Dying Bride, and Anathema, but they became more of a gothic metal band over time. This album represents the crossroads between the two sounds and the doom elements and gothic elements blend perfectly into a beautiful, but still aggressive album.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Anthrax: Sound of White Noise, Atheist: Elements, Crowbar: Crowbar, Darkthrone: Under a Funeral Moon, Death: Individual Thought Patterns, Entombed: Wolverine Blues, Fight: War of Words, My Dying Bride: Turn Loose the Swans, Overkill: I Hear Black, Satyricon: Dark Medieval Times, Sepultura: Chaos A.D., Type O Negative: Bloody Kisses.

BANDS THAT FORMED IN 1993: Children of Bodom, Dark Funeral, Diabolical Masquerade, Dimmu Borgir, Electric Wizard, Hammerfall, Melechesh, Nile, Symphony X.

Initial Impressions: Impiety, Stratovarius, Immortal, Warbringer, and Iron Fire

IMPIETY: TERROREIGN

The Singaporean (hopefully that's correct) metal mavens in Impiety combine styles of black, death, and thrash metal. The band would fit in with the Australian bands like Destroyer 666 and Destruktor as they possess the same sort of extreme, frenzied style of metal. Impiety has been lurking underground for years now, never really garnering much recognition as they are somewhat geographically isolated. It's time for that to pass. Impiety has been one of the most extreme, powerful bands in underground metal for years.

The band continues in this vein on their latest album, the aptly titled Terroreign. Things always start up slowly, softly building into a crescendo of chaos that doesn't let up for the rest of the album. An Impiety album is more like a destructive event than a listening experience. They leave the listener dumbfounded, mouth-agape, wondering what the hell just happened. The music is like tornado ripping through the listener's head and leaving no survivors.

Impiety is not an easy band to listen to, far from it actually, but if one wants metal that is extremely aggressive and destructive, look no further than Impiety.

STRATOVARIUS: POLARIS

Every once in awhile, I am in the mood for something very melodic. Luckily, metal is a genre of extremes and there are very melodic bands out there. Much of the power metal genre for instance falls into this category.

Stratovarius is one such power metal band.

Stratovarius and other bands like them (Rhapsody of Fire, Sonata Arctica, etc.) play a very melodic form of power metal derisively referred to as "flower metal". I won't refer to it as such as I happen to like the music once in awhile. It is by no means my favorite style, but it is easier to listen to. It's not terribly relaxing as the music is often very fast, but it nonetheless does not rely on the heavy riffs and extreme vocals other genres feature.

This album is Stratovarius at its best. Fast melodies, occasional choral vocals and current singer Timo Kotipelto's amazing tenor vocals. Stratovarius is a band that whose music closely resembles classical music. The band arranges its music very carefully and results in a full beautiful symphonic metal style.

The album is one of the better examples of the oft-reviled "flower metal" genre. Stratovarius has more than enough metal parts to keep metalheads happy, while also heavily relying on gorgeous melodies.

IMMORTAL: ALL SHALL FALL

Ah yes, the Norwegian true black metal warriors return from a long hiatus. Immortal has never been a band that has been taken very seriously. Over the years, many black metal bands have shed the corpsepaint and leather, not Immortal though. Immortal looks just as silly and bizarre as they ever have. Abbath still looks like a death metal panda, and the other members follow suit.

However, musically, Immortal is one of the most important black metal bands from Norway and have continued putting out good album after good album. The sound has become a little more streamlined and melodic over the last couple albums and is not as chaotic and ball-out furiously fast as they have been in the past. But, none of their power and glory has diminished.

Immortal's newest album is continuing down the musical path laid out by their last album. The black metal is still there. The thunderous drums and lightning fast riffs, the deep throated gargle of Abbath, all of the elements necessary for a good Immortal album are present. Which is what makes this such a great album. Immortal is one of my favorite bands from the Norwegian second wave of black metal, and every reason why is found in this album.

Welcome back Immortal.

WARBRINGER: WAKING INTO NIGHTMARES

Their last album was a warning shot. Warbringer was here and ready to thrash. From the Lovecraftian nightmare that is the album cover, to the opening volley in the opener, it is clear that Warbringer has been honing their craft, ready to let the naysayers who claim that the band are nothing but trendwhores have it.

Warbringer is one of the better new "retro thrash" metal bands, along with Merciless Death. They are also one of the such bands that best know their material. Warbringer often sounds like a demented cross between Slayer, Kreator, Exodus, and Dark Angel. The band is often derided for their presence on Century Media's roster and the fact that they emerged at the same time as a lot of the other bands. It's unfortunate because those people who don't give them a shot, don't know what they are missing.

Warbringer's newest album is still full of the same venomous rage as their prior album and finds the band tightening up on their playing ability. They served notice last time, this time they will take no prisoners.

IRON FIRE: TO THE GRAVE

Iron Fire is the other type of power metal. That is, Iron Fire is not an overly melodic, almost symphonic "flower metal" band. Instead, Iron Fire draws influences from such acts as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Jag Panzer, Liege Lord and other traditional, speed, or power metal bands that are aggressive, yet melodic.

Iron Fire fits in well with the resurgence of more traditional sounding metal bands, although the band itself has been around for nearly 15 years and has put out five full length albums. They are not a new band, but they are beginning to see some recognition based on their brand of metal becoming more widespread in recent years.

The songs are all fast-paced with good, traditional riffs and Martin Steene's soaring vocals and are catchy as hell. Martin Steene is the singer for Force of Evil as well, the side project band of members of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate. He has a vocal style well-suited for power metal.

All in all, this is a very good example of the more aggressive style of European power metal propagated by groups like Blind Guardian instead of Rhapsody of Fire.