Artist: Immortal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release Date: 3/5/02
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Title: Sons of Northern Darkness Artist: Immortal Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 3/5/02 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
Anyone who read my top ten list from 1999 knows that I'm a big fan of this band. At the Heart of Winter was a ground breaking album that shot this band from the upper tier of the genre to the top. Damned in Black kept the ball rolling and solidified their reputation. This, their latest effort, keeps the streak intact.
"Immortal remain one of the best black metal bands out there the same way they always have." Immortal remain one of the best black metal bands out there the same way they always have. Riffs. This band continues to pump out some of the catchiest, most memorable guitar parts in all of extreme music. Unlike a lot of their peers, they've refrained from expanding their music with too much melody. And while I love a lot of the bands that have added clean vocals and dominant keyboards (sometimes overly dominant), I must say I'm really impressed by a band that can use all of the same elements that they always have and continue to come up with such exciting stuff.
In many ways this album is very simple. Immortal's songwriting has its own signature style but it doesn't ever strike me as formulaic. Each and every song on this album has its own distinct character, so much so that whenever I listen to it, I feel like I'm listening to a greatest hits disc. Rarely does one album contain so many exceedingly quality tracks.
"Immortal's songwriting has its own signature style but it doesn't ever strike me as formulaic." I could go on raving about this album, as it is my favorite of 2002 (of course, it is only February), but it would just be wasting time, and I don't feel like coming up with a whole bunch of different ways to say it's almost perfectly written and executed. Buy this album because you'll love it, and if for some reason you don't, you should probably beat yourself over the head with a baseball bat... you'd deserve it.
One word review: Brilliant.
Death's Review:
Immortal return with another frost-bitten effort for their first album ever to be released with proper distribution in the United States, and the result is pretty good. I like that in the band's bio they admit to never having held themselves out as "true Norwegian black metal," as the band clearly employs elements of a thrash-style technicality and a more traditional metal understanding as part of its icy metallic assault (sorry for that one, folks, it is just too tempting to throw around frozen imagery when writing an Immortal review; by the way, since I've digressed, anyone care to admit that while watching the Winter Olympics they are rooting for the Norwegian and Swedish entrants based on those countries' affinities for metal? I thought so). What results are actual songs; each have their own unique character and are simply more individually distinguishable than most of Immortal's competition for the black metal throne.
For example, in the opener, "One by One," a relatively straightforward track hits paydirt with the Iced Earth-style picking in the neck-snapping riff that kicks in about the one minute mark. This is followed up with the speedy title track, which features some well -produced and expressive drumming in the slower middle/chorus riffs. You can basically understand the lyrics too, which definitely helps. Then we are treated to the slow groove of track three, "Tyrants," which paints a completely different sonic picture within the same Immortal vibe. And think Venom when listening just past the two minute mark of track four, "Demonium," although the drumming in Venom was never this good. A similar contrast continues throughout the album, a well-produced and first-class effort to the end.
"I like that in the band's bio they admit to never having held themselves out as 'true Norwegian black metal'." I cannot let this review conclude without calling attention to the brilliant first paragraph of the Immortal press release. Whoever wrote this (Jill Farthing?) deserves some credit:
Over the last eleven years, Immortal have slowly-but not always quietly-established themselves as a leading act in black metal. With the recent passing of the last emperor, the black metal world is like a snake with no head, a writhing mass of coiled muscle wasting away under the weight of its own grimness. It's time for the true successor to step forward and seize the abdicated throne. And I promise you this, true believers, it won't be a gaggle of major label limeys in Halloween costumes sporting bad dye jobs and fake blood.
Classic band bio material, although I have to take issue with Immortal making fun of how funny any band looks (and plus, unlike many so-called "haters," I actually like Cradle of Filth). Still, despite the utter silliness of their appearance (try showing the band photo to any non-metalhead and watch their reaction), these guys can play, and they do so with conviction and a sense of a good metal song. Definitely check this one out.
"A well-produced and first-class effort to the end."
Hel's Review:
Immortal is back and, yes, the photos accompanying this album are just as funny as you would expect. These gentlemen have turned corpse paint and spiked accessories into the highest form of comedic art. But that's an entirely different discussion. On to the album!
Revisiting Damned in Black was a revelation. It really made me realize how much my standards have risen over the course of endlessly reviewing massive amounts of metal records. While I still believe it to be a good record, I no longer continue to hold it in the extremely high regard I once did.
"These gentlemen have turned corpse paint and spiked accessories into the highest form of comedic art."
That said, Sons of Northern Darkness represents, to quote the press release, "the band's first proper North American release." The singer's distinctively gritty growl is once again the centerpiece, and all the elements you expect an Immortal album to contain are intact. After my aforementioned soul searching and a bit of comparison, I declare this new album to be better than their last.
"I declare this new album to be better than their last." In many ways, I think we can consider this the next logical step in the progression of Immortal. The musicianship is accomplished, as is the album. Those who consider themselves fans of Immortal, or of all things black metal-related, should consider this a mandatory assignment. Those not inclined to appreciate the record, again, I must ask, why the hell did you read this far?
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