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ITP RATING: *** 1/2
PRODUCTION: ***
SONGWRITING: *** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ****
IMMORTAL, formed in 1988, are hailed by many as Norway's "Sons of Northern Darkness", propelling the black metal scene from dark, extreme atmospheres, to blasting thrash elements. The musical progression from atmospheric, minimalist to thrashier black metal is viewed as controversial and "norsecore" to some, progressive to others.
IMMORTAL's influence is quite widespread as these black metal veterans have been there and done that. HELLHAMMER (MAYHEM) has toured with IMMORTAL and Norway's HOLE IN THE SKY FESTIVAL is always dedicated to the memory of late IMMORTAL drummer "Grim".
IMMORTAL disbanded in 2003. After much thought, Abbath, Demonaz, original Immortal drummer Armagedda, Ice Dale of ENSLAVED, and KING OF HELL (GORGOROTH) formed the project I and released "Between Two Worlds" in 2006.
In 2006, Abbath and Demonaz re activated IMMORTAL and with a few reunion tours IMMORTAL are back with a new release entitled "All Shall Fall".
IMMORTAL's "All Shall Fall' kicks off with the title track and an ominous intro, then blasts off with prog rock riffing, blastbeats, good vocals , dirt, grit and grimness.
"The Rise Of Darkness" kicks off with norse core drumming, black and roll riffing with perhaps an old CELTIC FROST influence. IMMORTAL's "The Rise Of Darkness" has a more stripped down feel, post black metal or post rock feel with less blast beats. VENOM couldn't be prouder.
"Hordes To War", is explosive, raw and dirty blackened thrash, total BATHORY worship, but awesome in it's execution. At 1:06 of "Hordes To War", ABBATH invokes a scream heard all the way from Blashyrkh: "RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"..Fucking horns up..\m/
"Norden On Fire" simmers with an acoustic guitar synth intro, epic, minimalistic but raw, prog rock riffing. "Norden On Fire" does not feature blast beats, but good black and roll riffing, perhaps a less proggy ENSLAVED , but still epic.
"Artic Swarm", again features more stripped down riffs, ala VENOM, with an undeniable MOTORHEAD influence, no blastbeats, but gritty, raw and frost bitten.
IMMORTAL's "Mount North", is epic, quality, black metal, up the mountain from mid tempo to blasts, played with conviction..
IMMORTAL's "ALL SHALL FALL" closes with "Unearthly Kingdom", at first mid paced, with melodic epic riffing, THEN.. At 3:55, "Unearthly Kingdom" takes off for a faster pace, with nicely placed vocal breaks for a mid paced post black metal epic.
IMMORTAL's "ALL SHALL FALL" may be too mid paced for some, but I like the raw, minimalistic variety of this release. I would prefer if ABBATH's vocals were a tad bit higher in the mix, otherwise I'm quite charmed by the "necro" grit of IMMORTALS "ALL SHALL FALL" with it's NWOBHM influences.
As if IMMORTAL were put in a garage, and drank some absinthe and were stripped of their drum trigger, too drunk to play blast beats and stuck in the frozen Norwegian forests reminiscing about the 1st wave of black metal.
IMMORTAL's "ALL SHALL FALL" is a ballsy, primitive, war metal epic, and if you were expecting SONS OF NORTHERN DARKNESS, or PURE HOLOCAUST 2, nothing will be as dark and epic is the latter. IMMORTAL's latest release may not exceed said bands classics, but "ALL SHALL FALL" is different, a unique release in said bands discography, "Hordes of War", in one barbaric battle, laid waste to most of 2009's so called black metal releases.
ITP RATING: *** 1/2
PRODUCTION: ***
SONGWRITING: *** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ****
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-
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