History
Amputation was formed in 1989 as a death metal band in Bergen. This band issued the Suffocation and The Northern Upirs Death demos before switching over to Immortal. The guys also operated Old Funeral which featured Christian of Burzum. Guitarist Jørn Tunsberg would leave Amputation to form Hades. Then came the Unholy Forces Of Evil 1991 7" EP through Listenable records which at this time had begun work with Osmose Productions. The Latter label would sign the Norwegians. Armagedda would be fired from the band following the debut ostensibly because of a lack of playing ability. His replacement was one Kolgrim. Osmose would call the band's music Holocaustdemonmetal. The next album was supported through the Fuck Christ tour in conjunction with Blasphemy.
Drummer Brødreskift would be asked to leave and would soon reappear in Gorgoroth. The band would later claim Abbath had played all drums on the Pure Holocaust album. Brødreskift would commit suicide in October, 1999. In the meanwhile, Mayhem's Hellhammer had sat in with the band. Prior to the start of a tour in 1997 Demonaz injured his hand and was not able to perform live anymore. Instead, he continued writing new material for the band. In 2000 the band switched from the French label Osmose to Germany's Nuclear Blast. Damned In Black had been the band's best-selling album and had even charted in Europe. The band would support the album through a North American tour with Angelcorpse and Krisiun. Angelcorpse was not impressed by its Norwegian openers.
In July, 2003 the band surprised the metal world by announcing its break-up at the peak of its success. This happened after a year of non-stop touring which included a trek with Manowar in North America. The band's new label Nuclear Blast had issued a press release denying the break up report and mischaracterizing it as a 'break.' Not surprisingly, the band ‘reformed’ in 2006 and announced shows for 2007.
Abbath and Armagedda reappeared in the band I and leveraged Immortal’s contract with Nuclear Blast Records. Demonaz Occulta announced a solo project called Demonaz at the end of 2007. The project was aided by Abbath.
Reviews
IMMORTAL - BLIZZARD BEASTS - OSMOSE
Norway's Immortal has provided a surprise jolt when one least expected it. The band whose reputation is built upon foundations of speed and evil imagery has retained its identity; yet, imported a new element. That element is a Morbid Angel-esque technicality which has found its way unto the band's output. It might be that the band rubbed shoulders with the Americans on tour and soaked in a bit too much, or the introduction of a new drummer has made all the difference in the world (I would stick with the former theory), but Immortal has discovered intense musicianship. The Norwegians are still speed demons who bash heads without pause song after song; yet the newly found maturity and advanced compositional skills which the band has added to its baggage ascends this, its fourth album, to new heights. Song after song is laden with brutal riffing. A song like Mountains Of Might, for example, is exactly the definition of talent in black metal. Devotees might cry over the lessened blur on certain tracks or complain that the new twist is uncharted for the trio (or already charted by Morbid Angel), but fact remains that Blizzard Beasts is a darn fine album. - Ali "The Metallian"
IMMORTAL - SONS OF NORTHERN DARKNESS - NUCLEAR BLAST
What a major loss for Osmose Productions and a win for Nuclear Blast Immortal has proven to be. Going back all the way to the days of Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism, one had no way of knowing the cacophony that was Immortal would one day become a band with riffs; dare I say it melody and even guitar harmony. No fear though for Immortal is still Immortal, the superior force of the Norwegian horde; only one that masters its instruments nowadays. All this is opener One By One. On Sons Of Northern Darkness Abbath proves he¹s lost none of his menace with his voice chewing a thousand lesser mortals to bits. Tyrants pulls back and chugs along. The self-reference on In My Kingdom Cold is indeed an icy blast of evil. This band is frightfully tight. The song works its magic freezing friend and foe in a stun of acquiescence. The song is reminiscent of the band's hitherto best composition Mountains Of Might lyrically, perhaps even musically with its less chaotic midsection. Beyond The North Waves is Immortal's ode to Bathory hitting hard as Enter The Eternal Fire once commanded. Brilliant sound, frightening progression and immortal metal all converge on one disc here. No wonder the Sons Of Northern Darkness makes Dimmu Borgir, Borknagar, Emperor et al look as old and haggard as the dying leaves of a tree facing the coming storm of the northern winter. - Ali "The Metallian"
Interviews
|
