IMMORTAL “Damned In Black” /CD/

The first re-release of the third full-length studio album by legendary Norwegian Black Metal band.
In 1993, Immortal released what is considered to be their sophomore work, "Pure Holocaust". Two years later, they decided to go a little harsher, to produce a colder album: something on which we can bestow the term "grim and frostbitten". “Battles In The North” picks up where its predecessor, “Pure Holocaust”, left off with extreme speed and lo/fi production and lyrics about coldness and wintery landscapes.
The songwriting on this album is awesome. Demonaz slams us with riff after riff, each more atmospheric and catchy than the one preceding it. Those riffs are harsh, harsher than on "Pure Holocaust", but still, they retain the melodic edge, and they go well with Abbath's drumming, which is just amazing and sounds very natural. And not only does Abbath succeed in creating some of the best blast-beats ever, but he also does great work with the slow parts. Great Black Metal drumming. The bass is buried deep beneath the other instruments, but since this is Black Metal, there isn't a big problem. Concerning the vocals, Abbath is as strong and mighty as ever, and in addition to handling the drums and bass, this king of northern darkness's vocals are more "croaky" than on "Pure Holocaust", which is a good thing actually, and gives this album a slab of originality.
Overall, the instruments (and vocals) intertwine well with each other, creating an atmosphere not a lot of Black Metal artists have: an atmosphere of a devastating snowstorm in the mountains of Norway. The mix is quite strange, with the drums and vocals getting a higher volume than the guitars, and although this adds to the stormy atmosphere.
Like “Pure Holocaust”, it is also considered to be a classic album in Black Metal. This is also the first album where the concept of Blashyrkh becomes a central focus for the album. The concept continues through all of their subsequent albums. And it’s also the last album to feature Abbath on drums. Video for "Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms" featured Hellhammer on drums.
"Battles In The North" is a great album, an awesome record from the legendary Norse band; it's an essential true Black Metal record. If you're a fan of Black Metal, you should go ahead and grab this right now, for it will surely throw you in the midst of a tempest and destroy your mind with awesome riffs and brutal drumming!!
All hail Immortal, the mighty sons of northern darkness!!!
In 2009, IGN Entertainment Inc. included “Battles In The North” in their "10 Great Black Metal Albums" list.
Osmose Productions, 1995/1997 (OPCD 027/SPV 084-20332 CD). Made in Austria. CD comes with white tray.


Tracklist:
1. Battles in the North 04:12
2. Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms 02:47
3. Descent into Eminent Silence 03:10
4. Throned by Blackstorms 03:39
5. Moonrise Fields of Sorrow 02:25
6. Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons 03:59
7. At the Stormy Gates of Mist 03:00
8. Through the Halls of Eternity 03:36
9. Circling Above in Time Before Time 03:56
10. Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark) 04:34
Total playing time: 35:18


The track listing on the original CD is incorrect. The songs play in the order shown above, but the song titles are given as follows:

1. Battles in the North
2. At the Stormy Gates of Mist
3. Through the Halls of Eternity
4. Moonrise Fields of Sorrow
5. Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons
6. Throned by Blackstorms
7. Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms
8. Descent into Eminent Silence
9. Circling Above in Time Before Time
10. Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)

The fourth full-length studio album by legendary Norwegian Black Metal band.
The last Immortal album to feature founding member Demonaz Doom Occulta on guitar, and the first to feature Horgh on drums. Demonaz was diagnosed with acute tendinitis which prevented him from playing guitar at the required speed for Immortal's music.
How should we consider Immortal’s "Blizzard Beasts"? It’s undoubtedly the band’s weakest record, but is it a total misstep? Perhaps not. The terrible production of this album has been much discussed on reviews and forums. Immortal have slightly changed their sound from their previous three albums. There are many things on here that we can consider a great improvement from previous works. First of all, the songs sound slightly more varied even the ones on the one album. Abbath is no longer playing the drums. He is a very good musician, but drums just didn’t seem like his thing, he made many mistakes and it almost seemed like he wasn’t able to keep up with the speed he needed to drum at. Horgh does a great job keeping up with the speed of the guitars on this album and doesn't rely entirely on blastbeats, which is always a positive. Also the songs, instead of sounding like plain Raw Black Metal, they are slightly more melodic, some acoustic parts come back, there are even moments when you can hear some Thrash Metal incorporated into Black Metal, and Abbath’s vocals are much better, have more strength in them, and actually vary. Best of all they even have some rhythm. It’s not like he’s just speaking them at random times. Some of his screams which was on “Diabolical Fulmoon Mysticism” also come back here.
Highlight track on here would have to be “Mountains of Might” which might as well be one of the best songs Immortal ever made. And this album’s true gem, with better production, could easily fit onto "At The Heart of Winter". One element of Black Metal’s power is to stimulate the listener’s imagination. With most 2nd-wave bands, this means traveling back to pagan blots, medieval battlefields and the shores of hell itself. However, Immortal created a whole world of their own with Blashyrkh, and this is best recalled on “Mountains of Might”. If anyone were to create a “Best of Immortal” release, this would definitely be the song to include from "Blizzard Beasts". Though we're should also say that “Winter of the Ages” is pretty sweet as well, but in more of the "Battles In The North" sense.
Ultimately, "Blizzard Beasts" should be chalked up as a transitional album in Immortal's mighty career, being the last to feature guitarist and founding member Denaz; bassist/vocalist Abbath would take over six-string and songwriting duties, ultimately leading the band out of blastbeat hell and across more broad-scoped, epic terrain. Still, it's hard to say about "Blizzard Beasts" as a failure; the record is brilliant when compared to similar Norwegian Black Metal acts mired in ludicrous "necro" aesthetics, but it just doesn't match up with Immortal's usual balance of Underground credibility with high production and songwriting standards.
Overall, this album is the point where Immortal slightly starts to vary from their older music, and while some don’t like this, it is an awesome progression from the older music!!
Osmose Productions, 1997 (OPCD 051). Made in France. Osmose CD presses from February 2001 up to around 2005 may contain a copy-protection method which renders the CD completely unreadable in PCs and certain modern Hi-Fi systems. This is not indicated anywhere on the packaging.


Tracklist:
1. Intro 01:00 
2. Blizzard Beasts 02:49 
3. Nebular Ravens Winter 04:13 
4. Suns That Sank Below 02:47 
5. Battlefields 03:40 
6. Mountains of Might 06:38 
7. Noctambulant 02:22 
8. Winter of the Ages 02:33 
9. Frostdemonstorm 02:54
Total playing time: 28:56 min.

The sixth full-length studio album by legendary Norwegian Black Metal band.
"Damned In Black" is the second album of Immortal's hellish Holy Trinity, released between creative breakthrough "At The Heart Of Winter" and well-honed masterpiece "Sons Of Northern Darkness".
In comparison, "Damned In Black" strikes one as being the family's nasty, spiteful little brother, sounding slightly rushed, unkempt, and panicky, with whirlwind blastbeats more prominent in the arrangements. But the album benefits from this approach; it's an angrier, more fiery record, especially during barnburners "Triumph", "My Dimension,", and "In Our Mystic Visions Blest", which nod respectfully toward the band's speed-drenched early days, albeit with the more balanced, well-crafted songwriting skills of latter-day Immortal.
"Against the Tide (In the Arctic World)", "The Darkness That Embrace Me", and the title track are more melodic and grandly epic, complex but never unwieldy. Immortal's greatest strength is their well-conceived instrumental approach - it's never self-indulgent or fanciful, always memorable, and only living to serve the song.
Producer Peter Tagtgren has seen many of his Scandinavian brethren through the doors of his Abyss Studios, but he's never gelled with any band quite like Immortal, giving the band a robust, deceptively simple, and consistently devastating mix.
Ultimately, "Damned In Black" proves that this Norwegian trio prays only to their armor-clad, bullet-belted Metal muse. While it will most likely be overlooked considering Immortal's brightest and deadliest moments came before and after it (respectively), "Damned In Black" proves to be just as powerful as anything else in the band's increasingly impressive canon!!
Osmose Productions, 2000 (OPCDL 095). Made in France. Pressed in Austria. First press.


Tracklist:
1. Triumph 05:41
2. Wrath From Above 05:46
3. Against The Tide (In The Arctic World) 06:03
4. My Dimension 04:32
5. The Darkness That Embrace Me 04:38
6. In Our Mystic Visions Blest 03:12
7. Damned In Black 06:51
Total playing time: 36:43 min.

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First European re-release of the debut full-length album by legendary Norwegian Black Metal band.
Since 1991, Immortal did a great job proving that they were amongst the best Black Metallers out there. Starting with their "frostbitten" formula and then exposing a Thrashier side, they never failed to amaze us. "Battles In The North", "At The Heart Of Winter" and all of their grim efforts across the years were always satisfying, strong and at times mind boggling. Now, let us go back in time, and revisit the event that sparked this chain of awesomeness, the album that brought to birth one of the most noteworthy Black Metal acts on earth: "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism".
Back in the year 1991, when many bands were still grasping the concept of Black Metal, Immortal were writing some solid Black Metal. Despite their young age, they succeed in delivering a mature-sounding work. Demonaz's riffing is very tight, and not usually breaking the evil-sounding tremolo rule. The chainsaw-like riffs are fast, angry and relentless. The low frequencies are very masterfully covered by Abbath's heavy bass lines. This is one of those old Black Metal albums where the bass keeps rumbling all the time. The drumming, on the other hand, is very typical for a Black Metal album, but "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism" was released in 1991, so it is quite normal for the drumming to consist of nothing but constant blasting. On the top of the well-performed instrumentals come the vocals, which are less croaky than usual Abbath vocals, but loads more scary and disturbing, especially that screech in "Unholy Forces Of Evil". Acoustic guitars are frequently used, and keyboards dominate near the end of "A Perfect Vision Of The Rising Northland". But what makes the experience of album unforgettable is the devilish guitar solos and leads here and there. It seems that Demonaz wrote some typical solos, changed some notes, twisted the overall sound and added some warped craze in order to create those solos of his. Mind blowing stuff!
This is an underrated Raw Black Metal jewel, and it is often overlooked by the fans of the genre. If you like Black Metal, grab this as soon as possible!! The evil, harsh atmosphere will undeniably be to your immense liking!!!
Osmose Productions, 1992 (OPCD 007). Made in France. Pressed in Austira.


Tracklist:
1. Intro 1:34
2. The Call Of The Wintermoon 5:39
3. Unholy Forces Of Evil 4:28
4. Cryptic Winterstorms 6:07
5. Cold Winds Of Funeral Dust 3:47
6. Blacker Than Darkness 4:16
7. A Perfect Vision Of The Rising Northland 9:03
Total playing time: 34:58

The second full-length studio album by legendary Norwegian Black Metal Band.
The first album to feature Abbath on drums. Although producer Eirik (Pytten) Hundvin is credited as a drummer in the booklet (and he was responsible for the instrument on subsequent live shows), drums on this recording were done by Abbath.
Osmose Productions, 1993 (OPCD 019 / SPV 084-08772 CD). Made in France. Pressed in Austria. Re-press.


Tracklist:
1. Unsilent Storms In The North Abyss 03:14 
2. A Sign For The Norse Hordes To Ride 02:35 
3. The Sun No Longer Rises 04:19 
4. Frozen By Icewinds 04:40 
5. Storming Through Red Clouds And Holocaustwinds 04:39 
6. Eternal Years On The Path To The Cemetary Gates 03:30 
7. As The Eternity Opens 05:30 
8. Pure Holocaust 05:16 
Total playing time: 33:43 min.


Samples: https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com

The tenth full-length studio album by legendary Norwegian Black Metal band.
The first Immortal album featuring only Demonaz as a member of the band.
While Abbath was able to leave Immortal after the famously way-too-long-and-drawn-out dissolution of the band to quickly find success on his own, his former partner from the cold and distant lands of Blashyrkh has had a rougher time climbing to the peak of the snowcapped mountains. In fact, Demonaz has enjoyed only a small fraction of the limelight since sailing off without his once long-standing counterpart. While legally maintaining the rights to the use of the name "Immortal" for some time now, Demonaz hasn't really made the most of the moniker. That, however, changes now with "War Against All". This is a record that is undoubtedly worthy of the Immortal brand. This is the Immortal record we were waiting for. Eight really solid songs that unabashedly emulate the glory days of the band. "War Against All" is a must-have for any Immortal fan!
Limited to 2000 copies Silver Vinyl in gatefold cover.
Nuclear Blast GmbH, 2023 (58091 | NB 5809-1). Made in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:

Side A
1. War Against All 3:26
2. Thunders Of Darkness 3:48
3. Wargod 4:38
4. No Sun 4:16

Side B
1. Return To Cold 4:31
2. Nordlandihr 7:12
3. Immortal 4:14
4. Blashyrkh My Throne 5:58

Total playing time: 38:03 min.



Samples: https://immortal.bandcamp.com

The third full-length studio album by legendary Norwegian Black Metal band.
In 1993, Immortal released what is considered to be their sophomore work, "Pure Holocaust". Two years later, they decided to go a little harsher, to produce a colder album: something on which we can bestow the term "grim and frostbitten". “Battles In The North” picks up where its predecessor, “Pure Holocaust”, left off with extreme speed and Lo/Fi production and lyrics about coldness and winter landscapes.
The songwriting on this album is awesome. Demonaz slams us with riff after riff, each more atmospheric and catchy than the one preceding it. Those riffs are harsh, harsher than on "Pure Holocaust", but still, they retain the melodic edge, and they go well with Abbath's drumming, which is just amazing and sounds very natural. And not only does Abbath succeed in creating some of the best blast-beats ever, but he also does great work with the slow parts. Great Black Metal drumming. The bass is buried deep beneath the other instruments, but since this is Black Metal, there isn't a big problem. Concerning the vocals, Abbath is as strong and mighty as ever, and in addition to handling the drums and bass, this king of northern darkness's vocals are more "croaky" than on "Pure Holocaust", which is a good thing actually, and gives this album a slab of originality.
Overall, the instruments (and vocals) intertwine well with each other, creating an atmosphere not a lot of Black Metal artists have: an atmosphere of a devastating snowstorm in the mountains of Norway. The mix is quite strange, with the drums and vocals getting a higher volume than the guitars, and although this adds to the stormy atmosphere.
Like “Pure Holocaust”, it is also considered to be a classic album in Black Metal. This is also the first album where the concept of Blashyrkh becomes a central focus for the album. The concept continues through all of their subsequent albums. And it’s also the last album to feature Abbath on drums. The video for "Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms" featured Hellhammer on drums.
"Battles In The North" is a great album, an awesome record from the legendary Norse band; it's an essential true Black Metal record. If you're a fan of Black Metal, you should go ahead and grab this right now, for it will surely throw you in the midst of the tempest and destroy your mind with awesome riffs and brutal drumming!!
All hail Immortal, the mighty sons of northern darkness!!!
In 2009, IGN Entertainment Inc. included “Battles In The North” in their "10 Great Black Metal Albums" list.
Century Media Records Ltd./Rawforce Records, 1995/2015 (RAWFORCE 100-63). Made in Chile.


Tracklist:
1. Battles in the North 04:12
2. Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms 02:47
3. Descent into Eminent Silence 03:10
4. Throned by Blackstorms 03:39
5. Moonrise Fields of Sorrow 02:25
6. Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons 03:59
7. At the Stormy Gates of Mist 03:00
8. Through the Halls of Eternity 03:36
9. Circling Above in Time Before Time 03:56
10. Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark) 04:34
Total playing time: 35:18 min.

The fourth full-length studio album by legendary Norwegian Black Metal band.
The last Immortal album to feature founding member Demonaz Doom Occulta on guitar, and the first to feature Horgh on drums. Demonaz was diagnosed with acute tendinitis, which prevented him from playing guitar at the required speed for Immortal's music.
How should we consider Immortal’s "Blizzard Beasts"? It’s undoubtedly the band’s weakest record, but is it a total misstep? Perhaps not. The terrible production of this album has been much discussed on reviews and forums. Immortal have slightly changed their sound from their previous three albums. There are many things on here that we can consider a great improvement from previous works. First of all, the songs sound slightly more varied, even the ones on the one album. Abbath is no longer playing the drums. He is a very good musician, but drums just didn’t seem like his thing, he made many mistakes, and it almost seemed like he wasn’t able to keep up with the speed he needed to drum at. Horgh does a great job keeping up with the speed of the guitars on this album and doesn't rely entirely on blastbeats, which is always a positive. Also, the songs, instead of sounding like plain Raw Black Metal, they are slightly more melodic, some acoustic parts come back, there are even moments when you can hear some Thrash Metal incorporated into Black Metal, and Abbath’s vocals are much better, have more strength in them, and actually vary. Best of all, they even have some rhythm. It’s not like he’s just speaking them at random times. Some of his screams which were on “Diabolical Fulmoon Mysticism” also come back here.
The highlight track on here would have to be “Mountains of Might” which might as well be one of the best songs Immortal ever made. And this album’s true gem, with better production, could easily fit onto "At The Heart of Winter". One element of Black Metal’s power is to stimulate the listener’s imagination. With most 2nd-wave bands, this means traveling back to pagan blots, medieval battlefields and the shores of hell itself. However, Immortal created a whole world of their own with Blashyrkh, and this is best recalled on “Mountains of Might”. If anyone were to create a “Best of Immortal” release, this would definitely be the song to include from "Blizzard Beasts". Though we're should also say that “Winter of the Ages” is pretty sweet as well, but in more of the "Battles In The North" sense.
Ultimately, "Blizzard Beasts" should be chalked up as a transitional album in Immortal's mighty career, being the last to feature guitarist and founding member Denaz; bassist/vocalist Abbath would take over six-string and songwriting duties, ultimately leading the band out of blastbeat hell and across more broad-scoped, epic terrain. Still, it's hard to say about "Blizzard Beasts" as a failure; the record is brilliant when compared to similar Norwegian Black Metal acts mired in ludicrous "necro" aesthetics, but it just doesn't match up with Immortal's usual balance of Underground credibility with high production and songwriting standards.
Overall, this album is the point where Immortal slightly starts to vary from their older music, and while some don’t like this, it is an awesome progression from the older music!!
Century Media Records Ltd./Rawforce Records, 1997/2015 (RAWFORCE 100-66). Made in Chile.


Tracklist:
1. Intro 01:00
2. Blizzard Beasts 02:49
3. Nebular Ravens Winter 04:13
4. Suns That Sank Below 02:47
5. Battlefields 03:40
6. Mountains of Might 06:38
7. Noctambulant 02:22
8. Winter of the Ages 02:33
9. Frostdemonstorm 02:54
Total playing time: 28:56 min.

The fifth full-length studio album by legendary Norwegian Black Metal Band.
The first Immortal album not to feature Demonaz on guitar, as he suffered from acute tendinitis in his hands. It is also the first Immortal album not to feature a picture of the band on the cover, and the first to prominently feature the band's new logo.
The album marks a shift in Immortal's musical sound, towards a Black/Thrash Metal fusion.
Century Media Records Ltd./Rawforce Records, 1999/2015 (RAWFORCE 100-65). Made in Chile.


Tracklist:
1. Withstand The Fall Of Time 8:29 
2. Solarfall 6:02 
3. Tragedies Blows At Horizon 8:55 
4. Where Dark And Light Don't Differ 6:45 
5. At The Heart Of Winter 8:00 
6. Years Of Silent Sorrow 7:53 
Total playing time: 46:04 min.