Immortal

Immortal’s conquest began in 1991. Abbath (ex-Old Funeral) and Demonaz (ex-Amputation) came together with the singular desire to create icy, uncompromising black metal. Their modus operandi was simple: Spikes, corpsepaint, and music caustic enough to sear the ears of their enemies. Abbath handled bass in the old days with Demonaz on guitar. The drummer slot took on nearly Spinal Tap proportions as the throne had a constantly rotating roster including Armagedda, Grim (ex-Borknagar), and Hellhammer (Mayhem). At times, Abbath himself even sat behind the kit, as on Pure Holocaust and Battles in the North.

After 1997’s Blizzard Beasts, which saw the addition of the titan known simply as Horge, Demonaz experienced severe nerve damage in his hand that prevented him from further playing guitar. Abbath changed to guitar, and the band found a temporary bass player in Ares from Aeternus. Demonaz stayed active with the band writing all the lyrics and serving as the band’s manager. In 1999, the band returned stronger than before and clearly established the definitive Immortal sound with At the Heart of Winter and its follow-up Damned in Black. Rounded out by new bassist Iscariah, Immortal stood above the others, as the records received incredible press worldwide.

Once again recorded at Abyss Studios and produced by Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy), who also produced the last two, Sons of Northern Darkness continues in the great Immortal tradition of thick riffs, pounding drums, grim-throated vocals, and an undeniable hook of melody that ties it all together. And as the black metal throne now stands vacant, Immortal stake their claim with a prophecy-fulfilling lyric from "In My Kingdom Cold": "At the mountains of madness/Unending grimness this kingdom is mine."