IMMORTAL: War Against All (BLACK METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Five years ago, "Northern Chaos Gods" not only marked Immortal's return after almost a decade of recording silence, it was also the band's first album without charismatic frontman Abbath, showing that they could exist without him. Not a foregone conclusion, especially for fans. But Demonaz, who had always embodied the soul of the band, even when tendonitis forced him to remain in the shadows for a long time, was more than anyone entitled to revive the Drakkar. Horgh, the band's drummer since "Blizzard Beast" (1996), didn't seem to understand or accept this, claiming the right to own the "Immortal" name. A legal battle ensued between the bruiser and Demonaz, which logically ended in the latter's favor.

More than ever the sole master on board, the guitarist and creator of the entire thematic and visual universe that has shaped the band's identity has finally delivered the successor to "Northern Chaos Gods", in whose wake it naturally follows. Its title and sleeve leave no doubt as to the bestiality (albeit relative) that drives Demonaz, supported for the occasion by drummer Kevin Kvåle (Gaahls Wyrd) and the faithful Ice Dale (Enslaved), who took part in I, Abbath's short-lived supergroup, as well as in the recording of "March Of The Norse" (2011), his first solo album. A ferocious, swirling opener, 'War Against All' sets the tone from the outset, cold and sharp as a blizzard, a veritable outpouring of hatred - the kind the Norwegian has perhaps collected over the last few frustrating years. Thunder Of Darkness', which follows, is carved from the same icy, furious rock, while 'Wargod' plunges into a heavy crevasse, as does 'No Sun', which sweeps across vast expanses frozen in permafrost.

In four tracks, this tenth offering sums up its purpose, which is to strike the perfect balance between the seething force of original black metal and the epic, twilight beauty, albeit as shivering as ever since "At The Heart Of Winter". With no surprises whatsoever, "War Against All" is a pure Immortal album that brilliantly honors all the invariants that have established its signature, both musical (the gargoyle voice with a cold, the riffs carried by the breath of the Great North) and conceptual (the mythological kingdom of Blashyrkh). The fact that one of the tracks bears the Immortal name sounds like a declaration, Demonaz's way of asserting his authority over the band and its universe. If there is a surprise, it lies in 'Norlandih', less for its easy-to-guess theme than for its instrumental nature. For over seven majestic minutes, this epic escape propels us into the immense fjords, whose cold, eternal essence it captures.

If we were wary of seeing Immortal go on without Abbath, "War Againt All", even better than its predecessor, confirms that we were wrong, and wins the battle (if such a battle exists) between Immortal and Abbath, whose solo career has proved far less exciting. Freed of all contractual worries, Demonaz should now be able to add to Immortal's mythology on a regular basis. Along with Darkthrone and Enslaved (who have moved on considerably), Immortal remains one of the few survivors of the second wave of Norwegian black metal. - Official website

IMMORTAL

WAR AGAINST ALL

NUCLEAR BLAST

BLACK METAL