Immortal, Darkthrone, Mayhem, and Marduk are true institutions. By now, anyone in the so-called metal circuit has at least heard of them, and many of us began to appreciate black metal thanks to them (let someone who started with Abigor or Kvist step forward). Great gratitude and above all great anticipation for their every move, which will inevitably be at the center of controversy (Mayhem with every post-"De Mysteriis..." release and also Marduk) or blatant idolatry (the latest punkish Darkthrone, champions of attitude and consistency, according to many).
In the middle, Immortal, those who don't take themselves seriously (Abbath's off-stage life can only confirm this) and therefore accused of being posers. Naturally, their timeless masterpieces speak for themselves and silence the gossipers. Their withdrawal from the scene after the majestic "Sons Of The Northern Darkness" gave them an almost mystical, legendary aura, having basically not put a foot wrong, without any external influence except for the forced departure of Demonaz, sculptor of indelible guitar lashes.
Even the critiqued "Blizzard Beasts," as modest and incomplete as it may be, managed to convey something: cold, an intense feeling of awe toward the vast snow and ice landscapes that form the base of their fascinating imagery. If the previous albums projected us at the heart of winter and we had a perfect vision of the rising northland, the reunion album, "All Shall Fall," by comparison, is like the fridge breeze that brushes against you when you're picking up frozen fish sticks at the supermarket. Who could ever like this album? The gluttons for fish stic–, um, Immortal fans? I doubt it, comparisons with the cumbersome mid-career works come naturally, especially when the best moments of the new release are precisely the nods to the glorious recent past and to the melodic phrases with heavy metal imprints: if only the rhythms were higher in the latter half of the album, we would be bordering on (auto)plagiarism. Let's give Immortal what they deserve, let's acknowledge that Abbath's voice remains one of the most distinctive in the genre, but it's the riffs that are missing, especially in the title track, with just about three kindergarten-level black metal riffs in six minutes. And Horg? One of the best historical drummers of the genre, a leviathan of malevolence so far, who is reduced to a mere accompanist and disheartens you in "The Rise Of Darkness."
Some ongoing innovation, slowly developing since the good "Damned In Black" of 2000, in a thrashy sense in "Hordes To War." Never before have they cleaned up the guitar sound so much and at the same time made the chords so dry, robust in the latest releases, sharp at the beginning. It’s the best track of the album; looking ahead to a next release, one might hope they insist in this direction, although Immortal becoming the grandchildren of Sodom – I don't know how far I could support them (and endure them, why not?), in the choice, I buy the album from the provincial band. In conclusion, few ideas to enliven the music, much sterile repetition of their ingenious ideas from some time ago, which turns into a routine I never would have dreamed of associating with Immortal.
Could it be that Abbath is tired of managing the whole thing full-time and seriously and prefers to give his best in his Motorhead cover band?
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