Longtime Norwegian black metal band Immortal are simply put, one of the most influential bands in extreme music and black metal today. After having numerous lineups throughout years, Northern Chaos Gods is the first full-length to not feature longtime vocalist and songwriter Abbath who went to focus on his solo career in 2016. Nine years later, we get to see Immortal in a much more aggressive state than they’ve ever been in their career. Now with Demonaz Doom Occulta in the mixture alongside drummer Horgh, Northern Chaos Gods perhaps is a fine establishment of finest releases to date. There’s melodic, ambient moments sprinkled with chilling atmospheric wind waves peaceful and ornate featuring aquatic sound rhythmical majestic string arrangements.
This release also contains scourged black metal guitars, thunderous double bass and jam-packed raspy vocals from Demonaz himself. Tracks such as Blacker Of Worlds, Where Mountains Rise and Into Battle Ride are prime examples how the heaviness it represents due to bouncy best patterns, searing riffs even a careening solo that instantly punches natural onslaughts of surging, rapid fire machine gun guitars all out all beautifully composed constantly changing greatness through today’s landmark standard bearings. Immortal often describes a fine walking line between death metal and more melodic black metal which often usually calls it as Holocaust metal. Songs range from slow Celtic Frost/Viking metal pummeling varieties to changed up tempos and consistent violence inducing sublimely thematically creates war and triumph.
It’s powerful, seductively so with proper Norwegian black metal fundamentals engrossing the true defiance and viscous vocals within the organic distorted instrumentals. Immortal are surely a rare artist in the black metal department have fantastic musical moments and addictive atmosphere upon glorifying acoustics which is highly appreciative start to finish. Immortal’s Northern Chaos Gods is a astonishingly mainframe of Immortal’s finest black metal catalog. It represents homage that’s completely deserted into a frozen Tundra. One of the absolute best records since At The Heart Of Winter and definitely recommended for old and new fans of these masterfully crafted Norwegians!
Overall Score: 9.5/10
Review by Jake Butler
