Today marks the start of a new feature here at IAT where I'll be posting old tunes for download on Fridays. I'm trying to keep to a more consistent mp3 posting schedule and this will give me an opportunity to feature some of the stuff from my collection that I feel deserves more attention. New stuff on Mondays and Wednesdays, classics on Friday. Got it?
Today's selection comes from Immortal of Norway, a band probably known better for their ridiculous photos than for their music. Which is a shame, because they were a great band. Many people consider the album "Battles of the north" to be their greatest contribution to the black-metal genre, but I think that's bullshit. Sure, it's cult and grim and all that, but it also has a terrible recording, zero dynamics and is incredibly boring. I need more than ridiculously fast buzzing guitars and absolute nihilism, okay? It's only after that album that Immortal truly started to improve, firmly establishing themselves as one of the BM greats. Each new album found the band becoming more progressive and more melodic, but never ever sacrificing their eminent darkness or their brutality. Sure, it's not all hyperspeed blast-beats anymore, but I happen to think that tempo changes are a good thing. The culmination of their career was 2002's "Sons of nothern darkness" from which this song is the lead track. Listen to that drumming! Those riffs! So amazing. It's a shame the band isn't around anymore, but at least they went out at the top of their game.