Immortal

[skeptik]

Pure Holocaust is indeed light years ahead of everything else they've done.

 

[10293847]

Immortal, my personal favorite Black Metal band. But along with hearing many praise them as down to the basics black metal I've seen others talk about them like their "beginners black metal", others criticize them for not being satanic, and they seem to be used more than anyone else when non-fans make fun of black metal. So what's everyone's consensus on this influential true Norwegian black metal band?

I think Immortal is the most balanced Black Metal band. What I mean by that is they have played just about every type of Black Metal out there, aside from the minimalist style made famous by Darkthrone.

I respect them for trying out new styles and not succumbing to the pressure from fans to produce the same album twice. They are to Black Metal what I think Morbid Angel is to Death Metal: Bands who do what they want, when they want to do it.

The results aren't always great. Damned in Black and Sons of Northern Darkness isn't very good. And even certain sections in Battles in the North and At the Heart of Winter bore with redudancy.

Anyway, a classic Black Metal band that all should take the time to listen to.

 

[10293847]

The drumming RUINS Battles in the North. Unlistenable. Easily the worst drum production on a black metal album ever.

Funny that you mention that. I think that award goes to their follow-up album, Blizzard Beasts. That album has by far the worst drumming sound maybe in metal history. Certain songs go by where you don't even hear the drums. Battlefields, for example, sounds like Demonaz playing the guitar by himself.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

complaining about the drums
They sound fine. It's black metal.

 

[Blind Guardian]

To me the drums add to the music, i enjoy the crippled sound.

 

[skeptik]

Exactly, it's BLACK METAL. They sound like death metal drums.

 

[wandering_taco]

I had one of my friends listen to part of an Immortal song before class the other day, I think it was Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms. Anyway, I was just like 'Dude just feel the music, dont even think about it' cause hes not really into metal. He said "Its cold". I thought that was great.

 

[DarkPilgrim]

For me, albums from Pure Holocaust to At the Heart of Winter are essential. Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism is not bad, and the 2 last ones are not my cup of tea, definitively. Maybe my favourite is Battles in the North. And I love its drumming sound, hehe.

 

[Evil?]

I had one of my friends listen to part of an Immortal song before class the other day, I think it was Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms. Anyway, I was just like 'Dude just feel the music, dont even think about it' cause hes not really into metal. He said "Its cold". I thought that was great.

That is pretty awesome.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Yay for evocative art!

 

[divine_torture]

I'm gonna use "Evocative Art" as an album title one day...

As for Blizzard Beasts drumming: They are just fine. Listen to "Mountains of Might". No problemo home slizzle.Even "Battlefields" is alright. Sure, the drums are mixed a little low on occasion, but how often are drums right in front for black metal? Hm? Exactly.

 

[Manic Ferocity]

Probably the most pretentious title ever.

 

[10293847]

I'm gonna use "Evocative Art" as an album title one day...

As for Blizzard Beasts drumming: They are just fine. Listen to "Mountains of Might". No problemo home slizzle.Even "Battlefields" is alright. Sure, the drums are mixed a little low on occasion, but how often are drums right in front for black metal? Hm? Exactly.

I think your standards are just lower than mine. :Smug:

I'm not saying that the drums need to be upfront, they just need to be audible. They are barely audible on Blizzard Beasts. The guitar sound on that album is awesome though. The drums are absolute shit.

And to answer your question, a lot of black metal albums have audible drumming. Sure, some don't, but does that make it ok other black metal albums to have the same fault? I don't think so.

 

[divine_torture]

My standards are fairly high, but I can hear everything the drums are doing with minimal concentration. If I were to have to focus harder than I normally do to hear them I'd agree with you. But they sound fine and audible to me.

Pretensiousness ftw.

Try again. Yes alot of black metal has drumming you can hear. My point was how many have drums turned up real high on the mix? Hm? Exactly.

 

[Life Sucks]

Great band. I like all their albums, but I like their black metal albums best (ie up through Battles in the North).

 

[10293847]

Try again. Yes alot of black metal has drumming you can hear. My point was how many have drums turned up real high on the mix? Hm? Exactly.

? Surely, you jest here. There are TONS of Black Metal albums with the drums turned up high.

 

[Manbient]

hey guys that's really interesting let's discuss volume levels of drums and if we can, argue about it

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

fucking metal fans, they'll argue about anything at all.

 

[divine_torture]

I prefer metal "connoisseur" actually.

And while I don't agree with what you have to say, I'll defend to the death your right to say it.

 

[skezzmo]

I guess the whole drum thing relates back to what the one dude was saying about their not afraid to try different things. I don't sit there and pick all the technical aspects of it out and analyze them, I just listen to it as a whole and try and absorb the feel of the music. And every Immortal album I've listened to so far (with the exception of Damned in Black) has had an aggressive, angry and ice cold feel to it. So who cares if the drums or guitar or whatever are or aren't exactly like all the other black metal records you've ever herd, take it for what it is and enjoy it. Or don't, I don't care.