If you are referring to the self-deprecating humour present in their art I am well aware of that, but saying the themes on their first album were just a way to gain "a foothold" makes it sound like a calculating marketing ploy. By not supplying evidence I can only assume you are talking out of your ass.
Abbath was inspired by Euronymous to play black metal. Since Immortal were trying to figure how to play black metal, I assume the best way to do it was copy the exact sound and concept, and once you've got that down you can start molding it into your own unique sound, and the same goes for lyrics.
Ok I have limited knowledge of this, but I was simply trying to absolve Immortal of having any serious dealings with a satanist lyrical concept. Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism is like many debut black metal albums in that the lyrics are unimaginative and often use satanic cliches.
i don't feel like writing review for everything but let's say: Excellent: Mgla (one of the most promising band recently, check the Prescence first) http://www.hatepropaganda.org/mgla/ for samples Ondskapt (their 3 albums are completely different, start by the MCD first) http://www.myspace.com/ondskapt for samples Good: Secrets Of The Moon Baptism Tenebrae In Perpetuum Old Wainds Lugubrum Medium: Kriegsmaschine Malign Moontower Uruk Hai Nazgul Nav Misery's Omen Othar Bad: Darkest Grove Krohm Abazagorath Mactatus Pagan Hellfire Urgehal
i like all four full-lenght, Moon, Iad, Ad Noctum and Ultimate.... they sounds all different but yet.... in term of symphonic black metal.... i can't think of anyone better than them.... except maybe emperor. yes they use drumcomputer, cheesy keyboard and poor productions.... but i like them that way, underground! , i don't think LA with a perfect production would be as good. and i said underrated because i don't see anyone mentionning them on any boards.
In which case you shouldn't state it as if it's a fact. I find the evolution in themes to be fairly natural, even DFM while rife with satan and pentagrams and goats still heavily features cold winds and northern tribes. And the later stuff isn't too far from your average satanic material anyway, such as "Damned In Black." March of the black demonic ones Beyond the dim they lurk ... Hordes of evil march Until the end you fall Drawned to the apocalypse It's the age of ending Damned In Black Such material wouldn't be out of place on their debut. Profound. Do you tend to bang your head against a wall a few times before you post? ... Ohtar's Petrified Breath Of Hope was a solid release last year, it made my top twenty anyway. Nothing groundbreaking.
I've always found Immortal to be the weakest link among the early bands anyway. I find Mayhem, Burzum, Emperor, Darkthrone, and Enslaved to be better.
It's an enjoyable book which is relatively accurate considered the usually intense media distortion about black metal. It was weird reading some parts that were true in the late 90s but are now false (such as death metal being dead) but I didn't see any blatant inaccuracies. If you hero worship any of the figures such as Varg though, it may be tough to read, but you seem like a reasonable person so I doubt you do. One other complaint I have is that it seems stuffed with some less than useful information. I think they could've trimmed about 50-100 pages from it.
I agree, but Immortal is good at representing the archetypal black metal band and have been consistent so far.
Honestly, Mayhem seems to be the weakest, and are naturally known more for non-musical activities. One decent album in all that time....
I'm gonna have to agree with Necuratul on Immortal. I mean, I like Immortal and everything but grim frostbitten mighty nebular ravendark kingdoms doesn't really offer much insight into black metal...and who could forget 'the video' :Smug:
Immortal > Mayhem any day of the fucking week. The only reason Mayhem have any street cred is because of Dead. Period.
Agreed. What I have always wondered was what norwegian black metal bands that were not famous released good material. All i know is mock, who was the vocalist of kampfar's previous band.
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas > almost everything else out of Norway, especially Immortal's output. Deathcrush is awesome too, as are the two tracks with Dead. And of course the live album,.
Kind of messy is kind of the point...get De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas first, it really is a classic for good reason, not just because of all of the bullshit history behind the band. I couldn't care less about that crap.
Burzum > Darkthrone > Emperor > Enslaved > Immortal > Mayhem (as great as De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is, I enjoy more of Immortal's output)
