Another lesson in how to f-ck over a legacy until it's utterly unrecognisable. Immor(t)al really messed this one up. After unceremoniously shoving Abbath – the cornerstone of Immortal's early mystique – out the door, Demonaz and Horgh have taken the legal reins of the band's name. What follows is a textbook case of capitalist necromancy: strip the corpse of its former glory, slap on a shiny "comeback" sticker, and let Nuclear Blast's infamous merch machine do the rest. This might be more gay than the whole Gorgoroth court-room battle a few years back. Ass-poundings and reach-arounds for all involved.
Yes, the grand duo who've collaborated on ONE previous album (out of 13) are now boldly heralding this as "the triumphant return of Immortal!" And, as if scripted by a record executive, the result is precisely what you'd expect from a nostalgia-driven Ponzi scheme.
From the opening riff, it's clear that Northern Chaos Gods is an unabashed raid on Immortal's own graveyard. Following the "paint-by-numbers comeback" formula perfected by Mayhem on Esoteric Warfare and Daemon, this album cobbles together the remnants of Immortal's Pure Holocaust-era style, but somehow turned into a nu-metal chug fest. Generic speed metal riffs? Check. Monotonous arrangements? Double check. Any semblance of innovation or dynamic complexity? Absent without leave.
The vocals – a slightly higher-pitched echo of Abbath's infamous amphibian growl – hang over the music like a well-intentioned impersonator who doesn't quite stick the landing. Demonaz gamely mimics Abbath's cadence and delivery but misses the subtle, chaotic brilliance that once made Immortal more than just "idiot poser metal."
Speaking of which, fans content with a mindless barrage of Z-list frantic riffing will be delighted. Those hoping for the ingenuity and dark grandeur that once defined the genre? Not so much. In the age of Bandcamp and algorithmic playlists, countless bands can replicate this style with comparable precision – and often with greater sincerity. Immortal, once a beacon of creativity, has effectively become their own tribute band.
The lyrics, meanwhile, are a parody of themselves. Observe:
Fires and battles and blood The immortal sons and the hordes of Blashyrkh By the north
It's as if someone fed a randomiser every keyword from Immortal's discography, shook it up, and spilled the results onto the page. The once-evocative mythos of Blashyrkh has been reduced to a tired caricature, trotted out to prey on fans nostalgic for an era that's long gone.
Let's be honest: Northern Chaos Gods isn't a musical statement — it's a commodity. Another "black metal themed product" on the marketplace. A shameless, calculated rehash for the desperate masses willing to pay for a hollow echo of past glories. It's the black metal equivalent of a sitcom reboot, trading on the emotional investment of its audience while offering none of the spark that made the original resonate.
Demonaz's legacy, the man whose "hand was taken away too soon", is now marred by this crass cash grab. One almost wishes his tendinitis would make a triumphant return, if only to spare us from the inevitable next installment of this soulless charade. Until then, brace yourselves... the necrophilic exploitation of Immortal's past isn't likely to stop here.
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