Setlist:
The Sun No Longer Rises
Withstand the Fall of Time
Solarfall
Sons of Northern Darkness
Tyrants
One by One
Wrath from Above
Mountains of Might
Unholy Forces of Evil
Unsilent Storms in the North Abyss
At the Heart of Winter
Battles in the North
Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)
The mighty Immortal from Norway. You could very well call them the Manowar of Black Metal bands, what.. with the big knee high leather boots, spiked arm bands, corpse paint makeup, and big gestures on stage by frontman Abbath as he lifts his leg up high (like a dog ready to pee) while sticking his tongue out ala Gee Simmons (Kiss). For this reunion jaunt (last time they graced our shores was for Rob Halford’s Metal Gods tour in 2003) Abbath is joined by Horgh on drums with Apollyon on bass completing their three piece assault of unique sounding occult metal. Now I say unique, and use the term loosely, in that although their sound is grounded in traditional Black Metal, the choice in riffing creates a sort of an original style for Immortal. The repetition of similar riffing patterns swirled within a consistent drum beat, not too fast or slow usually hitting a strong groove, gives Immortal their own identity in a way. Working as a three piece you would never know it as the members form a wall of sound that is well balanced even in a live setting.
BB King’s was packed, think it was sold out, and as more these type of extreme bands, most European, make their way to our shores (recently 1349, Dark Funeral, Emperor), I can see the audience for Black Metal is rather thriving in the States. New York was rabid for the band’s appearance and left wanting more as crowd surfing and mosh pits were bountiful throughout the night.
Songs were played from all their releases including “Unholy Forces Of Evil” off the debut “Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism”, “Unsilent Storms In The North Abyss” from the follow up “Pure Holocaust”, “Battles In The North” and “Blashyrkh (mighty Ravendark)” off the regarded “Battles In The North” to “Wrath From Above” off my favorite album “Damned In Black” and “One By One” off their last studio album “Sons Of Northern Darkness”. |
