Immortal

Immortal’s self-titled EP is the band’s first black metal recording. While it clearly displays Immortal’s promise, it also shows the groups greenness. Released about a year before Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism, it contains two early versions of songs from that album: “The Cold Wind of Funeral Frost” and “Unholy Forces of Evil”. (There's also a forgettable 40 second dark ambient intro). The songs are exactly the same in structure and arrangement, but here the production and atmosphere is far inferior.

While both songs sound good on the debut, here they sound a little cluttered and without edge. The recording lacks dynamism. For example, “Unholy Forces of Evil” is a composition full of interesting shifts in tempo and vacillations in intensity. Here, those shifts are understated. For example, the slow, dark bridge around the 1:45 mark is a startling moment on the full-length version. However, here it is barely sounds different from the passage that precedes it.

“The Cold Wind of Funeral Frost” is the weakest track on Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism. It involves the fewest number of twists and turns and its lead riff isn’t particularly memorable. Having an even weaker version of the track is something most Immortal followers can live without.

This EP was rendered irrelevant the moment Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism was released. The superior production and atmosphere on the full length make the second editions far more enjoyable. Furthermore, these two tracks, which are solid but unspectacular songs, accomplish more within the context of the full length album than they do standing on their own. There, they work as pivot points between larger, more epic tracks. Here they have trouble holding their own.

(Originally written for deinos-logos.blogspot.com)

There is one major complaint that I have about this EP, and that’s the fact that it’s too damn short! Featuring two of Immortal’s best songs in their rougher, rawer forms, I would have loved to have heard more. As you probably already know, both tracks are from Immortal’s debut LP, Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism. While the album versions are in no way sub standard material, they just don’t compare to the kind of atmosphere that the tracks on this EP give off. Even the intro is far superior!

Beginning as a typical Death Metal outfit, it’s hard to believe that just one year later, the band would rise up with something like this. The music is even more primitive than that of the previous demo, yet less brutal. Yet, it’s cold and harsh in every sense of the term. This is pure Black Metal here. Abbath has traded in his guttural growls for higher pitched, raspy approach. And in my opinion, the production is perfect. Lots of reverb on the vocals and snare drum, delivering an even darker affect to the aura of the music. Cold Winds Of Funeral Frost (renamed ...Funeral Dust on the album) is the better of the two tracks here. While Unholy Forces Of Evil is almost every bit as good, Cold Winds takes the bait here. The vocals sound totally sick and the ambience of the song is built on pure darkness. The loud, background booms (sounding a little like a gong) are a great affect too. This is by far one of Immortal’s best songs, whether it’s this version or the album version.


Immortal’s first full length album, released just one year after this, would have sounded so perfect if the band had just left the tracks in their rougher form. I mean, that album itself is damn near perfect the way it is, but once you hear this little EP, you’ll be thinking somewhat differently of it too. Even if this EP is out of print by now, you can hear it on the limited edition of Battles In The North or the True Kings Of Norway split.