Battles in the North

Last updated
Battles in the North
Battles In The North.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 15, 1995
RecordedSeptember 1994
Studio Grieg Hall, Bergen, Norway
Genre Black metal
Length35:14
Label Osmose
Producer Eirik Hundvin and Immortal
Immortal chronology
Pure Holocaust
(1993)
Battles in the North
(1995)
Blizzard Beasts
(1997)

Battles in the North is the third studio album by Norwegian black metal band Immortal. It was released on May 15, 1995 through Osmose Productions. It picks up where its predecessor, Pure Holocaust , left off, featuring extreme tempos, low-fidelity production, and lyrics about coldness or wintery landscapes. This is the first album where the concept of Blashyrkh becomes a central focus. It is the last album to feature Abbath on drums.

Contents

Background

The songs "Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons" and "Circling Above in Time Before Time" reference The Underdark, a setting from Dungeons & Dragons .[ citation needed ]

Music videos were made for "Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)" and "Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms", the latter featuring Hellhammer on drums, who also became the band's touring drummer during this period.

Release

The album was issued in multiple formats, including the standard CD, a limited edition digipak, a limited edition digipak with embossed band logo and album title, cassette tape, a jewel case with slip cover, fold-out poster and bonus tracks taken from the Immortal EP (limited to 3000 copies), and a limited edition LP released under Osmose Productions (re-pressed six times over the years starting in 2005). The artwork on the limited slip cover CD is an original oil painting done by Jeroen van Valkenburg.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal 7/10 [2]

In 2009, IGN included Battles in the North in their "10 Great Black Metal Albums" list. [3]

Track listing

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Battles in the North"Demonaz Abbath, Demonaz 4:11
2."Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms"DemonazAbbath, Demonaz2:47
3."Descent Into Eminent Silence"DemonazAbbath, Demonaz3:10
4."Throned by Blackstorms"DemonazAbbath, Demonaz3:39
5."Moonrise Fields of Sorrow"DemonazAbbath, Demonaz2:24
6."Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons"DemonazDemonaz3:59
7."At the Stormy Gates of Mist"DemonazAbbath, Demonaz3:00
8."Through the Halls of Eternity"DemonazAbbath3:35
9."Circling Above in Time Before Time"AbbathAbbath3:55
10."Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)"DemonazAbbath, Demonaz4:34
Total length:35:14
Slip cover version bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism"0:42
12."Unholy Forces of Evil"4:28
13."The Cold Winds of Funeral Frost"3:40
Total length:44:04

Misprint

On some editions of this album, most notably on iTunes, many tracks are mislabelled. The songs play in the order shown above, but the song titles are given as follows:

  1. "Battles in the North"
  2. "At the Stormy Gates of Mist"
  3. "Through the Halls of Eternity"
  4. "Moonrise Fields of Sorrow"
  5. "Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons"
  6. "Throned by Blackstorms"
  7. "Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms"
  8. "Descent into Eminent Silence"
  9. "Circling Above in Time Before Time"
  10. "Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)"

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immortal (band)</span> Norwegian black metal band

Immortal is a Norwegian black metal band from Bergen. The group was founded in 1991 by frontman and guitarist Abbath Doom Occulta and guitarist Demonaz Doom Occulta. The pair worked with various drummers, and were later joined by former drummer Horgh in 1996.

<i>A Blaze in the Northern Sky</i> 1992 studio album by Darkthrone

A Blaze in the Northern Sky is the second studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was recorded at Creative Studios in August 1991 and released on 26 February 1992 by Peaceville Records. Apart from earlier rehearsal recordings between March 1991 and the Norwegian summer holidays the record contained the band's first official black metal recordings and is considered a classic within the genre. It was the first album of what fans dub the "Unholy Trinity", the other albums being Under a Funeral Moon and Transilvanian Hunger. It was the last album to feature bassist Dag Nilsen. In 2020, the album was put on the National Library of Norway's permanent exhibition due to its significance to Norwegian culture and as a starting point for Norwegian black metal.

<i>Under a Funeral Moon</i> 1993 studio album by Darkthrone

Under a Funeral Moon is the third studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was recorded in June 1992 and released on 15 February 1993 by Peaceville Records. Written and recorded to create a "pure black metal album", it is the second of what is dubbed the band's "Unholy Trinity", along with A Blaze in the Northern Sky and Transilvanian Hunger. Under a Funeral Moon was the last album on which guitarist Zephyrous performed; he left the band shortly after its release.

<i>Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism</i> 1992 studio album by Immortal

Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism is the debut studio album by Norwegian black metal band Immortal. It was released on 1 July 1992 through Osmose Productions. It is the only album to feature Armagedda on drums.

<i>Pure Holocaust</i> 1993 studio album by Immortal

Pure Holocaust is the second album by Norwegian black metal band Immortal. It was released on November 1, 1993, on Osmose Productions. It is generally faster sounding than its predecessor Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism. The lyrics focus mainly on ice, snow, and fantasy landscapes. It is the first album to feature Abbath on drums.

<i>At the Heart of Winter</i> 1999 studio album by Immortal

At the Heart of Winter is the fifth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Immortal. It was released on February 22, 1999 through Osmose Productions. It is the first Immortal album not to feature Demonaz on guitar, as he suffered from acute tendinitis in his hands, as well as the last album until Sons of Northern Darkness to feature Abbath on bass. The album marks a shift in Immortal's musical sound, towards a black metal and thrash metal fusion.

<i>Sons of Northern Darkness</i> 2002 studio album by Immortal

Sons of Northern Darkness is the seventh album by Norwegian black metal band Immortal. Musically, it continues the blackened thrash metal style heard on the two previous releases At the Heart of Winter and Damned in Black. This was the band's first release on Nuclear Blast Records and the last album to feature Iscariah on bass, who admitted to only play bass on the opening track "One by One", with the rest of the album's bass tracks being played by vocalist/guitarist Abbath, which is the last time he would contribute to playing bass before his departure in 2015.

<i>Damned in Black</i> 2000 studio album by Immortal

Damned in Black is the sixth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Immortal. It was released on March 27, 2000, through Osmose Productions, making it their last album released through their long-time collaboration with the French record label. It's their first album where bass guitar duties are handled by Iscariah. Besides some death metal influences, mostly manifested in the opening track "Triumph", the musical style started to embrace a more blackened thrash metal sound, a style that would be more present on their next album, Sons of Northern Darkness. During the recording session in the Abyss studio, the band also recorded "From The Dark Past", cover version of influential Norwegian black metal band Mayhem, which later appeared on Originators of the Northern Darkness - A Tribute to Mayhem compilation.

<i>Blizzard Beasts</i> 1997 studio album by Immortal

Blizzard Beasts is the fourth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Immortal. It was released on March 20, 1997, through Osmose Productions. It is the last Immortal album to feature the performance of founding member Demonaz Doom Occulta until Northern Chaos Gods (2018) and the first to feature Horgh on drums. Demonaz was later diagnosed with acute tendinitis which prevented him from playing guitar at the required speed for Immortal's music. Stylistically, Blizzard Beasts has primarily songs that are less than three minutes long, contrasting with Immortal's usual longer song lengths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbath</span> Norwegian musician (born 1973)

Olve Eikemo, better known by his stage name Abbath Doom Occulta or simply Abbath, is a Norwegian musician best known as a founding member of the black metal band Immortal. Before founding Immortal, Abbath performed with Old Funeral alongside future Immortal member Demonaz. While working with Old Funeral, he also joined Demonaz's band Amputation which later became Immortal. He also plays bass in Demonaz's eponymous project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reidar Horghagen</span> Norwegian drummer

Horgh is a Norwegian drummer, formerly for Norwegian black metal band Immortal from 1996 to 2022 and Swedish death metal band Hypocrisy from 2004 until April 2022.

<i>Between Two Worlds</i> (I album) 2006 studio album by I

Between Two Worlds is the only album by Norwegian black metal supergroup I. The album was recorded at the Lydriket Studio and later mixed by Peter Tägtgren at the Abyss studio. The album showcases Abbath's straightforward metal style rather than his black metal style. The album displays a clear influence from classic metal bands, which although present in Abbath's primary band Immortal, is here the sole focus of the music. A limited edition digipack was released, which includes three bonus tracks. A limited edition metal box was also released, also featuring the three bonus tracks, and was limited to 1000 copies.

Harald Nævdal, known by his stage name Demonaz Doom Occulta, or simply Demonaz, is a Norwegian musician best known as the founding guitarist and chief lyricist for the black metal band Immortal.

"The Call of the Wintermoon" is a song by the black metal band Immortal from the album Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism. The song's music video shows members of the band run amok in a forest and through the site of the ancient ruins of Lyse Abbey, wearing corpse paint and other articles such as a wizard costume, brandishing various weapons and, among other things, breathing fire. Being the drummer at time of shootings, Kolgrim appears in the music video, despite having nothing to do with the studio track, the drums having been recorded by his predecessor, Armagedda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ole Moe</span> Norwegian musician

Apollyon is a black metal/thrash metal multi-instrumentalist, formerly associated with Dødheimsgard and Cadaver, now playing in Aura Noir and also Immortal after its reforming in 2006. He has done guest vocals on the Darkthrone albums Plaguewielder and Sardonic Wrath, and also on Audiopain's EP 1986 (2000). He was a live guitarist for Gorgoroth from 2003 to 2004, and performed at Gorgoroth's now infamous Kraków gig in February 2004. In 2004 Apollyon participated in a live tribute to Quorthon of Bathory at the Hole in the Sky festival in Bergen, Norway. Apollyon played bass on all songs, and also did the vocals on the song Equimanthorn. In addition to Apollyon, the line-up of this tribute band consisted of Bård Faust (ex-Emperor) on drums and Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved) and Samoth (Emperor) on guitars, as well as guest vocalists Gaahl (Gorgoroth), Abbath (Immortal), Grutle Kjellson (Enslaved), Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone) and Satyr (Satyricon).

<i>Originators of the Northern Darkness – A Tribute to Mayhem</i> 2001 compilation album by Various artists

Originators of the Northern Darkness is a tribute album to the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem, with contributions from some of the leading bands in the black metal and death metal scenes. All the songs were recorded between 1998 and 2000 in various locations, and the album was released on CD in 2001 by Avantgarde Music. In addition to the regular CD, a limited edition CD in black leather was also released. The album was re-released on digipack CD in 2007 by Peaceville.

<i>The Seventh Date of Blashyrkh</i> 2010 video by Immortal

The Seventh Date of Blashyrkh is black metal band Immortal's first live DVD. All content is from the Wacken Open Air set they performed in 2007, as part of their comeback tour, The Seventh Date of Blashyrkh.

<i>Kaos Kommand 696</i> 2002 studio album by Impiety

Kaos Kommand 696 is the third album by Singaporean black metal band Impiety, released in 2002 through Osmose Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netherbird</span> Swedish black metal band

Netherbird is a Swedish metal band from Stockholm. Their signature sound is heavily influenced by the early 1990s Scandinavian black and death metal, as well as elements of doom, gothic and heavy metal present.

<i>Northern Chaos Gods</i> 2018 studio album by Immortal

Northern Chaos Gods is the ninth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Immortal. The album was released on 6 July 2018. This is the first album after the departure of Abbath from the band and their first studio album in almost nine years since All Shall Fall (2009), marking the longest gap between two studio albums by Immortal. It is also the first Immortal album to feature Demonaz on vocals and the first one since Blizzard Beasts (1997) to feature him on guitar, and their final album to feature Horgh on drums before being dismissed from the band following a legal dispute with Demonaz over ownership of the band's name. Peter Tägtgren played bass on this album. In an interview before the album's release, Demonaz said he wanted to make the album as "grim, dark and cold as possible".

References

  1. Van der Pol, Marc. "Pure Holocaust review". Allmusic. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  2. Popoff, Martin (1 August 2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 205. ISBN   978-1-894959-62-9.
  3. Ramirez, Carlos (6 January 2009). "10 Great Black Metal Albums – IGN". ign.com . Retrieved 20 November 2012.