Immortal - At the Heart of Winter


Original Version Box Version LP Version
1. Withstand The Fall Of Time 8:30 1. Withstand The Fall Of Time 8:30 1. Withstand The Fall Of Time 8:30
2. Solarfall 6:02 2. Solarfall 6:02 2. Solarfall 6:02
3. Tragedies Blows At Horizon 8:56 3. Tragedies Blows At Horizon 8:56 3. Tragedies Blows At Horizon 8:56
4. Where Dark And Light Don't Differ 6:45 4. Where Dark And Light Don't Differ 6:45 4. Where Dark And Light Don't Differ 6:45
5. At The Heart Of Winter 8:00 5. At The Heart Of Winter 8:00 5. At The Heart Of Winter 8:00
6. Years Of Silent Sorrow 7:54 6. Years Of Silent Sorrow 7:54 6. Years Of Silent Sorrow 7:54
total time 46:07 total time 46:07 total time 46:07
Picture LP 1 Version Picture LP 2 Version Promo Version
1. Withstand The Fall Of Time 8:30 1. Withstand The Fall Of Time 8:30 1. Withstand The Fall Of Time 8:30
2. Solarfall 6:02 2. Solarfall 6:02 2. Solarfall 6:02
3. Tragedies Blows At Horizon 8:56 3. Tragedies Blows At Horizon 8:56 3. Tragedies Blows At Horizon 8:56
4. Where Dark And Light Don't Differ 6:45 4. Where Dark And Light Don't Differ 6:45 4. Where Dark And Light Don't Differ 6:45
5. At The Heart Of Winter 8:00 5. At The Heart Of Winter 8:00 5. At The Heart Of Winter 8:00
6. Years Of Silent Sorrow 7:54 6. Years Of Silent Sorrow 7:54 6. Years Of Silent Sorrow 7:54
total time 46:07 total time 46:07 total time 46:07


Withstand The Fall Of Time
(Music: Abbath - Lyrics: Demonaz)

Darker and darker skylines of red grew my horizon
on the egdes of my vision a giant grimfaced realm...
Flaming suns crested the horizon shadows born a cloudless day
believers of the rise and set of the moon darkened twilight into night...

Hardening claws of cold tell me we are closer to colder times
through the days of bitterness still the thundra lay untouched
In the final of that day and all centuries after
in eternity and time the same still the thundra lay untouched

Blacker and blacker blinded by shades from centuries behind
shadows of a dark that used to be under heavy winters reign...
The blackening sky never end as we stand the fall of time
yet winds of cold will always blow without tomorrow...

Hardening claws of cold tell me we are closer to colder times
through the days of bitterness still the thundra lay untouched
In the final of that day and all centuries after
in eternity and time the same still the thundra lay untouched


Solarfall
(Music: Abbath - Lyrics: Demonaz)

Believe the sea high waves upon our coming storm
hear the roaring tide as we name a dawn
See the ice in which we craft our souls
earth's frozen cries the dark benight your kind

Monstrously the seas rage afar as if to hide from that which nears
skyward from the seasalt air our vision knew a giant fall
See the ice in which we craft our souls
life's frozen cries the dark benight your kind

A place of utterness beyond the wilderness
through a darkened terrain that fades in emptiness...
Walkers of the dust survivors of the blast
slowly they move but far behind all time into the solar fall...

Believe the sea high waves upon our coming storm
hear the roaring tide as we name a dawn
Monstrously the seas rage afar as if to hide from what which nears
skyward from the seasalt air our vision knew a giant fall
See the ice in which we craft our souls
all frozen cries the dark benight your kind
The last sunset flame dust of ice drifts the earth
lightning plays in depths of no rebirth...


Tragedies Blows At Horizon
(Music: Abbath - Lyrics: Demonaz)

A black day dawn at horizon where winter hearts our battlefields
the ultimate frostage desire snowflurry drifts these plains
Since the blast of primaries we've conquered against the storm
throning with will and the sound of battle never ends...

Tragedies blows at horizon : we ride as one our battle rages on...
Tragedies blows at horizon : we die as one our battle rages on...

Thundering coloums of fire majestic against the breeze
Gleaming my scepter at hand the wind altogether silent
Frozen of heart awaken from a time and risen
by the dying breeze and the sound of battle never ends...

Tragedies blows at horizon : we ride as one our battle rages on...
Tragedies blows at horizon : we die as one our battle rages on...


Where Dark And Light Don't Differ
(Music: Abbath - Lyrics: Demonaz)

Barbaric tempered steel strike forth and toll our days
the red and black of our victorian crest
We flag beneath... beneath the solar seas
we grant as the might to conquer so spread be our wrath...

Meet the voice of us darkblind souls as it blasts from an open sky
victorious we live over all strong men under us fall
The longer we ride this yearn will make us find
where dark and light don't differ...

Winterized... blackening descend
Mesmerized... into demonlands

Far... far and further away
in mightful strong and mindless realms
We flag beneath... beneath the solar seas
again it's time to conquer so spread be our wrath...
Where dark and light don't differ...

Winterized... blackening ascend
Mesmerized... in demons lands

The longer we ride the stronger we stride...


At The Heart Of Winter
(Music: Abbath - Lyrics: Demonaz)

Greatest Blashyrkh wait for me your deepest realms i'll find
with songs that sound eternally for you my call is ever so strong...
Winterlandscapes pure and clear a walk into the glacial valleys
deep under forests alive only my torches fire light...

Greatest Blashyrkh waiting me your realms ever splended
songs were made eternally the call is ever so strong...
Blashyrkh mighty be your name victorious a kingdom we made
with strength and pride all the way you are at the heart of winter

As the face of glacier your mountains tower against the sunset
unforgetting what was made a bond so strong and ever so real...
The statue watches the kingdom your giant wings make all beneath
i'm staring forth the raventhrone I know i'm at the heart of winter...


Years Of Silent Sorrow
(Music: Abbath - Lyrics: Demonaz)

Farewell... lengthening pain inside me
Harnessbells... I hear them calling me
A demon... watch my walk in snow
Remain... my years of silent sorrow

Dome in the sky black winds to taste
shadowed spirits lead my way...
Drifting everly alone years of silent sorrow
until I'm home...

Bitterness with bitterness you bitter me...
Emptiness with emptiness you empty me...
Darkness with darkness you darkened me
this journey black before me...

Farewell... nothing breathes within me
Harnessbells... sounding cold behind me
A demon... with frozen eyes opened
this journey black behind me...

Dome in the sky black winds to taste
shadowed spirits lead my way...
Drifting everly alone years of silent sorrow
until I'm home...

=u=s=e=f=u=l=i=n=f=o=r=m=a=t=i=o=n=

Release date: March 15 1999 (Europe)
Label: Osmose Productions
Recorded at: Studio Abyss (Nov. -98)
Produced by: Peter Tagtgren
Cover artwork by: Fournier J.P.

Line-up:
Abbath - Bass, Vocals, Guitar
Horgh - Drums

=r=e=v=i=e=w=s=

1) Nightshade Magazine

IMMORTAL - "At the Heart of Winter"

Let us be clear from the beginning. If you wish to receive your daily
dose of ultra-brutal-Nordic-fast-Black Metal with a cave-like cheap
production, then turn the page and go back to your worshipped DARKTHRONE opus
A Blaze in the Northern Sky, for you will find nothing here but a
clear-sounding (and damn well produced !!!) picture of what Metal is all about
in its most technical and modern form. IMMORTAL's fifth child At the Heart of
Winter is indeed destined to be a milestone in the band's discography, and to
a large extent it should throw a refreshing cluster bomb in the swamp of
so-called extreme releases mainly showing their extreme musical poverty (and,
please, don't ask me for names . . .). Well, well . . . what shall I begin
with ? First I can depict this album as being both a flashback to the very
beginning of IMMORTAL's career and a tremendous progression towards a brand
new style. Why this paradoxal duality ? Simply because in spite of the evident
musical evolution, some elements are reminiscent of what IMMORTAL used to
perform some years ago. The lyrics are indeed written in a much more simple
and direct way than on Blizzard Beasts for instance, and some background
ambiances call to mind that the band wishes to retrieve its symbolic cold
feeling, previously drowned in the brutality of death-metal-like rythmics. On
this record, Demonaz no longer scratches the strings, since his arm infection
prevents him from playing as fast as before. Nevertheless he is still writing
the lyrics and his talented spiritual touch hasn't left the band at all. Peter
Tägtgren is behind the perfect mix of the album, which will make your Hi-Fi
vibrate even if you don't push it to its full potential. Musically speaking,
they have reached the ultimate compromise between all kinds of Metal without
forgetting their roots. The heavy riffs remain quite basic, but smash the
brain in such a way that their efficiency is not to be discussed. For
example the two first songs Withstand the Fall of Time and Solarfall (God,
what a masterpiece this one...) contain both a core melodic theme delivered
with the ill-tempered rage of power-metal, and they will be carved in your
head from the first listening. At given times in the songs the neck is given a
rest thanks to simply beautiful accoustic breaks, before another wave of rages
overflows the last minutes. The use of keyboards is restricted to the sole
goal of creating haunting intros to the tracks. Abbath's voice is still sharp
as a razor, and Horgh's drumming style cannot be blamed, especially since he
is able to turn to a war-machine when the Black Metal-influences regain the
upper hand, like in Years of silent Sorrow. The album comprises only six
songs, but is almost 50:00 long, so I let you imagine the mammoth
compositions the guys have cooked for us. I know that the hard core of
IMMORTAL fans will feel somehow frustrated by the importance of the change,
but I think sincerely that you just need to open your ears wide to realize
that the band has unleashed one of the finest jewels of these latest years. If
I had to compare this evolution to EMPEROR's one on IX Equilibrium . . . OK,
let's avoid the polemic. If this is what the heart of winter really sounds
like, then may the icy age arise, RIGHT NOW !!!

Label: Osmose Productions
Ordering Number: OPCD-079
Rating: 10 out of 10
Review by: Bertrand Garnier

2) AT THE HEART OF WINTER - IMMORTAL

Black metal: a most prolific genre...prolific, yet it could be argued
that rarely have we been blessed with the two biggest black metal releases
back to back. Emperor released their IX Equilibrium a short time ago. And
then, a few days later, we are presented with the new Immortal LP, their
fifth, entitled "At The Heart Of Winter".

At the top of this review, I must make a confession. Up until this
release, I have never been the all-worshipping fan of this band. Quite
frankly, I found Immortal's last effort "Blizzard Beast" to be a clear
representation of a band treading water and a somewhat disappointing follow up
to the aural violence of Battles Of The North and Pure Holocaust.

Having released four albums prior to this, it certainly indicates
Immortal's longevity in the saturated genre that is black metal. But for
Immortal to remain one of the leaders of the scene something special had to
happen with this new album, otherwise, I feel a few may have been preparing
the bands obituary...ok, ok it's not quite that desperate, but you see my
point.

The great news is, is that like all leaders of a certain style, Immortal
have been able to assess their past achievements and develop their sound
accordingly - with "At The Heart Of Winter", Immortal have delivered a
stunning piece of work.

"ATHOW" is in my opinion, Immortal's finest piece of work to date - a
truly inspired piece of black tinged genius. Opposed to Blizzard Beasts,
Immortal has opted not to play safe with this new one - there are changes, but
ultimately it is a return to form for the band. Not only is this a different
record but it is Immortals most prolific in terms of musical style and
feeling. Containing only six tracks (and what awesome tracks they are), and
clocking in at 46 minutes - each track has it's own identity and are
definitely some of the longest they have penned so far giving the album a very
epic feeling.

"ATHOW" is a more brutal guitar oriented album also. There are riffs
going off all over the place. There is also a definite nod in the direction of
the glory days of metal, with Immortal capturing the very essence or spirit of
those days. No doubt, that this still sounds like Immortal however the feeling
that encapsulates the epic Bathory and Destruction days is very prominent
indeed. Ultimately this is Immortal moving forward yet not forgetting the
essence of the past.

Also, the fact that Abbath is now on guitar for good it seems, the riff
work has been increased and the pace tempered. Essentially, this makes the
Immortal sound even more crushing and powerful than in the past. ATHOW as a
result becomes more engaging; it has more punch and ultimately, more impact.
For those who longed for non-stop blast beats...well, Immortal have moved on.
Four albums of cold, harsh grim hyperspeed black metal are enough.

One other reason for Immortal's new found intensity is in the production.
Captured brilliantly at Abyss studios with Peter Tagtgren, "ATHOW" is brutal.
Not only has Tagtgren got the best out of Immortal, he has actually been able
to deliver the sound Immortal wanted rather that the regular Abyss studio
production.
Whilst the Abyss sound is excellent, it could have gone against Immortal
if they released "ATHOW" with such a well known sound. It would have had
less identity (something that the latest Enslaved LP suffered from).

"ATHOW" is Immortals finest and strongest release yet - breathing fire
(or is that ice?) back into themselves and the scene, and along with Emperor
have definitely laid down the blueprint by which every other black metal
release will be measured by this year.

Rating (9/10)
Reviewed by: The K-Man (presenter/host "Another Worldly Device" radio in
Australia)

3) AT THE HEART OF WINTER - IMMORTAL

It would be useless to you to provide an analysis for the reasons that
have made Immortal my absolute fave band in the world of black metal music.
Besides, the limited space that is provided for the record reviews doesn't
allow such luxurities and I don't think that you would stand reading any
waffle from my side. Nevertheless, though, I can't help it saying that I feel
excited that I have the chance to review this album now. This album that, till
the time that it finally came to my possession and had it dissected in my
stereo, had caused me seeing nightmares, due to the fact that there was a
number of evidence that made me worried if Immortal would continue to be a
part of the elite part of the black metal scene. The numerous death metal
influences that, without any doubts, "Blizzard Beasts" carried, inherited from
their tour with Morbid Angel, but also some more fresh evidence, like their
new logo or the drawn cover that "At the heart of Winter" has ( I still
remember numerous interviews where Immortal were saying that drawn covers are
of no meaning to them), were not helping to create the best climate.
The first couple of times that I 've listened to the album were really
strained, as a result of all that presure that I was feeling but the thing
that I realised almost immediately was that the Norvegian holocaust metallers
- the term that they use to describe their music themselves - haven't
sacrificed their most essential characteristic: The blizzards that they have
for songs, the frostbitten assaults that they launch to our hearts for so many
years now, the pride.
Many of you may have believed that the band's intention to feature long
songs on this new album by dropping the 3min blasts of the past, would have us
dealing with a bunch of songs that would hardly had any major differences from
the structure of the hit song "Blashyrkh(Mighty Ravendark). Fortunately
enough, this is also not the case here. And neither "Blashyrkh" was the first
slow-paced tune that Immortal attempted to compose...does the title "A perfect
vision of the rising Northland" bring anything to mind?
"And where is the so familiar Immortal speed element?", guessing your
next question here. Naturally, it is also present and it puts the final touch
to an album that presents the Norvegians with a fresh face but so traditional
at the same time. I don't want to keep on talking because it is certain that I
will get carried away..the thing that I have to write as an epilogue to this
review though can be only this... all hail to the masters of Nebular Frost!

.9/10
Nick Anastopoulos


Lyrics in plain text format





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