BravePicks 2018 – IMMORTAL's Northern Chaos Gods #14
December 17, 2018, 5 years ago
Another gruelling year of heavy metal debauchery is almost over! Killing is our business ... and business is good! And this year the metal scene killed it with a myriad of heavy intrigue! So the votes are in and the compiling is complete! It's time to crown the winners and call out the the disappointments.
So who will be our #1? You’ll find out as we count down the BravePick Of 2018 each day in December! And our devout scribes killed it as well, putting their collective metal minds together to build the ultimate lists including individual Top 20s (new studio albums ONLY), Top 5 Brave Embarrassments (a fan favorite!), Top 3 Concerts, What/Who Needs To Stop In 2018? and Metal Predictions For 2019. All will be showcased come the New Year!
'Tis the season to commence the good, bad and ugly of 2018! On with the cream of this year's crop!
BravePicks 2018
14) IMMORTAL – Northern Chaos Gods (Nuclear Blast)
The black metal gods returned with a fury in 2018. Navigating through rough waters and losing frontman Abbath; there was a cloud of concern whether guitarist / vocalist Demonaz and drummer Horgh could push through the controversy. Northern Chaos Gods emphatically answered that question with a pummeling black metal assault and removed all doubt that the duo couldn’t be successful on their own. Immortal stands tall with the fourteenth spot on our countdown.
"We never made a plan for this album; it's all natural inspiration," said frontman Demonaz to BW scribe Carl Begai in a feature story. "In the back of our minds we wanted to bring something in that was 110% Immortal. We started from scratch in 2015 with the opening track on the album (‘Northern Chaos Gods’). We wanted a fast opener, and from there we got into the flow that created this album. There were no plans to do it in any sort of style, and I don't think we've ever been as focused on the songwriting as we were for this album. We did it song by song. When you're in a band you want to make a record that's better than the last one, but I feel that instead of leaving the last album (All Shall Fall) behind I think we moved away from a few of them (laughs). There are a lot of old school feelings on this album. Maybe that old school feeling shines through with the thrash influences that you're hearing."
"This album is Side A and Side B," he adds. "I love vinyl and I think it's a good way of thinking. I grew up with vinyl and that way of thinking; it's a magical formula. The best classic albums have four songs on each side. I'm most looking forward to getting Northern Chaos Gods on vinyl (laughs)."
BravePicks 2018 Top 30
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14) IMMORTAL - Northern Chaos Gods (Nuclear Blast)
15) BLOODBATH - The Arrow Of Satan Is Drawn (Peaceville)
16) AMORPHIS - Queen Of Time (Nuclear Blast)
17) BLACK LABEL SOCIETY – Grimmest Hits (eOne)
18) IHSAHN – Ámr (Candlelight / Spinefarm)
19) THE DEAD DAISIES - Burn It Down (Spitfire / SPV)
20) MELIAH RAGE - Idol Hands (Metal On Metal)
21) ALICE IN CHAINS - Rainier Fog (BMG)
22) HIGH ON FIRE - Electric Messiah (eOne)
23) MAMMOTH GRINDER - Cosmic Crypt (Relapse)
24) ICARUS WITCH - Goodbye Cruel World (Cleopatra)
25) UNLEASHED - The Hunt For White Christ (Napalm)
26) SATAN - Cruel Magic (Metal Blade)
27) GRAHAM BONNET BAND - Meanwhile, Back In The Garage (Frontiers)
28) MONSTROSITY – The Passage Of Existence (Metal Blade)
29) GRUESOME – Twisted Prayers (Relapse)
30) DIMMU BORGIR - Eonian (Nuclear Blast)
