ABORT Magazine™

DVD/CD Review: Immortal – Live at Wacken 2007- The Seventh Date of Blashyrkh

October 19th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - DVD by Editor in Chief

DVD/CD Review –  Immortal
Live at Wacken 2007- The Seventh Date of Blashyrkh
Nuclear Blast

Immortal’s latest release The Seventh Date of Blashyrkh documents the band’s epic performance at the Wacken Open Air festival back in 2007. Having temporarily called it quits in 2003 due to personal issues, their Seven Dates of Blashyrkh mini-tour in 2007 was an important comeback; reasserting the band’s dominance in a genre that has had a strong resurgence with an increase in media attention and various documentaries over the past 5 years.  This package is pretty straightforward- live performance on the DVD, live audio on the CD, no bonus features, just straight-up Norwegian Black metal the way the legendary Immortal’s been doing it since 1990.

The current line-up consisting of Abbath (Vocals/guitars), Apollyon (bass) and Horgh (drums) stormed the stage to greet the 70,000 + fans in attendance. Though they had most likely suspected it from the start, those present were in for a treat. With the exception of Blizzard Beasts, Immortal played at least one track from every album in their discography including favorites such as “At the Heart of Winter,””Wrath From Above,””One by One” and “Blashyrk (Mighty Ravendark).” To top it all off, the pyrotechnics and lights added a nice touch and coupled with the high sound quality of the recording made for an entertaining and seamless audio/visual combination.

Just like the CD/DVD package, their performance was pretty bare bones, no surprises here. Realistically this is for the best-fans attended the performance with certain expectations in mind and while Immortal didn’t make history here, they met those expectations without letting anyone down. One of the highlights on stage was Abbath’s showmanship which always somehow contains brief moments of hilarity- need I mention his infamous ‘crab walk’? It’s nice to see a band kick ass on stage all the while not taking themselves too seriously.

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Copyright © 2004-2010 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Book Review: True Norwegian Black Metal (Hardcover Edition) by Peter Beste

March 19th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Books by Editor in Chief

Book Review – True Norwegian Black Metal (Hardcover Edition)
Peter Beste
powerHouse

Just as the title suggests, True Norwegian Black Metal focuses on the Norwegian Black Metal subculture mainly through photographic form. What’s interesting about this collection of photographs is that while they primarily feature members of bands from the early Norwegian Black metal scene (AKA. 2nd wave of black metal), they were all taken nearly a decade after the scene was fully developed. These photos feature not only key players in the development and dissemination of the philosophies behind the early scene but also survivors of the chaos, madness and bloodshed that followed in its wake. The absence of those who helped form the scene but were permanently or temporarily eliminated as a result of being murdered or committing murder (or various other criminal acts) is poignant. In their absence, Beste captures some of the history; Mayhem’s first jam space, Euronymous’ front door, the Elm Street Rock Café and various landscape scenes of Norway.

The beauty of True Norwegian Black Metal is that it can be appreciated on many different levels. Firstly the scale of the images (11.25” X 14.25”) and their quality make for a visually stunning and aesthetically pleasing collection. The diversity of subject matter-bands, individuals, fans and natural landscape- are captured sometimes in an obviously staged manner and sometimes very candidly. The care that Beste has put towards capturing the moment and feeling of each subject seems worthy of a subculture in which style and “self-expression” are extremely important. Beste is able to capture the human elements – humor, isolation, despair, introversion, teenage angst, backstage antics and the people behind the alter-egos- as well as the larger-than-life aura that emanates from the black metal personas and the scene in general.

What’s great about this book is that the images are allowed to stand on their own without categorization or any specific explanation. There is a sparse array of quotes from black metal musicians and European philosophers throughout, but since these are given special treatment as well –each placed on its own black page- they don’t speak specifically to their adjacent image but rather to the philosophy and beliefs of those depicted. The lack of page numbers encourages the reader to go through each image carefully, allowing them to process the visuals in a more subjective rather then anthropological way. This format gives the reader the option to make their own conclusions and to experience the photographs in their own way. Of course, since this is documentary photography, it is Beste who has selected these images, edited and framed them in a specific manner to tell a particular story in the way he sees fit. However, since the presentation of this story is open ended, Beste coaxes rather then forces us to travel the path he has laid forward visually.

Another highlight is the contributions made by Metalion, founder of the influential Norwegian metal magazine Slayer. A book dedicated to Norwegian Black Metal, featuring relatively current photographs of its most significant figures would not be complete without some representation of the past. These pages, comprised of photographs, letters, show posters and interviews are largely a tribute to the fallen, namely Dead (ex-Mayhem vocalist) and Euronymous (ex-Mayhem guitarist). In a way they put a real face to the condensed biography and black metal timeline located at the start of the book. While many of the photos found in this section are fairly common, the letter written by Euronymous to Metalion after Dead’s suicide is morbidly intriguing. Equally intriguing and at times entertaining are the interviews conducted by Metalion with Euronymous and Dead, Varg Vikernes and Demonaz (Immortal) respectively.

The gargantuan True Norwegian Black Metal will surely find its way onto the coffee tables of the disciples as well as the curious. No matter what the viewer has invested into the story behind the images, the photographs themselves are captivating and reason enough to warrant a look-through. While there is much depth here, there are also humorous and pathetic moments throughout. One obvious conclusion one can draw after spending some time with this book, is the fascinating way the fundamentals of rock music –sex, drugs and rock and roll- have managed to carry over throughout the history of heavy music; even bleeding into one of its most extreme sub-genres – True Norwegian Black Metal.

powerhousebooks.com

By Alxs Ness

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Copyright © 2004-2010 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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1349 ANNOUNCE TITLE and STREET DATE; “DEMONOIR” To Hit April 27th in North America

February 23rd, 2010 Filed under: News/Calendar/Industry by Editor in Chief

Norwegian black metal titans 1349 have announced the title and release date of their new album. The album, entitled “DEMONOIR,” will be released by Indie Recordings throughout Europe on April 26, and by Prosthetic Records in North America on April 27.

For the band’s fifth full-length release, 1349 decided to suck out the fiercest and most potent energies from every single member and surroundings, channeling it into songs that are pulsating with uncanny atmospheres, rawness and nerve shattering intensity. The whole process of getting the material on record was like one long, exhausting black magic summoning that could not be allowed to go wrong.

“DEMONOIR” is without a shadow of a doubt 1349′s darkest, most sinister and brutal work to date, and in this case it comes to mean that the band has gone from the utterly extreme to the genre-expanding and mind-boggling. Black Metal cannot, and will never be the same.

“DEMONOIR” will be available in North America as a digipack CD and a limited edition 12″ picture disc LP.

Lineup:

Archaon – Guitars

Frost – Drums

Ravn – Vocals

Seidemann – Bass

1349 Online:

legion1349.com

myspace.com/1349official

Copyright © 2004-2010 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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TONIGHT! January 23rd, 2010, ABORT is Proud To Sponsor The Vancouver Premiere of UNTIL THE LIGHT TAKES US, Doors 8:30pm, The Rickshaw Theatre

January 23rd, 2010 Filed under: ABORT Presents..., News/Calendar/Industry by Editor in Chief

BABALON & DENSIXX ENTERTAINMENT ARE PROUD TO PRESENT…

UNTIL THE LIGHT TAKES US is a feature length documentary chronicling the history, ideology and aesthetic of Norwegian black metal – a musical subculture infamous as much for a series of murders and church arsons as it is for its unique musical and visual aesthetics and extreme ideologies. This is the first film to shed light on a movement that has been shrouded in darkness and rumor and further obscured by inaccurate and shallow depictions. Featuring exclusive interviews and verité with the musicians, a wealth of rare, seldom seen footage from the “Black Circle”s earliest days, Until the Light Takes Us is an intimate exploration of the controversial movement that has captured the attention of the world. The filmmakers spent a couple years in Norway getting to know the key players in the scene, and this is their story.

FEATURING GYLVE NAGELL, VARG VIKERNES, JAN AXEL BLOMBERG, KJETIL HARALDSTAD, OLVE EIKEMO, HARALD NÆVDAL, HARMONY KORINE, BJARNE MELGAARD, KRISTOFFER RYGG, AND BÅRD EITHUN. MUSIC BY BLACK DICE, BOARDS OF CANADA, BURZUM, DARKTHRONE, ENSLAVED, GORGOROTH, LESSER, MAYHEM, MUM, SUNN O))), THORNS, AND ULVER. The film, shot on 35 mm and dv, is directed and produced by Audrey Ewell and Aaron Aites.

JANUARY 23RD
OPENING NIGHT
8:30 PM
WITH BANDS
TYRANTS BLOOD
myspace.com/tyrantsblood
ARTEP
myspace.com/artepmetal

JANUARY 26TH
7:30 Showing

JANUARY 28TH
7:30 FINAL SHOWING

blackmetalmovie.com

Densixx.com

Rickshawtheatre.com

Copyright © 2004-2009 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Hey Kids! Read a Good Book…or Burn a Good Church: It’s The Peter Beste Black Metal Book Exhibit – Feb 13, Copenhagen

January 26th, 2009 Filed under: News/Calendar/Industry, Road Trip by Editor in Chief

(Source - Bravewords)

Peter Beste, who recently put out a documentary photography book about the Norwegian black metal scene called True Norwegian Black Metal, has issued the following:

“I am pleased to announce that my True Norwegian Black Metal exhibit will be showing in Copenhagen (Denmark) at V1 Gallery.

Opening party on Friday, February 13th. Come say hello!”

More on Beste and the exhibit HERE

myspace.com/blackmetal666

Copyright © 2004-2009 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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