F E A T U R E

New Road Report -- Immortal & Absu
3/17/2011 7:50:37 AM by Frank




Immortal. Attempts to encapsulate them--their existence in general, much less their live performance--invariably fall short. Early in the band's career, Abbath and company tapped into an ineffable part of the black metal world's psyche that, despite numberless attempts, no other band has quite been able to recreate.

The line was out the door by the time I arrived, with fans standing nonchalantly in the freezing temperatures, few wearing more than light jackets, long-sleeved metal shirts, or trusty knit caps (also metal band-branded). Once the line began to crawl inside, I could see the dining area full of long-haired and black-shirted types who had been wise enough to arrive early and fuel up for the event. Perhaps I should have joined them--the blackboard up behind the bar read, "Tonight: Immortal, Absu" and on the next line, "$8.50 Hot meatloaf sandwich." A grand triumvirate, if ever there were one.

Before the encore, the crush at the front eased enough for me to turn around and take another look at the crowd. The young faces of the Immortal virgins were awestruck. One young man stared unblinkingly at the fog writhing across the stage floor, with one hand pressed against his forehead as if he couldn't quite fathom what he'd just witnessed. The older members of the crowd, those who already had experienced the Sons of Northern Darkness, wore knowing grins and looked around as if to say, "I told you so."

[Full Road Report]



<< back >>






RANDOM ACTS OF METAL
· Hate Eternal· Into Eternity
· Sinner· Steel Prophet
· The Haunted· Vehemence
· White Skull· Vicious Mary
· Karaboudjan· Machine Head
· Celestial Ode· Steel Attack
· Liege Lord· Legend
· Masterplan· Dr. Butcher
· Carnal Forge· Cage
· October 31· Conquest
· Ion Vein· Exawatt
· Shakra· Kilfast
· Nordheim· Tad Morose
· Silent Scythe· Halloween
· Pharaoh· Lacuna Coil
· Asperity· Iron Savior
· Tesla· Force Of Evil
· I Hate Sally· Drowning Pool
· Superchrist· Devil To Pay
· Jaw· Bang The Union
· Messiah's Kiss· Wolf
· Amityville Whore· Metalium
· Jorn· Estuary
· House of Lords· Acrid
· Mob Rules· Ungodly
· Unleashed· Meliah Rage
· Skeletonwitch· Potential Threat SF
· Occult· Dark Age
· Nashville Pussy· Megadeth
· Annihilator· Jungle Rot
· Slowlife· Overlorde
· Anger· Hanzel Und Gretyl
· Avenue F· Creed
· Milkweed· Divine Fire
· Crionics· Hellfueled
· Maze Of Torment· Strikelight
· Tarot· Mechanical Poet
· Desire Black· Icarus Witch
· Ravensthorn· Pure Inc
· Omegalord· Frantic Bleep
· Fire Alley· Operatika
· System Of A Down· Ignitor
· Ramesses· Grand Magus
· Pro-Pain· Nuse
· Evemaster· Slik Helvetika
· Horna· Frameless Scar
· Nightvision· Fates Warning
· Devil Lee Rot· Octavia Sperati
· Peccatum· Orphaned Land
· Crystal Fate· Casus Belli
· Ewigkeit· Paths Of Possession
· Damnation· Thrones
· Cryogen· Infliction
· Mastermind· Skullshifter
· Sinocence· Zero Down
· Khold· Detonation
· Dismember· Absolution
· Beecher· Witchery
· Sepultura· Naked Beggars
· Katatonia· Codeon
· Thyrane· Nightmare
· The Berzerker· Vore
· Elvenking· Imagika
· The Furor· Sun Descends
· Royal Hunt· Before Silence
· Gorgoroth· Vicious Rumors
· I· Zero Hour
· Jeff Walker und Die Fluffers· Abominant
· Belphegor· Cult of Daath
· Biolich· Lesbian Bed Death
· E-lane· Deicide
· Celtic Frost· Handful of Hate
· Blood Tsunami· The Gathering
· Lost Eden· Battered
· Dream Theater· In This Moment
· Static-X· Marc Sasso
· Mendeed· Hacride
· Denial Fiend· Malevolent Creation
· Sworn Enemy· Echoes of Eternity
· Keldian· Jesus Martyr
· Armory· Bible Of The Devil
· Eighteen Wheels Burning· Sister Sin