IMMORTAL To Begin Recording New Album In January

Norwegian black metallers IMMORTAL — now consisting of lyricist/guitarist Demonaz (real name Harald Nævdal) and drummer Horgh (real name Reidar Horghagen) — will enter the studio in January to begin recording their ninth full-length studio album, to be released later in 2017 via Nuclear Blast.

Said IMMORTAL in a statement: "The songs have been ready for some time, but we wanted to record it at the right place and time.

"We will once again work with Peter Tägtgren at Abyss Studio who produced our four last albums.

"The band will enter the studio during wintertime to have the right atmosphere.

"We look forward to record and present the new album to the IMMORTAL hordes sometime in 2017.

"The tracks that will appear on the album are: 'Northern Chaos Gods', 'Into Battle Ride', 'Gates To Blashyrkh', 'Blacker Of Worlds', 'Where Mountains Rise', 'Grim And Dark', 'Called To Ice' and 'Ravendark'."

IMMORTAL previously promised that its upcoming effort would be its "darkest and coldest album in a long time: pure Blashyrkh metal the way our fans know it, with massive majestic riffs, grim frostbitten vocals and tales from our mighty realm. Fast and furious tracks, epic tracks and longer playtime than any of our previous albums."

Demonaz is now also handling the vocals for IMMORTAL following the 2014 split with frontman Olve Eikemo (a.k.a. Abbath).

"The massive fan support has been very inspiring and we will not let down the fans," the band said.

At a time when true and original black metal is nearly dead, IMMORTAL is said to be "in ultimate spirit."

"After the last years' incidents, it was time to go back to the roots to what this band is really about musically, and also to take the integrity of the band back to where it belongs," the group stated. "Cold, grim uncompromising Blashyrkh metal with a true feeling is what we deliver."

IMMORTAL also explained the delay in getting the new music out to the fans, saying: "From 2010 until 2014, IMMORTAL wrote all the songs for the successor to 'All Shall Fall', but when ex- member Abbath left the band in 2014, he changed the lyrics, songtitles and recorded these songs for his so-called 'solo album.' We had to focus on making a new album nearly from scratch, which is the main reason why things have taken this much time. We are now looking forward to record the new album and present it to all those who have shown their loyalty and support.

"IMMORTAL has always been a unique and unstoppable force, and that goes for our fans as well. We will never change our music or attitude."

IMMORTAL's core trio consisting of Abbath, Demonaz and Horgh had been together since 1996 and was responsible for crafting the band's last five albums: "Blizzard Beasts" (1997),"At The Heart Of Winter" (1999),"Damned In Black" (2000),"Sons Of Northern Darkness" (2002) and the 2009 reunion album "All Shall Fall".