Though Abbath have been active for less than a decade, the man behind the moniker has been one of the most prominent frontmen in black metal for over 30 years. A founding member, bassist, guitarist and lead vocalist of Immortal, Olve Eikemo (stage name Abbath Doom Occulta) and fellow Immortal founder Herald Nævdal (Demonaz Doom Occulta) were among the most accomplished musicians of second wave Norwegian black metal, spearheading the movement alongside acts such as Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone and Emperor throughout the early 1990s. Immortal’s first three releases (for which Abbath also recorded drums) are perhaps the best the genre has to offer; cold, dark, ominous melodies consumed by aggressively galloping riffs; each, drowned by the instantly recognisable, irreplaceably dissonant, unhinged rasping shrieks and growls for which Abbath gained
his loyal following. Later releases (such as the band’s first music videos) then solidified Abbath as a figurehead of his genre. He was unlike his contemporaries; he was fun, light-hearted, and for those
of us who delighted at spending countless hours watching his manic interviews, it was clear he didn’t take himself too seriously. It’s not often the case that a single individual is revered as the heart and soul of a band, but for many fans of Immortal; Abbath was just that. For us, the band hasn’t been the same without him, and so The Return of The Raven Realms tour would be more than just an Immortal covers set, it would be Immortal!
I arrived to the venue just under half an hour before Abbath took the stage, accompanied by friends with whom I had last seen him perform with Immortal 11 years previously at Hellfest 2013. We reminisced and bathed in the nostalgia of his previous performance for the minutes leading up to the bands entrance; expectations were high!
Sacrilegia photos & set-list:
Set-list:
The Squirming Hyperion
Relics of Oncoming Doom
Sarx And Blood
Bloodstained
The Squirming Hyperion
Beyond the Fouler’s Snare
Cimmerian Dawn
The Crawling photos & set-list:
Set-list:
March of the Worm
Thy Nazarene
Bound to the Negative
Wolves and the Hideous White
A dark stage engulphed in smoke signalled the beginning was near. The crowd was quiet, slowly edging closer, expectantly, as the mist overspilled the stage. The fog was thick, obscuring all but Ukri’s drum-kit that stood like a throne awaiting its audience, its cymbals reflecting the dim, distant lights which peered from the door backstage. Suddenly, the warmth of crimson stage lights beckoned all in attendance to draw forward, illuminating the mist as Abbath’s iconic corpse-paint framed maw emerged from the darkness. The band took their marks in silence, first addressing their audience as The Call of the Wintermoon tore through the venue like a call to war. We had arrived in the icy realm of Blashyrkh!
From here, fans were treated to a fantastic set which continued to celebrate every one of Immortal’s Abbath era albums. Nebular Ravens Winter, The Sun No Longer Rises, Damned in Black and All Shall Fall were each received with just as much warmth and veneration as crowd favourites Sons of Northern Darkness and At the Heart of Winter. Abbath was in his element as he helmed the stage; a commander of an army that surrendered to his every whim. He cast silence over the audience with a single gesture in one moment before leading them into a violent, frenzied mosh-pit with the next. He was in complete control of the room, stopping Tyrants in its interlude to engage the crowd and lead his fans in a triumphant chant through the buildup to the songs powerful, final verse. It was everything I as a fan had hoped for!
As the set drew to a close, Abbath donned a horned helm with a long black mane; standing before us, his subjects, as though anointing himself a king. His personification of this demonic character was fiercely imposing yet playfully amusing; particularly when crab-walks and manic twitching delivered a level of pantomime that fans have come to expect from the frontman.
The gig was a blast! From start to finish, every second of the show was perfect; exceeding expectations and leaving fans desperately wanting more. The only criticism; One by One never made the set, the show ended too soon, it simply wasn’t long enough for us! Not a bad problem to have by any account, I’ll simply have to see Abbath again!
Abbath photos & set-list:
Set-list:
The Call of the Wintermoon
Sons of Northern Darkness
Norden on Fire
Nebular Ravens Winter
In My Kingdom Cold
Tyrants
Damned in Black
The Sun No Longer Rises
At The Heart of Winter
All Shall Fall
Withstand the Fall of Time
Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)
Reviewer – Joe Moran @iosaf_o_explosiff
Photos – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic