There are certain bands that are grand masters of "the riff.” Black Sabbath automatically comes to mind and I would also include Celtic Frost in that select group. Right now, the best riff masters are arguably the Norwegian ice demons Immortal, back in action after a 3-year layoff. This band has the uncanny ability to paint towering images with sound alone. I would immediately refer the reader to their classic albums At the Heart of Winter and Sons of Northern Darkness for proof.

The clumsily titled I (boy, am "I" going to have trouble with that!) picks up the Immortal tradition and adds a little something new to it. What an impressive line-up this group boasts. The guiding force is surely Immortal's main man Abbath, the wizard behind most of Immortal's best material. Former Immortal drummer Armagedda returns to the fold and delivers a thunderous attack here. Second guitarist Ice Dale is none other than Arve Isdal of renowned Norwegian band Enslaved and the bassist T.C. King is better known as King Ov Hell from Gorgoroth. It would be impossible to put together a better Norwegian metal band than this.

Between Two Worlds lives up to the promise of the line-up. It's chock full of those immensely majestic power riffs that Immortal specialized in and indeed, the disc could have passed for a new Immortal offering. But to this solid base, the band adds a more "rock and roll" and less "black metal" feeling. Ice Dale's solos are far more bluesy and organic than anything Immortal did. The music amazingly conjures up images of ancient warriors and vast landscapes yet it retains a more relaxed, less "frozen" character than Immortal. This is where I succeeds in reaching a new audience. If you were ever hesitant to check out Immortal because of their "black metal" connections, Between Two Worlds is the perfect place to see what true architects of "the riff" can do. This is one of 2006's very best efforts.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2006 Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.