Customer Reviews

Pure Holocaust

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Immortal's sophomore full-length release 'Pure Holocaust' is considered to be the defining moment of the band. And not without good reason. The record sheds the atmospheric interludes still present on the previous record and goes out to battle with a dark and relentless call to arms. The Death Metal influence now shed, we are treated to a barrage of wicked blast beats by the band's new skin beater Erik (of later Borknagar fame) who sadly committed suicide a few years back. The slow structured riffs are replaced by the haunting, angry wails of the guitars. The classic Immortal sound is born...
This album is supremely cold and dark yet manages to avoid the often cartoonesque satanic imagery employed by bands like Dark Funeral. It makes you want to stand up and fight and unleash hell on everyone and everything in your path. An absolute highlight to me is the second track: 'A Sign For The Norse Hordes To Ride'. The hypnotic guitar theme combined with Abbath's relentless call to arms manages to spike to your imagination and produce images of fierce warriors battling for supremacy on the cold wintry plains. The interesting thing about this record is that it manages to achieve all this with relatively simple tools and relies purely on the skilled delivery of the band members and their permeating earnestness instead of supposedly 'evil' interludes and atmospheric keyboards. For this fact alone 'Pure Holocaust' stands on lonely heights alongside albums such as 'De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas' or 'Transilvanian Hunger'.

Yet again the production is great. It manages to avoid the poor garage quality of some Black Metal records without sounding overproduced. I believe that raw, garage production has its place but I am convinced that this record benefits greatly from the added clarity and edge and in doing so manages to sound colder than it would have otherwise.

If I can name one possible gripe that I have with this record it would be the fact that I wish the band let someone look over their lyrics before recording the album. Occasionally it comes across as if though they seem to enjoy using complex sentence structures and words without proper command of the language. On the other hand this gives the record a bit of added charm and is not really a major negative. To me this is THE Immortal record (although many would disagree and bestow that honor on 'Battles In The North').

This record will make the coffee freeze in your cup and make you wish you didn't throw away that wool sweater your mother gave you last Christmas. Any fan of cold and raw Black Metal really should have at the very least heard this record.

10/10

Pure Holocaust picks up where Diabolical Full Moon Mysticism leaves off and turns it up a couple notches. This CD absolutely grips you and refuses to let go. From the opening chords of "Unsilent Storms in the North Abyss" to the closing notes of the eponymous song "Pure Holocaust" you know something special is happening. This is definitely my favorite of the "old Immortal" CD's. (I consider At the Heart of Winter and beyond "new Immortal" as the songs are better produced and much more technical. At heart (haha...) I am usually more inclined to enjoy a better produced CD over "raw" material, but I make an exception here. This CD is just absolutely amazing. It's unfortunate that it is rarely found in stores, as this is a CD any metal fan, black in particular, should listen to. When I found my copy at a local underground metal store, I was ecstatic.

The guitar is cleaner, the drums (handled by Abbath on this record, in addition to bass and vocals) are more discernable and the general sound has improved from their last effort. The songs remain simple yet majestic, pulling you into their world and allowing you to feel their emotions. The raw, unhidden emotion of these songs forces you to put your overt self on hold and just indulge in the life of a Norseman in "Blashyrkh," the imaginary world constructed by Immortal full of Blizzard Beasts and vast sweeping snowstorms.

The appeal of this CD, as well as all other Immortal CD's, is that they don't follow the clichéd model of black metals "war against Christianity." I am fine with people having their own beliefs, but a certain amount of respect should be given to people who do not share the same beliefs as you. I myself am "undecided" and am neither pro or con religion, but I still show respect to those who truly believe. Quoted by Abbath in a more recent interview, he states "We don't believe in god. We have our own beliefs, but we still respect the beliefs of others." This adds yet another dimension to this phenomenal band, as it can play black and death metal without conveying a feeling of "F*ck Christ! Burn the churches! Kill all those Christian c*nts!" which is shared by many metal bands, black and otherwise.

In short, this album is absolutely necessary for a fan of the black metal genre. Many people consider this Immortal's best work, and they would definitely have an argument. Hell, many people consider this one of the most epic black metal CD's ever created. Buy it, download it, steal it from your scary Satan worshipping neighbor; whatever you do, get this CD.

Pure Holocaust is a quantum leap improvement over Diabolical Full Moon Mysticism (Immortal's previous album). Mainly, its a function of better production skills and engineering that sharpens up the recordings. Pure Holocaust sounds raw and brutal as a result.

Most inexperienced metal bands forget that high-volume live performances are severely reduced on LP's or CD's, where the typical playback system can't reproduce anything approaching live-music volume. The results are a thin-buzz guitars, hollow-thud drumming, and a loose muddy bass sound. Here, ther is better separation of guitar, bass, vocals and drums than on prior recordings, making 'Pure Holocaust' sound less like amplified distortion and more like music.

While this album doesn't have the garage-demo quality that marred most 1990's Black & Death metal, it still failed to capture the intensity and power of Immortal's live preformances. NOTE: The LP version of 'Pure Holocaust' has much better ambient playback sound than does the CD. The CD mix is too tinny and thin--especially the guitar parts. That's why I give it 4 stars instead of 5.

There are 3 people on the cover, but the actual drumming on this LP was done by 'Abbath' (Immortal's bassist/vocalist). Drummer Matt Grim was hired ust in time for the cover-photo-sessions it seems. The guitars were played --as always-- by Demonaz.

This is BLACK METAL (explicitly anti-religious, and self-glorifying) in full fury and intensity. Unlike DEATH METAL, which focuses on how life is hopeless and the world is against you), this starts with a premise of 'f*ck all that: I'm making my own rules here...'. Unlike the posers, who lapse into 'burn the churches', 'kill a priest', 'F*ck jesus', 'I hate Christians', and other cliches, this is an assertion of Nordic pride: A Satanic proclamation that Chrisitanity is the despicable religion of Roman slaves; unfit for real men and people of honor.

The music:
"Unsilent Storms in the North Abyss" (first song) is a black metal assault: furious, angry, and full of foreboding. And most songs here maintain or extend that mood. But there are occasional extras: the keyboard opening for "As the Eternity Opens", for example. There are plenty of pounding drum rhythms (not just beat-and-bang like a RAP album has), and furious bass riffs that accompany. The closer, "Pure Holocaust" would make a great soundtrack ending for an earth-is-being-destroyed movie. Occasional ambient touches hint at later experimentation (mainly on 'Battles in The North' -- IMMORTAL's next album). They also hold attantion on 'Pure Holocaust', long enough to make you want to hear all of the songs. That has become a big problem for most black-metal and death-metal bands: sales are negligible because the music is not interesting, and 'it all sounds the same'. "The Sun No Longer Rises" uses the long arctic nights as a metaphor for the destruction of (a superior) Nordic culture by (an inferior) Christian culture.

The title cut extends on a theme that became associated with eugenics and racism, but which is a core concept in black metal and Satanism: that right triumphs over wrong when superior people decide to displace and obliterate their inferiors -- especially if those people are in positions of authority. This proved problematic, since 'The Holocaust' is associated with Nazism, and many people wrongly assumed that IMMORTAL was praising Nazi Germany. Fact: IMMORTAL never was in any way associated with neo-Nazi groups.

In what proved to be a marketing disaster, the band's stage-makeup appeared a lot like that of KISS, and American efforts to promote the band portrayed them as "Norway's KISS". KISS is a party-rock band, and the marketing went completely awry--totally off target-- and failed completely. IMMORTAL thus became a casualty of the brainless record company A&R staffs, dimwitted radio Program Directors, and know-nothing tour management companies.

While 'Pure Holocaust' is not explicity built around the fictional land of 'Blashyrkh' (Mighty Raven Dark) it does hint at that theme (which dominated 'Battles in The North). The themes in Pure Holocaust have been echoed recently by KREATOR, on their 'Violent Revolution' and 'Enemy of God' albums. But unlike Immortal, KREATOR seems content to stick with the empty sloganeering common to demonologists, rather than engage in overt expressions of Satanic ideas.

Many fans consider 'Pure Holocaust' to be the best Black Metal since Venom. Immortal's approach and sound are very different from those of the early black metal bands: here, Satanic ideas are directed toward explicity earth-bound applications. Well worth picking up, new or used. Personally, I recommend the LP's for better playback sound, if you have a good turntable, a "Hi-Fi" stereo, and great speakers.

Before i review this album i just want to clear something up. Ive read a couple of reviews on here where the reviewer has said that this is a classic because this was the last album Erik played drums on Immortal albums as well as eharing that since Erik is dead that this is also a must to to have as well.
Well just to let you know, Erik didnt even drum on this album and never drummed on any Immortal albums. Erik came into the band after the 'pure holocaust' album was recorded. The only reason he is on the cover of this album is because he arrived just in time for the cover shot too be taken. After that he only dummed for Immortal in 2 live shows then was dumped.
I think for anyone to say this is a classic because of Erik should take a deeper look into why this album is a classic. This album put Immortal forward as one of the greatest black metal bands ever. Now that they have split up, this album has the right to be called a classic. Not because of Erik, because of the music on the album and the fact this great band has ended. So for all you people who think your Immortal fans, get into a bit more of their history before you start calling albums classics because they had a a guy in the band who made no contribution to the band besides he's 2 live appearances.
Getting off the Erik topic now. This album is a masterpiece, this album made Immortal one of the greatest black metal bands ever. The production is cruddy like the way True Norwegian Black Metal production is supposed to be, although i prefer the cleaner production, i just feel black metal sounds more brutal that way, but i can still stand the early stuff.
Every song stands out on this, the best songs are 'a sign for the norse hordes to ride', 'the sun no loger rises', 'frozen by icewinds' and 'storming through red clouds and holocaustwinds'
this is a must for any Immortal or black metal fan who doesnt have this!

I happen to really like this CD, but it has taken me a lot of time to get to this point.

I first heard Immortal's music on 'Blizzard Beasts' and 'At the Heart of Winter'. In my opinion, someone who is unfamiliar with Immortal would be better off starting out there or with 'Sons of Northern Darkness' than right here.

However, 'Pure Holocaust' is a really good album in its own right. When I saw Immortal at Wacken 2002 and they played 'Unsilent Storms in the North Abyss' I figured I had better get this album and listen to it. As far as old school black metal goes, this is a fine example of what it should be. I particularly enjoy riding in my truck, listening to this album on tape out of my one speaker. Especially in the middle of the night when it's freezing outside.

Bottom line, if you want a place to start listening to Immortal, try 'Blizzard Beasts' or 'At the Heart of Winter'. If you already have a good ear for black metal and somehow don't have this album, pick it up. You won't be disappointed either way. I'm not!

I HATE to be a black metal elitist (ok, it IS fun) but I must say that if you do not have this album you cannot even pretend to call yourself a black metal fan. Those in the know are well aware that this CD is in the mighty pantheon of greatest Northern black metal albums ever and yes that means the company of early Darkhrone and Mayhem. I have been listening to black metal for almost nine years at the time of this writing and I can still say that if this came out today people would hail it as remarkably innovative, awe-inspiring, and most of all, evil.

If you won't just take my word for it, let me elaborate. Immortal clearly made this and their debut when they were genuinely evil, when they were true misanthropic servants of darkness and hate. But while the debut was pretty much a Bathory clone with a twist, this second offering was original, proficient, and outstandingly beautiful. They've released some wonderful material (not all of it black metal) since then, but this is hands down their best. The sound is cold and grim, treble-oriented with a clearly black metal tonality. But it is still crunching and heavy in a way that reminds us of that very brief moment in time when it was very easy to claim that ALL black metal was HEAVIER than ALL death metal. Think KULDE!

Song structues are excellent, tremendous in what at times can only be called a frenzied stasis. The album is very technically proficient, timing is prefect, not the sloppy route found in Darkthrone. However, like early Abigor, Immortal could pull off such a feat while still retaining all the rawness, ugliness, and black truth so important to early nineties black metal. The drums are of course almost always hyper blast beats; when they do slow down, however, they know how to do it perfectly. Vocals are GRIM, lifeless. Lyrics are some of their best ever; they truly meant it this time. And I should add that in "As the Eternity Opens" they use keyboard for less than 10 seconds, the only time they use them on the album, and they are PERFECT, as if to say: we could do it if we want to better than anyone.

This technical description can only do so much, and I must turn to metaphor and effusive emotionalism to drive my main point home. Now, Sauron was defeated just before the onset of winter. Imagine if he had won. Imagine Mordor, not just the conquered Middle Earth, but MORDOR in the middle of winter, of utter snow-covered WINTER. THAT is the mood of Pure Holocaust. It is one of those albums you can listen to in the middle of a blizzard with just a T-shirt. It is so beautiful, so moving, but in a way that has nothing to do with the light, or anything life-inspiring or of goodness. It is pure evil. It is one of the greatest black metal albums, one of the greatest pieces of music, ever recorded.

As you can see, I cannot recommend this album enough. I've been listening to metal for a long time and I only say this to persuade you to buy this album. It is beyond essential. It is quintessential. You truly deprive yourself of grim bliss if you do not have this CD. And its absence from your collection is clearly indicative of something.......

Where to begin?This album is unmatched in black metal,period.There isn't a second of filler on here either.Pure black metal bliss.The lyrics evoke visions of war and ice in a faraway land,and though Demonaz's lyrics could arguably use a touch up or two,IMO this adds to the appeal of Immortal.The guitars have a sound I can only decribe as ghostly,and the atmosphere Pure Holocaust presents is like no other.The drums at first seem buried in the mix,but I think it works because in some songs such as "Frozen By Icewinds",these amazing drum fills just pop up out of nowhere,and it sounds excellent.The music itself can easily be compared to classical music,only with amazing black metal guitar,blazing black metal drumming,and possessed vocals instead of violins,harps etc.Any of the classic composers would have been proud to have created this dark symphony,and as it stands it is Immortal's second best album,barely beaten by the follow up album "Battles In The North".Immortal are simply unmatched in the realm of black metal,and though many bands have ripped their style off,nothing can beat the masters.Hail Immortal!!!!!

Pure Holocaust is straight up no nonsense trve kvlt black metal. People looking for ethereal synths and choir effects should stay far, far, far away from this... Pure Holocaust is a razor blade to the flesh.

This music sounds like a storm of pure hatred.

Improving vastly in several departments from their debut EP, Immortal silenced almost everyone in the Norwegian scene with this album. To me, Immortal represented the highest rank of what was happening in Norway at the time. They were probably the ONLY band besides Satyricon who didn't involve themselves with the activities of graveyard defiling or church-burning, but instead focused on making music.

Fortunately for us, it paid off. "Pure Holocaust" is a bold, lethal, concentrated shot of pure, speed-freak black metal. And unlike most bands, there's talent to boot here, especially in the drumwork. Demonaz's songwriting talent is still to be rivalled by early Norwegian bands, and the lyrics are pure statements of contempt for Christianity; not in a "Satanic" way, but in a pure Nordic pride manner. The somewhat distant-sounding production adds so much ambience and atmosphere to the recording. The cryptic lyrics, as well as occasional ambient touchings, veil the album with a sense of unsettling mystery. Even down to the straight-forward layout, pictures, and packaging, you have a hint of what to expect, but never totally sure of what's coming. And then the classic opening track, "Unsilent Storms in the North Abyss," hits you like a boulder with cold, razor-sharp guitars, relentless drumwork, and Abbath's chilling croak echoing out of your speakers.

There's no need to explain the historical and musical signifigance of this album. If you listen to Dark Funeral, Marduk, Keep of Kalessin, or any other modern black metal band, you can hear the influence. This album is literally like a blizzard, as it was probably intended to be. From start to finish, "Pure Holocaust" will pummel you to a pulp, only to leave you out in the deadly cold of Blashyrk.

Blistering strumming speed and harmonizing streams of power chords shape this music around fast, unchanging drumming and howling vocals. Its melodies are pure romanticism, the stability of abstraction in changing tapestries of current affinities, and these are what make each song stand out from each other, despite being very similar in style.

While this album explores more emotional territory than most things made this violent, its emotions are constructed carefully to fit within the mythos of the wandering, dissatisfied, and isolated soul. The demonscreams of Abbath are beyond comparison, and belt out lyrics which espouse Romantic themes of alienation, creativity and worship of the ancient.

Although this release splits its audience between the "fast, faster" and "melodic...sentimental" camps of metalheads, its end result is an emotionally vivid but rigidly and proudly METAL offering.