Demonaz - March of the Norse

Demonaz
March of the Norse
2011 Nuclear Blast
With the opening track, "Northern Hymn," that set the mood, and then into "All Blackened Sky," I have to admit that for a moment, I believed. I honestly believed that the voice we would hear on this album would be that of Quorthon. Of course, it was Demonaz, but those two tracks have such a "Hammerheart" feeling to them, that this album could almost be seen as a continuation of later Bathory. I would have to disagree with anyone who says that I'm just exaggerating. I'm completely serious. On later songs though, the Bathory-isms go away, and there's much more of a straightforward heavy metal vibe. Definitely not orthodox black metal, but then even Demonaz's former band, Immortal, is no longer a typical black metal sounding band. If what I've heard is true, and that Demonaz still writes for them, then I think he saved some of the better ideas for this semi-solo album, because "March of the Norse" is far, far better than anything that was on Immortal's "comeback" album. Hopefully this is not the last we'll hear from him. And you want to know something? Once I finished listening to this, I put it back on... and damned if I didn't once again believe I'd hear Quorthon!