Battles in the North
Battles in the North is the third studio album by Norwegian black metal band Immortal. It was released on 15 May 1995 through Osmose Productions. It picks up where its predecessor, Pure Holocaust, left off, featuring extreme tempos, lo-fi production and lyrics about coldness and wintery landscapes. This is the first album where the concept of Blashyrkh becomes a central focus; this would continue throughout all of Immortal's subsequent albums. The last album to feature Abbath on drums.
Background
The songs "Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons" and "Circling Above in Time Before Time" reference The Underdark, a setting from Dungeons and Dragons.
A music video for "Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms" was released, featuring Hellhammer on drums.
Release
The album was issued in multiple formats, including the standard CD, a limited edition digipak, a limited edition digipak with embossed band logo and album title, cassette tape, a jewel case with slip cover, fold-out poster and bonus tracks taken from the Immortal EP (limited to 3000 copies), and a limited edition LP released under Osmose Productions (later reissued in 2005). The artwork on the limited slip cover is an original oil painting done by Jeroen van Valkenburg.
Podcasts:
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by Immortal
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by I'mmortal (Immortal)
Battles In The North
by: ImmortalCome forth demonized
Under the banner of
Blashyrkh we ride
In the battlesky
We lie estranged
Kings of the ravenrealm
We trample bejeweled
Thrones of the earth
In an age underdreamed of
Viewing myriad battles
Yet our eyes sparkling
Strident with strength
To trample bejeweled
Thrones of the earth
In an age underdreamed of
The ones to sit upon
The elder thrones
With shadowed faces
For the coming centuries
Riding towards the masterfields
A ride from the north
To the north
By our sacred raven
We are one
In the deadwhite moonlight
far above we reign mercilessly
Kings of the ravenrealm
Stronger than ice
Stronger than stone
A horde of heathenhearts to come
Battle... Battles in the north
Those who adhere to principle
Above battlelust
Sing your songs with dying breath
For the kings of the ravenrealm
For the kings of the ravenrealm