By Jason Wellwood
One of the things I like the most about Immortal is the fact that they don’t put on airs. You’re not going to hear them talk about burning churches only to see them dropping their kids off at Catholic school while wearing a lime green Nike track suit. Immortal come out to play some heavy, ugly, black metal and that’s all they are here for. In the world of tr00 and kvlt bands, Immortal don’t have to try and live up to any false expectations, which probably makes them the most real band in the genre. Having an Immortal at Wacken DVD is a real treat for me because I know that I’m going to get a concert that actually looks and sounds like a live show. No ridiculously quick cuts or overly obvious tricks, no overdubs, nothing. The stuff that comes out of Wacken Open Air is consistently awesome and this is definitely no exception. The show is shot beautifully, the editing done flawlessly without making your head spin, and the band plays a solid set. Now, this being said I have to admit that I did laugh a lot at the band while watching the DVD. I’m not familiar enough with Abbath to know whether he’s a huge Gene Simmons fan or not but…the leg kicks, the tongue, the playing stance, hell he even breathes fire at one point! Abbath is the black metal, guitar slinging version of Gene’s Demon character from Kiss. Maybe that’s why they don’t bother putting on airs? Who knows?
The only really disappointing thing about this DVD is that what you see is what you get. It’s a live concert, no extra footage, no hidden menu features, no extra songs not on the CD or vice versa. Not that this is a huge deal either, you don’t need any more that what you get, but I think it’s expected that people cram a bunch of crap into a DVD that some folks will watch, and some won’t. Not Immortal. They just cram the metal down your throat, yell some expletives, and leave you reaching for the play button again.
(Nuclear Blast)
Rating: 8
