Immortal
New Album Title TBC
Nuclear Blast Records
ETA Summer 2009

What they’re saying
Following their reformation for a string of festival appearances throughout 2007 and 2008, Immortal have remained fairly tight-lipped about their forthcoming eighth album. Other than to confirm it is coming out sometime this year, the band have merely hinted at what fans can expect from the influential Norwgeian black metaller. Could mark a return to the faster, thrashier sounds of 1997′s Blizzard Beasts, really be on the cards?

Thrash Hits verdict
It’s been seven years since the last release of new Immortal material, so to say expectations are high is like describing a church-burning spree as jolly Sunday afternoon japes. The famously volatile Immortal line-up has taken its time with their comeback shows in order to rediscover their internal equilibrium, as it’s only now that the band feels ready to hit the studio – recording is scheduled to start in February.

And okay – we’ll admit it – one of the reasons we’re looking forward to it is because it might mean the emergence of some new, even more spectacular promo photos of Immortal: