I - Between Two Worlds

Citing equal amounts of inspiration from Bathory and Kiss, Norwegian supergroup I set out to bridge the chasm separating black metal and rock & roll (i.e., black & roll) -- with their 2006 album, Between Two Worlds. And most listeners are bound to agree that they've succeeded, with memorable songs like "Warriors" and the title cut building upon simple but surprisingly high caliber rock & roll riffs, which are then threaded with evocative, often morose-sounding harmonies. Occasional bursts of double kick-drums launch other tracks like "The Storm I Ride" and the excellent "Cursed We Are" towards thrash territory, but don't expect either of the two genres' stylistic extremities; things like blastbeats or blues licks -- these are exceptions, rather than the rule. Read More