Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Gorgoroth Live Grieghallen Company: Regain Records Release: 2008 Reviewer: Devil Dave Genre: Black

Rating 2.5

Does not make you feel like you are part of a Gorgoroth show

Gorgoroth's "True Norwegian Black Metal Live in Greighallen", is a "live" recording of the bands greatest hits. That's what it claims on the band's official website anyway. Guitarist Infernus plays guitars and bass. I'd like to see that happen live. There is no crowd interaction, almost like there is no crowd at all at this "live" show. The drums are played by a session player, and additional guitars are played by a session player also. Gaahl provides the vocals, but I suspect this is a live in the studio re-recording of some of their better songs. Then after they recorded live in the studio, they went back and overdubbed either Infernus on bass or on guitar. The quality of the recording is actually pretty good for a Gorogoroth album, but it does not stand up to most professional recorded albums in this era. There is no doubt that this is a black metal record in the veign of early Mayhem, Darkthrone, but I feel the genre has grown up in recent years with bands not afraid to experiment...not Gorgoroth, they have kept it "true". While in a way you can admire their strict adherence to what they believe black metal truly is it is discouraging to hear a band not evolve at all since their first album. This is a collection of some of the best songs spanning their entire career. They sound like they could all have come off of the same album which goes to show they have basically made a career out of playing the same album over and over again. While I do occasionally like to listen to Gorgoroth, I like them in small doses. This album is perfect for that. There are 8 tracks on this album and they all feel like they are one continuos song. If you are in the mood for some good old school black metal, but can't take a lot of monotonous blast beat drumming, downstrumming guitar, and shreiking vocals, this is a pretty good choice.

This album, does not make you feel like you are part of a Gorgoroth show. I know most live records are full of overdubs, I don't expect anything different, just don't insult my intelligence and label your studio record as a live record. Now most of the metal audience out there will be bored with this record by the second or third song (if you make it that far). Not discounting the talent of the musicians involved in this record, it is very well played and each instrument is clear in the mix. Gaahl's vocals are spot on perfect for this kind of black metal--very raw and very menacing.

This record just sits in the middle--very average. Nothing new but nothing bad. If you have always been curious about Gorgoroth, but have never given them a listen, it wouldn't hurt to check this record out. If you are a hardcore fan of the band or the genre you could do a lot worse. But if you are the average metal listener and black metal is just not your thing, well this record won't win you over.