At The Heart Of Winter  by Immortal

At The Heart Of Winter was released in 1999 and is considered one of the top masterpieces of Norwegian black metal, marking a significant shift in the genre's sound. The album belongs to Immortal, one of Norway's most iconic bands. It was the first release where founder Demonaz did not play guitar due to severe tendonitis, taking on the lyrics exclusively. Abbath took on all instruments (guitar, bass, keyboards) except the drums, which were played by Horgh.

The album was recorded at Abyss Studios in Sweden in November 1998. The album departed from traditional, fast black metal, incorporating strong elements of thrash metal and epic, melodic structures. At The Heart Of Winter moved away from traditional, fast black metal, integrating intense thrash metal elements and epic, melodic structures. It is Immortal's first album not to depict the band members on the cover. Instead, it features a painting by Jean-Pascal Fournier, depicting a frozen landscape and a castle, representing the mythical realm of Blashyrkh. The band's new and more legible logo was also presented for the first time.

At The Heart Of Winter is a milestone album for black metal, but also for the metal music scene in general.