Aeternum: The Journal of Contemporary Gothic Studies Volume 1, Issue 2 © December 2014 40 VITTORIO MARONE The University of Texas at San Antonio A Winterhorde in a Ravenrealm: Immortal’s Lyrics as an Expression of Northeroic Gothic ABSTRACT This article examines the lyrical themes of the first four studio albums (1992-1997) of the Norwegian black metal band Immortal. It aims at understanding how the gothic is expressed and reinterpreted in the context of an “extreme” music genre, such as black metal, by one of its most influential bands. The specificity and uniqueness of Immortal’s lyrics is embodied by the fusion of gothic, Nordic, and heroic themes, which is achieved through haunting descriptions of the imaginary realm of Blashyrkh and the invention of closed compound words (two or more words joined together in a single word) that merge such themes in unitary and liminal figures. This original style, here defined as Northeroic gothic, creates a cohesive emotional landscape that represents Immortal’s personal concept and mythology. This study contributes to the understanding of contemporary gothic from an interdisciplinary perspective that bridges gothic and metal music studies. By analysing the themes and images of Immortal’s lyrics, it explores the unvoiced correspondence between the gothic and black metal in one of its most imaginative expressions.