GORGOROTH doesn’t fuck around. When lead singer Gaahl was ordered to stay put pending trial for assault and battery, he went ahead and performed at 2001’s Milwaukee Metal Fest rather than disappoint the fans. When the band suffered even more line-up changes (including losing long-time member Tormentor and yet another drummer) that would have crippled a lesser act, in addition to Gaahl’s incarceration, the band simply soldiered on. They instead poured their problems and frustrations into the creation Twilight of the Idols. Unlike 90% of their peers who feel the need to create an atmosphere with either a creepy intro or arrogant, overly dramatic one, GORGOROTH wastes no time with opening track “Procreating Satan,” immediately blasting away, full-speed ahead without a care in the world. Twilight of the Idols also offers the band’s sharpest, clearest production to date. While that may upset longtime fans that were expecting Pentagram or Antichrist Part 2, GORGOROTH simply refuses to bow down to any trends or demands, including those of the fans. But despite an overall cleaner sound, there’s still not enough studio polish to take the grimness and sinister vibe created by such songs as “Exit Through Carved Stones” or “Teethgrinding.” On the other hand, “Force of Satan’s Storms” immediately brings things up to speed with blasting intensity, which continues throughout the album’s remaining two songs. Even though I could take or leave the band’s bizarre, almost Castlevania-influenced/Nintendo-styled outro, Twilight of the Idols stills stands as yet another triumph from one of the leaders of true Norwegian black metal. (Nuclear Blast)