Emperor "Prometheus - The Discipline Of Fire And Demise" (2001)

I was never too keen on Emperor's fourth and final full length album "Prometheus" but now that Ive given it a proper listen in recent weeks I have certainty grown an appreciation and fondness for it. Its not quite the calamity I remembered it as, in fact its a rock solid album but one where we hear the character of the band stretched further from its initial identity. Its not to surprising that the group split after its release, the bar had been set so high in the past they could easily go through the motions releasing albums, never reaching that same caliber again. "IX Equilibrium" held onto that original direction but maybe at a cost with the second half lacking. This album however makes to attempt to keep that original spirit intact.

"Prometheus" scales back on the immersive qualities associated with the band and transforms into a frontal beast of forward aggression and direct guitar work which makes for a thick and versatile rhythm section. The drums no longer aesthetic as a wall of cascading noise and more so the structured backbone for the guitar work to mingle its way between. Gone is the power chord shredding and simple progressions that defined their first record, the dexterous intertwined guitar work on "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" is at full tilt here with practically every riff revolving around carefully worked overlapping guitars playing of one another. In the low end a lot of chug heavy and grooving picking rhythms define the albums crunchier side. Counter to that most riffs dance their way around the fret board with fast, noted leads and a lot of pinch harmonics, usually left to ring out over the next lick as the twin guitars work off one another in a back and forth manor. its chaotic, fast and wild but in a structured and expressive manor.

Around this aggressive whirl wind of lively guitars, varying degrees of symphonic synths jump in and out of the composition. They sound high fidelity, emulating real instruments rather genuinely. Like with the guitars they become an upfront part of the music, involved in and adding splashes of color and melody between the ever active guitars. Ihsahn's screams are decent, not much to marvel but have a decent tone to them, his clean vocals are particularly illuminating to the songs they grace, occasionally elevating to the King Diamond style seen on the last record.

It all adds up to a solid, memorable record with no particular stand out moments but a consistent adventure through the twists and turns in its fifty one minutes. The last track "Thorns On My Grave" is a step down production wise with awfully over compressed instruments playing at full intensity and continually peaking them mic. Clearly some sort of unnecessary demo track with an unlistenable quality blasting the music beneath into oblivion. A solid farewell from the band.

Favorite Songs: Depraved, Empty

Rating: 7/10

Emperor "IX Equilibrium" (1999)

Third times a charm or so they say but for Emperor the bar had been set unseasonably high by their iconic debut "Into The Nightside Eclipse" and 97s "Anthems..." which transformed the bands sound with remarkable vigor. "IX Equilibrium" stands in the shadow of its former with little evolution and a tamer set of songs in the second half that don't amount to the same level of musical astonishment. Its a step up in production, tighter, crisper but still a menacing wall of sound that pummels away with moments of equal intensity and lightning blast beat tempos faster than ever. The album crashes open with the thunderous and mighty "Curse You All Men", ripe with melodies of empiric glory entangled in agile, enduring guitar shredding while Nordic group shouts call in the distance and the horns of warfare are sounded.

With "Decrystallizing Reason" the symphonies of war and wonder gleam brightly before the song erupts into mayhem with cascading blast beats somehow finding room to intensify the already blistering wall of sound. The song moves through its motions and the returning war horns signify a climax I feel the song was searching for but didn't quite find. "An Elegy Of Icaros" follows, a song which may be one of their finest. I developed a great appreciation for this song learning to play it on guitar and reading all the instruments. Its a fine example of Ihsahn's intricate musicianship, with every instrument playing a different line of notation to form a woven piece of music that shifts through original and interesting riffs to culminate in a beautiful song laden with splices of melody and aggression, climaxing in a splash of color and wonder in the songs break out moment. With a lack of relenting blast beats and calmer tempo I wonder if this is the direction this album should of looked for as it offers far more in the reflection of "Anthems..."

"The Source Of Icon E" returns us to dizzying drums and spiraling aggression that stands apart with a flair of startling high pitched vocals similar to King Diamond. I believe that perhaps the bands cover of "Gypsy" by Merciful Fate comes from the same studio session given this vocal performance appearing on both. The bands other cover of Bathory's "A Fine Day To Die" also has echos on "Warriors Of Modern Death" with its guitar solo being identical in tone and notably similar in composition and delivery. All had been fairly strong to this point but with "Sworn" and the following tracks the record seems to shift gears and the musical complexity is traded in for simpler power chord shedding controlling the progression of these songs. 

"IX" comes close in moments and falls far in others. Some of its arrangements and intricate compositions don't quite hit on the same emotional level. Sometimes its progressions feel more transitional than natural and overall its shortcomings lie in repeating itself. Where it retreads the waters it isn't as remarkable however it is still a dose of extreme music from one of the genres finest bands. It makes for a cracking listen and is a great record in the shadow of greater ones.

Favorite Tracks: Curse You All Men, An Elegy Of Icaros

Rating: 8/10

Emperor "Emperor" (1993)

Its been a long time since I listened to Emperor's fantastic four track debut EP with its iconic record art, once again using Gustave Dore's dark and unholy engravings from the 19th century. These songs are taken from the same studio sessions as "As The Shadows Rise" and somehow feels vastly different. This is probably due to the familiarity of two songs from "In The Nightside Eclipse" and the subduing of the bands more abrasive and demonic vocal style. It is in fact very similar in an analytical sense. The guitars have the same distinct thin and fuzzy distortion, however in its vibe and atmosphere it offers more immersion thanks to the song writing.

The records only weak point might be "Wrath Of The Tyrant" which conjures a minimal atmosphere from the distant underlying synth and occasional wolf howl. Its a touch thin and light on notation with just a couple of bare riffs holding it together. Feels as if there is a missing place for a lead guitar or complimenting section to occupy and between the songs main two phases there is little chemistry or relation. On the other hand "Night Of The Graveless Souls" serves as a exciting fast paced classic which the band would play live at shows through the years. Blitzing blast beats and moshable guitar riffs collide with a catchy melody on the synths that stab there way around the songs key Thrash Metal riff as the song chops and changes hastily through its compositions.

With the other two songs from their debut full length we get a taste of synths still taking hold in the bands chemistry and sound, although practically identical the tone and mixing of the synths strips back the atmosphere to a raw and striking pose that again illuminates the immersive aesthetic of their debut. Very fun and enjoyable EP. Its a shame they didn't record a few more songs in this session!

Favorite Song: Night Of The Graveless Souls

Rating: 5/10

Emperor "As The Shadows Rise" (1994)

For the longest time Emperor have been one of my favorite bands and given my recent revisits to "In The Nightside Eclipse" and "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk", two sublime records, I thought it would be nice to go through their discography again and familiarize myself with some of the obscurer releases like this three track EP. I always thought this record was a bootleg released by "Nocturnal Art" half a year after their debut but recent investigation indicates the recordings are legitimate, from the same studio session in 1992 as their self titled EP released in 1993.

Before the band incorporated symphonic elements they were raw and primitive with power chord led progression and stark, monstrous echoing vocals. It lacked craft but made up for it with a fierce dark aggression that could warrant merit in extreme music given the time. This recording session captures the band in the midst of their transition between two styles. Only on "Lord Of The Storms" do the vocals go for "over the top" theatrics with beastly pitch dropped screams accompanying the normal scream high up in the mix, would of been much better if not mixed so loud, they do however sound menacing and demonic. The regular scream style shows the tone and texture that would be commonplace on their debut, however their is an element of the shrill scream that can be a little ear piercing in its execution.

Mostly on "The Ancient Queen" do we hear the synth lines tone back the rawness with the dingy, fuzzy distortion guitars softening into the wall of sound. The song develops a lot of atmosphere with guitar riffs that steer away from being purely chord driven and with a bright and gothic organ the song propels itself forward with steady blast beats. "Witches Sabbath" goes for a similar atmosphere but feels thin in places with single note guitar leads dropping dark and sparse melodies in without a rhythm guitar. It too makes some great breaks and shifts utilizing changes in synth tone, something we would see a lot of on "Nightside".

Its an interesting listen for a die hard fan, however its a leftover. The best tracks got onto the self titled EP but hearing Emperor in such a transitional state is a curiosity satisfied. It also made me appreciate just how much the production style of their debut did for the music. Many similar traits are present here musically however the subtleties of craft and presentation production can offer is priceless.

Favorite Song: The Ancient Queen

Rating: 4/10

Emperor "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" (1997)

Riding the trail of illuminated stardust we descend from the cosmos into the deep majestic, endless forests of eternal darkness and enchanted beasts on the journey of our mortal souls. If ever the wonders of imagination evoked by natural beauty at night had a home, it is this. An inspired and truly astonishing feet of work that took Emperor's sound established on "In The Nightside Eclipse" to new heights. Epic, if ever truer a definition, its compass and wonder is its nature, one can only marvel in the shadow of music that so elegantly takes the extremities to the cutting edge of vision and composition. Skirmishing drums, razor blade guitars, devilish screams and shadowy symphonies meet on the battlefield to capture us with their imposing presence as we fill mercy to their persuasion.

"Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" is Emporer's second full length and a hard one to follow with considering the widespread acclaim of their debut. With their drummer jailed and a bassist short Ihsahn and Samoth rejoined to write what is undoubtedly a masterful record that plays like a symphony, full of movements, progressions and climaxes. Every moment inspired and visionary the instruments fire on all cylinders as two guitars, drums, bass, vocals and multiple key lines show there prowess and technicality. At almost every point playing a unique lead, melody, tune, whatever you want to call the notation its a complex and genius arrangement of harmonization, uniting the instruments with the sparks of a darkest magic. It breathes and burgeons with a ferocious energy, barely containing its magic. The wall of sound bursting at the seams, every measurable noise ready to burst with light.

The mysterious record cover says a lot for the music. An amalgamation of dark castle spires deep in the forest, Gustave Dore's "Paradise Lost" angels sounding their trumpets for battle and the majestic shades of green, natures color. The fantasy, wonder and depths of the imagination this image might conjure is purely an extension of the musics inclination to that realm of fantasy. One which most likely takes a certain type of person to connect with.

So the record starts with a calming and soothing piece, steadily growing in intensity, always with a dark, mysterious undercurrent. One by one instruments chime and Ihsahn lures us in with ghostly whispers. They grow into shouts and bring us to an empiric horn section as if the dawn of battle has begun and in a swift track switch we are plunged in to the whirlwind of chaos and rattling blast beats and the almighty guitar riffage hits us with this full intensity. From here the pandemonium unravels itself with a frenzy of blazing fast paced guitars and rich symphonic bliss as this track and many others worm there way through the dark and black while lavishing us in melodic wonder through it thick sound. Its swiftness is intoxicating, a momentous weight of motion is unleashed as soaring riffs revel in their moment. Almost every song has its calm in the storm, a break to let the guitars and listener breath while the keys can drop in to take charge of a moment, replacing the aggression with awe.

The albums production clearly plays an important role in why this record works. Stepping away from the low-fidelity principles of their debut, Emperor exploit clarity to execute a denser complexity. The synths no longer an atmospheric accompaniment but a full partner in the musics direction. Within the expanded dimension Emperor cram all their musical might and it is pummeled together with a monstrously noisy drum kit which I think conjures a low-fi charm. I once thought the drums were poorly mixed, the pedals slap at high speeds and the ride cymbal cuts through the instruments. Over time I released the frantic energy the drums exude gives many of the albums moments its intensity.

The eight tracks make their mark, all of them offering a unique, captivating experience that peers deeper into the wonder. For the average listener a whirl of noise, for the seasoned Metal fan the atmosphere is as vivid and indulgent as it gets. Every time I revisit this record I find my catharsis again. It is so powerful and riveting it gives me goosebumps and refuels my energy for extreme music. Emperor undoubtedly solidified there status as Black Metal's greatest with this one but I think it is truly underappreciated in comparison. This is probably my second favorite record to grace my ears so far.

Favorite Songs: Ensorcelled By Khaos, The Loss And Curse Of Reverence, The Acclamation Of Bonds, With Strength I Burn

Rating: 10/10

Emperor "In The Nightside Eclipse" (1994)

As a young teen I found myself drawn like a magnet to the Norwegian Black Metal scene of the early 90s. Not long after finding my way to Metallica and Metal music I was scouring the Internet with a thirst for more. I'm not exactly sure where it started, but quickly I was ordering obscure import records from Norway, utilizing the Internet at a time when online shopping was in its infancy. Having heard very little of this music I was sucked in by the mystic, pagan artwork and before long I was picking up records from bands like Mayhem, Darkthrone and Burzum etc.. At first I barely knew what to think of this dark and overwhelming music. It was loud, a noisy claustrophobic dive into a dark and mysterious world. Somehow I knew it was the music for me, and as time went by I got deeper and deeper into this dark and wondrous music. Emperor's "In The Nightside Eclipse" was one that at the time that "broke the ice" and was the first record I really understood. Almost 15 years later I still can't get enough of this masterpiece. Last year had the privilege of seeing it played live in its entirety, something Ill never let go.

Nightside was released when the scene was in its infancy, more specifically right at the beginning of controversy and intense media scrutiny surrounding the scene as a result of the church burnings, murder and satanic rituals that had become linked to the music scene at the time. Black Metal's original concept revolved around "anti-music", the idea to intentionally make inaudible, low fidelity, harsh music that was everso rebellious in nature. Taking on a stark image through corpse paint and satanic symbols, the scene quickly attracted extremism that would result in the aforementioned controversies. Nightside is where things changed. Emperor took the aesthetics and dark sound of Black Metal, and used it to write deep and intelligent music while fusing a symphonic element into their sound, a move that at the time would of seemed "experimental" but would inspire a generation of bands to come.

A whirling storm of evil and descending eerie synths march to a thunderous noise as the record plunges us "Into The Infinity Of Thoughts", a title fit to set the tone of the vivid ride through your imagination this album will set you on. Blitzing blast beats and hazy, tin guitars tremolo pick a furious melody. Ishan's snarly, raspy screams crash into the fold with the symphonic keys, revealing their glory immediately. The vocal like choir synth expands the record into a new dimension, brining an enormity and epic feel that quickly and almost subtly shifts into one of many beautiful moments on this record. The key shifts up and the dark sound reveals hidden beauty, descending strings amplify the underlying majesty of the music and we get our first taste of what makes this experience a transcending one. Diving further into the track, it breaks from the relentless onslaught and between thunder strikes and cavernous winds the choirs calm like the quiet before the storm and then plunge us into symphonic, melodic bliss with a stunning imagery of limitless magic.

The rest of this album marches forward triumphantly through seven more tracks that further explore the principle and theme so well expressed on the opening track. Without repeating themselves, Emperor dive into the majestic eternal world and steer us through the mysterious ancient. The vivid imagery is painted through timeless riffs and choirs that make every song a sheer joy to indulge in. As the album draws close to its end the infamous "I Am The Black Wizards" plays out some of the most memorable riffs, leading the song into an epic climax as endless synths ooze their glorious absorbing sound over the bass and guitars. The song then plays into what could almost be described as a "breakdown" riff before ringing out a timeless melodic lead as the song sorrowfully concludes with Scandinavian clean vocals and snarling screams.

From a technical standpoint, this record sounds claustrophobic and messy, but more so than ever does it play into the charm of the record. The extremity of the musical delivery, the noisy shell it resides in further amplifies the distance from reality this record exists in. The dense guitar chords and thin tremolo leads are bombarded by nauseous drumming, the synths bleed their way through the wall of sound and this is where the magic happens. The keys come from a far and are absorbed into the fold, leaving a tonal wonder instead of clarity that compliments the mystic themes perfectly. Plenty of technical errors and noises can be heard, but they don't detract anything from this record as the tonal sound the mixing style achieves just amplifies the immersion and wonder. Its a strange thing to describe, as it captures the magic through what could be perceived as inferior, but thats the way it works. "In The Nightside Eclipse" is one of my all time favorite records, one that has never failed to excite and invigorate me. A timeless record I can listen to endlessly.

Rating: 10/10