The fourth full length album by
black metal band
Emperor. Released in 1999 on the candlelight label. Despised by black metal fans on the internet, loved by
metal people you meet down the pub or at gigs.
Recorded at
Akkerhaugen Lydstudio between October '98 - January '99. This is hardly a
pop album, but I think fans of styles of music as diverse as
stoner,
goth,
hard rock,
hair metal,
dub,
trip hop, or
baroque,
classical or
romantic western music should give it a listen. There also seems to be something about this album that appeals to fans of
J.R.R. Tolkien, but I'm lost for any conceivable explanation of this.
Much of the vocals are harsh screaming and the drumming is typical of
norwegian extreme metal, and these are probably the major barriers to accessability for people not accustomed to this, along with what can be seen as a misanthropic vein to the dark
aesthetic the band employs. The production of this recording is really quite spectacular, the
keyboard arrangements in particular are inspired. Listen to it loud, with
headphones. I'm pretty sure that the
lyrics and song titles are just inspired nonsense - I'm sceptical of claims that they're saying anything really profound. I think you can tell that I'm a fan.
Track listing follows:
Curse you all men!
Decrystallizing reason (yes I know it's spelt wrong but that's how it appears}
An elegy of icaros
The source of Icon E
Sworn
Nonus aequilibrium
The warriors of modern death
Of blindness and subsequent seers