# Emperor (Black Metal): MEGATHREAD



## RagtimeDandy (Mar 23, 2013)

How these guys don't have a megathread is mind boggling. I always heard Marc Holcomb talking about these guys so I decided to check them out.... Absolutely genius black metal. I really didn't like black metal at all till I heard these guys.


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## xethicx (Mar 23, 2013)

Love me some Emperor but I dont think there's going to be enough support for a megathread in here. Who knows though. 

Truly innovators in the genre though.


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## maliciousteve (Mar 23, 2013)

I got to see them on their farewell tour. They were as intense and tight as I was hoping. One of the best shows I've been too.

Also I fucking love me some Emperor. Very underated band.


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## Viginez (Mar 23, 2013)

anthems is a piece of art


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## JEngelking (Mar 23, 2013)

I've listened to Ihsahn's After, and been wanting to listen to Emperor for a while now, that song was really good too. For anyone who's more Emperor-educated, what album(s) would be a good starting point?


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## Seventary (Mar 23, 2013)

Emperor rules!! Or ruled.  There will be no more new albums according to Ihsahn.


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## GRUNTKOR (Mar 23, 2013)

JEngelking said:


> I've listened to Ihsahn's After, and been wanting to listen to Emperor for a while now, that song was really good too. For anyone who's more Emperor-educated, what album(s) would be a good starting point?



Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk and In the Nightside Eclipse are the indispensible ones IMO. IX Equilibrium is not bad and a lot of people like Prometheus but that's my least favourite. The real early Emperor like Wrath of the Tyrant is good but be prepared for very low production values.


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## Krigloch the Furious (Mar 23, 2013)

I enjoy Emperor every now and then, but they're no where near my favorite bm


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## Mprinsje (Mar 23, 2013)

yeeessssss

i love emperor, together with immortal my favority BM band.

In the nightside eclipse is a downright classic.


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## Ralyks (Mar 23, 2013)

Ihsahn


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## blaaargh (Mar 23, 2013)

If there was one bm band I could see ss.org getting really into, it'd be Emperor via Ihsahns use of ERGs and love of prog. For me these dudes were pretty much singlehandedly responsible for my transition from metalcore to more extreme shit. I will never forget the first time I heard I Am the Black Wizards (the demo version for maximum kvlt points) and it was so unlike anything else I've ever heard. That song will always be magical to me.


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## lemeker (Mar 23, 2013)

I can take these guys in small doses. The production does get to me a little (as with most black metal). 

I actually prefer the solo stuff Ihsan's doing now.


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## Blackwinged (Mar 23, 2013)

Emperor is CVLT, who would say no, haha. Great band. Some of their stuff is really mindblowing. I like almost everyting from Nightside Eclipse to Prometheus. Here is a couple of my favourites.


One of the best solos in metal imo.


Beast track!

And finally, just great instrumental thing:


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## kung_fu (Mar 23, 2013)

Can I join the party?



My Emperor fanboy cred: I have the same birthday as Samoth


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## Necris (Mar 23, 2013)

Anything released after As the Shadows Rise fails to hold my interest.


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## Don Vito (Mar 23, 2013)

Emperor Megathread: People posting favorite Emperor songs

But seriously, Nightside and Wrath are gold. Post Nightside is pretentious to me, although Prometheus is unique, and I can appreciate some things about it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to hide from the metaphorical rocks about to be thrown at me.


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## mgh (Mar 23, 2013)

In The Nightside Eclipse is my fave album ever in any genre. A visionary band, and Ihsahn continues doing some great work solo. Shame they split up, and I'm forever gutted I missed the original band and the reunion...(bear in mind I saw my first BM gig in 1994...)


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## Dwellingers (Mar 23, 2013)

Saw them on their wacken show in 2006. Pretty stunning to say the least. Really awesome BM band.


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## Robrecht (Mar 23, 2013)

I'm in. Emperor rules. Saw them live years ago, extremely impressive.


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## mgh (Mar 23, 2013)

Dwellingers said:


> Saw them on their wacken show in 2006. Pretty stunning to say the least. Really awesome BM band.


i went to Wacken the year after...grrrr...Dimmu and Immortal was no consolation! Though Sabbat was cool...and Blind Guardian were amazing


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## Compton (Mar 23, 2013)

Prometheus is a work of fucking art, nothing can touch that album. Probably one of my most favorite metal albums of all time. 

I also got this album when the first Halo came out. Me and my best friend from high school spent a lot of time jamming this and Decapitated's Nihility while grinding through campaign on legendary coop. Nostalgia is king here!

Annnnddd now off to watch every live Emperor performance for the rest of my work day.


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## Misanthropy (Mar 23, 2013)

^^ sweet, always wanted to see that dvd. There latest 2 albums are symphonic gold.


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## abandonist (Mar 23, 2013)

I just couldn't get into their stuff after the stylistic change w Anthems. It felt like a different band and too bombastic/orchestrated. Nightside and Tyrant are it for me.


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## MrMcSick (Mar 23, 2013)

Hated black metal until Prometheus was released ( I was a die hard Tampa Deathmetal listener. I used to get so mad at how crappy the recording quality was on most but then Prometheus sounded great and I never looked back since. One of my all time fav bands and guitar playing influences. I saw them in 1999 on equilibrium tour but sadly wasn't very interested in black metal at the time 

Everyone should check them out at least once.


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## InfinityCollision (Mar 24, 2013)

JEngelking said:


> I've listened to Ihsahn's After, and been wanting to listen to Emperor for a while now, that song was really good too. For anyone who's more Emperor-educated, what album(s) would be a good starting point?



Prometheus could be considered the forerunner for Ihsahn's solo material, so it's usually what I recommend to people who get interested via his newer stuff. The older stuff is great too, but the production value (which is pretty good for the late stuff, especially for BM) drops off the further back you go and it's a subtly different style. Still kickass though


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## Vhyle (Mar 24, 2013)

I fucking LOVE Emperor. They will always be one of my favorite black metal bands ever.

IX Equilibrium is my favorite album by them. That album, alongside Dimmu Borgir's original Stormblast album, are what introduced me to the wonderful world of black metal. Both albums are very nostalgic for me. I listened to them a lot over 10 years ago, and I still do now.


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## abandonist (Mar 24, 2013)

It's interesting to see the generational difference in what people consider black metal. To me after Anthems, they weren't even a black metal band anymore. There wasn't anything grim or ugly about it. 

Not saying y'all's opinions aren't valid, it's just interesting to see the music I came up on changing drastically, but keeping the nomenclature.


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## Vhyle (Mar 24, 2013)

abandonist said:


> It's interesting to see the generational difference in what people consider black metal. To me after Anthems, they weren't even a black metal band anymore. There wasn't anything grim or ugly about it.
> 
> Not saying y'all's opinions aren't valid, it's just interesting to see the music I came up on changing drastically, but keeping the nomenclature.



Really? "The Loss and Curse of Reverence" is really fucking haunting and eerie to me. Mainly due to the guitar counterpoint and key compositions. When I first heard that song, I was floored. I loved it. Those guys had such a unique chemistry that I've heard no other band honestly replicate. It's not traditional black metal in the sense of Transylvanian Hunger for example, but it's just as haunting and dark as anything else I've heard.


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## Sofos (Mar 24, 2013)

You guys should check out Malevolentia. French BM that reminds me a lot of Emperor with their orchestrations. (Also, their vocalist, not counting the first album, is a really hot chick).


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## wankerness (Mar 24, 2013)

abandonist said:


> It's interesting to see the generational difference in what people consider black metal. To me after Anthems, they weren't even a black metal band anymore. There wasn't anything grim or ugly about it.
> 
> Not saying y'all's opinions aren't valid, it's just interesting to see the music I came up on changing drastically, but keeping the nomenclature.



I got "In the Nightside Eclipse" as a blind buy and it was the first black metal I'd ever heard and I pretty much hated it (i was in high school at the time and mainly into stuff like dream theater and amorphis - tuonela). A couple years later I heard "Anthems" and couldn't believe it was the same band. It was like some kind of epic videogame pirate music or something. Can't say I really liked it either, but they sure had some variety. Prometheus was the only Emperor album I really liked, and all of Ihsahn's solo stuff has struck me as decent but ultimately bland. Oh well. It's probably about time I listen to In the Nightside Eclipse a second time.


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## Vhyle (Mar 24, 2013)

Oh dude, In The Nightside Eclipse is awesome.

Production wise, yes, it's shit. But you simply cannot deny its cold, wintry grim atmosphere. You just can't. And that's why I love it so much. It's such a chilling piece of work.


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## GRUNTKOR (Mar 24, 2013)

I actually love the fizzy guitars, cardboard drums and casio-esque synths on ITNE


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## epsylon (Mar 24, 2013)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YMXPBMr7No

One of the rare lo-fi tone I fully appreciate. I've heard that they recorded this with Peavey Bandit's...


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## chopeth (Mar 24, 2013)

Emperor - In the Wordless Chamber


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## wankerness (Mar 24, 2013)

THere should be a law against overdubbing the original recording with layers of your own guitars, it just sounds like mud and makes it impossible to tell what the new person's playing sounds like if they're attempting to do a "PLAYALONG." Wayyyy too many meshuggah videos like that on youtube.


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## Dyingsea (Mar 24, 2013)

Necris said:


> Anything released after As the Shadows Rise fails to hold my interest.



That was a great EP.


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## Dyingsea (Mar 24, 2013)

Vhyle said:


> Oh dude, In The Nightside Eclipse is awesome.
> 
> Production wise, yes, it's shit. But you simply cannot deny its cold, wintry grim atmosphere. You just can't. And that's why I love it so much. It's such a chilling piece of work.



I don't think the production is bad at all on Nightside. I've argued this for years. You can actually hear everything really clearly even though it has a lo-fi timbre to it but that is the sound they were going for. Anthems is bad when you consider actual production value. There is no space between the instruments, like every fader on the mixing board was thrown all the way up and left in mono during mixdown. Its just a wash of treble.


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## Necris (Mar 24, 2013)

SoldiersOfFilth said:


> You guys should check out Malevolentia. French BM that reminds me a lot of Emperor with their orchestrations. (Also, their vocalist, not counting the first album, is a really hot chick).


That was godawful.


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## Eptaceros (Mar 24, 2013)

wankerness said:


> THere should be a law against overdubbing the original recording with layers of your own guitars, it just sounds like mud and makes it impossible to tell what the new person's playing sounds like if they're attempting to do a "PLAYALONG." Wayyyy too many meshuggah videos like that on youtube.



I don't know what you're complaining about, everything in that video is perfectly audible and I'm listening to it through crappy logitech usb speakers.


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## chopeth (Mar 24, 2013)

wankerness said:


> THere should be a law against overdubbing the original recording with layers of your own guitars, it just sounds like mud and makes it impossible to tell what the new person's playing sounds like if they're attempting to do a "PLAYALONG." Wayyyy too many meshuggah videos like that on youtube.



Sorry, one of my first covers, just discovered how to do it, sony vegas and a bad camera, my resources are very limited but I want to get better at it, so I gladly admit your criticism, any advice will be welcomed.


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## ttiwguitar (Mar 24, 2013)

It's been said already, but Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk is an all time great metal record.


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## Sephael (Mar 24, 2013)

JEngelking said:


> I've listened to Ihsahn's After, and been wanting to listen to Emperor for a while now, that song was really good too. For anyone who's more Emperor-educated, what album(s) would be a good starting point?


Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is one of the best albums every put out by any band.


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## wankerness (Mar 24, 2013)

chopeth said:


> Sorry, one of my first covers, just discovered how to do it, sony vegas and a bad camera, my resources are very limited but I want to get better at it, so I gladly admit your criticism, any advice will be welcomed.



I'm just interested to hear what the player's actually playing in terms of tone and technique, so I dunno, most people seem to prefer this way. I'd listen to an upload of just the newly recorded guitar but maybe I'm a weirdo. I just have a hard time separating the new guitar from the old like this unless they have it panned R/L original/recording or something. I might be all alone on this.

I didn't realize that was your recording, sorry to be a dick!


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## sear (Mar 24, 2013)

maliciousteve said:


> Also I fucking love me some Emperor. Very underated band.


Considering Emperor are by far one of the most popular, most praised and most influential and genre-defining bands in black metal, I'm going to have to say that your statement could not be farther from the truth.


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## wankerness (Mar 24, 2013)

I think to a lot of people on music forums, underrated = band that they like that they don't see posts about constantly (even if said band hasn't put out a CD in 10 years).


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## Stone Magnet (Mar 25, 2013)

Necris said:


> Anything released after As the Shadows Rise fails to hold my interest.


 
For the most part I agree; As the Shadows Rise is one of my favorite records of all, and Eclipse and Anthems are pretty awesome, but I've found everything else to involve Ihsahn practically unlistenable.


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## vstealth (Mar 25, 2013)

Anthems is my favorite of course, I really liked pretty much everything they did which is what im like with bands, if I dont like every album they made then I really dont truely like them. 

One of my favorites:


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## jahosy (Mar 25, 2013)

Back in '94, i've somewhat picked up 'In the nightside eclipse' (by mistake.. was actually going to try out Sentenced's Amok but that's another underrated album) as i was going through all the century media catalogue. 

Hated it with a passion! Couldn't get pass the fuzziness production, and lacked the 'brutal' punch. It was the antithesis of everything back then when deicide, malevolent creation etc etc was pretty much the 'gold' standard. Left it on the shelf till i picked it up again a few months later, and everything just made perfect sense! 

Very intricate songwriting by Ishan, and Fuast's drumming was out of this world. The raw and grim soundscape gave a majestic feel to it. And they were what, 19, 20 yrs old then? 

So yeh that's the good old black metal era


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## berzerkergang (Mar 25, 2013)

Here's a thread about a band that I am familiar with. I used to play in a black metal band and we covered some Emperor. For me they were one of the first bands I had heard that brought the death metal skill and technique to black metal. Prior to them there was a lot of gloom and doom and minor chords but Emperor came around and influenced countless bands that followed in their foot steps with the more technical and symphonic breed of black metal.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Mar 25, 2013)

As far as I'm concerned Prometheus isn't an Emperor album, it's an Ihsahn album. It's also a bit of a stretch to call it black metal, but I'm willing to admit that's just me being a douchebag genre e-litist. It kinda makes me glad it was their last album, because if that's the direction the band would've taken from there on out, I'd have stopped listening to them. On the other hand, I'm _sad _that it was their last, becase it'd have been cooler if they had gone out with a bang, rather than a whimper (or a weedle, as it were).

I go back and forth between whether I call Equilibirum black metal, or just "extreme metal," for what that title's worth. I think it's a great album, and I'd listen to it before Prometheus without hesitation, but I still think everything they released prior to it is better.

EDIT: On a more positive note, their back catalog is enough to make Emperor one of my favorite BM bands of all time, if not _the_ favorite. I go back and forth between old Emperor and old Borknagar.


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## Beowulf Von Thrashmeister (Mar 25, 2013)

JEngelking said:


> I've listened to Ihsahn's After, and been wanting to listen to Emperor for a while now, that song was really good too. For anyone who's more Emperor-educated, what album(s) would be a good starting point?


 

Buy all of them chronologically, starting with Wrath Of The Tyrant, just buy the lot dude, all of Emperors music is awesome !!!.


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## Eptaceros (Mar 25, 2013)

IX Equilibrium is the only album that I don't enjoy. I don't know why, but not a single song on that album is listenable to me.


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## MetalBuddah (Aug 2, 2013)

Emperor To Reunite In 2014! | News | Metal Hammer

A bit of a bump, but totally worth it. So. Pumped.


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## jwade (Aug 2, 2013)

Very exciting news! In the Nightside Eclipse is one of my favorite albums to this day, I'd love to travel over to Europe and see them play.


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## DLG (Aug 2, 2013)

I can see them playing the Maryland Death Fest as well, you might not need to.


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## MetalBuddah (Aug 2, 2013)

DLG said:


> I can see them playing the Maryland Death Fest as well, you might not need to.



That would be incredible because Death Feast is approximately 20 mins from where I live


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## Adam Of Angels (Aug 2, 2013)

MetalBuddah said:


> Emperor To Reunite In 2014! | News | Metal Hammer
> 
> A bit of a bump, but totally worth it. So. Pumped.



Hooray


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## isispelican (Aug 2, 2013)

WHAT! .... YES!


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## DLG (Aug 2, 2013)

they are doing the old at the gates "reunion," doing some shows together to make some money. they don't plan on making more music together. 

so don't get too excited


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## Workhorse (Aug 2, 2013)

Emperor is just about the only black metal band i enjoy.


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## jahosy (Aug 2, 2013)

MetalBuddah said:


> Emperor To Reunite In 2014! | News | Metal Hammer
> 
> A bit of a bump, but totally worth it. So. Pumped.


 
Hope they'll tour OZ / NZ ... like what ATG and Carcass did with their reunion tours


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## PostOrganic (Aug 2, 2013)

DLG said:


> they are doing the old at the gates "reunion," doing some shows together to make some money. they don't plan on making more music together.
> 
> so don't get too excited



Carcass was the same way and now we have a new album. 

Either way I don't mind though... worst case is another awesome Ihsahn solo album.


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## musicaldeath (Aug 2, 2013)

So. ....ING EXCITED!  Although the odds of new Emperor material are slim, I will hold out hope.


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## abandonist (Aug 3, 2013)

Oh for .... sake. 

Reunions are always bullshit.


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## AdamMaz (Aug 3, 2013)




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## DLG (Aug 3, 2013)

apparently Faust is going to be playing drums?

smells like they might be doing some 20th anniversary of "In the Nightside Eclipse" type thing, because I doubt Faust can play Trym's stuff.


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## Esp Griffyn (Aug 3, 2013)

abandonist said:


> Oh for .... sake.
> 
> Reunions are always bullshit.



Really?


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## Grand Moff Tim (Aug 3, 2013)

Hm. Sounds more like a cash-grab than an actual reunion. I can't honestly say I hope I'm wrong and they actually write some new material, though, because the last Emperor album wasn't really particularly good (certainly not very Emperor-y), and none of the stuff Ihsahn or Samoth have done since the split indicates a reunion would lead to a return to form.

Oh well. I did always want to see them live, so... cool for all the people that live anywhere near a place this "reunion" is going to play. I'm going to climb out on a very sturdy limb and assume they won't be coming to Asia.


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## Ralyks (Aug 3, 2013)

Have they indicated there will be plans beyond playing Wacken?


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## Don Vito (Aug 3, 2013)

abandonist said:


> Oh for .... sake.
> 
> Reunions are always bullshit.


Hey man, you've got to stop being so cynical about everything. My birthday's coming up, and some of the boys are thinking about cutting you off the guest list. We don't need someone who's going to sit around complaining that the cake isn't chocolate, or that we're playing Just Dance instead of Mario Party. 

Anyways, I think this is cool for fans who never got to see them perform live, like me. (like they'll come to the southeast US anyways )

edit: Ihsahn diiiiiid come to Atlanta for ProgPower, so still probably not


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## Sepultorture (Aug 3, 2013)

last time they got back together, i made sure to get a ticket and go see them in new york city, no effing way i was missing that, still Samoth wasn't able to make it into the country for those two shows, and i was a bit bummed, hopefully they come to north america again so i can at least try to go


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## chopeth (Aug 3, 2013)

LONG LIVE THE KINGS OF BLACK METAL!! HAIL!!


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## DLG (Aug 3, 2013)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> Hm. Sounds more like a cash-grab than an actual reunion. I can't honestly say I hope I'm wrong and they actually write some new material, though, because the last Emperor album wasn't really particularly good (certainly not very Emperor-y), and none of the stuff Ihsahn or Samoth have done since the split indicates a reunion would lead to a return to form.



BLABBERMOUTH.NET - Reunited EMPEROR To Headline Next Year's WACKEN OPEN AIR Festival



> "I ended up doing most of that last EMPEROR record on my own. If we still did EMPEROR, and if it were up to me, what I do now that's what we would sound like."
> 
> But there will be no new music from EMPEROR, Ihsahn said.
> 
> ...


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## Sofos (Aug 3, 2013)

Good news: According to Faust's Facebook, it looks like he IS in fact rejoining for the 20th anniversary of In The Nightside Eclipse

Bad news: I extremely doubt he will be allowed in the US due to his checkered past. Look at members of Watain and Mayhem. US doesn't allow anyone with a single scratch on their record in.


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## abandonist (Aug 3, 2013)

Don Vito said:


> Hey man, you've got to stop being so cynical about everything. My birthday's coming up, and some of the boys are thinking about cutting you off the guest list. We don't need someone who's going to sit around complaining that the cake isn't chocolate, or that we're playing Just Dance instead of Mario Party.
> 
> Anyways, I think this is cool for fans who never got to see them perform live, like me. (like they'll come to the southeast US anyways )
> 
> edit: Ihsahn diiiiiid come to Atlanta for ProgPower, so still probably not



I direct you to this article: Who Gives a Shit About [Insert Band Name] Reuniting? | NOISEY


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## Sofos (Aug 3, 2013)

how many times do you have to be banned to stop being such a douche? seriously. quit trolling.


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## baryton (Aug 3, 2013)

Emperor... I'm not into Black Metal at all but when I heard for the first time The Loss and Curse of Reverence (in 1997 I guess) it was the beginning of a great story with this band! Damn I love so much their music!

I saw them twice (wacken 2006 & Hellfest 2007), each time it was beyond of expectation, a magic moment, I had goosebumps as hell


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## abandonist (Aug 3, 2013)

I'm not trolling. I have a different opinion and it just happens to often be negative. There's other folk in here that don't seem thrilled about the reunion either. Hell, I even provided an article on why I feel that way.


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## isispelican (Aug 3, 2013)

the same was said about the Arcturus reunion and now they are making a new album, dont get your hopes down


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## Vhyle (Aug 3, 2013)

I've been on an Emperor binge today, in light of the news. Love this band so much. The first three albums accompanied me while I did some daily chores around the house.


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## Don Vito (Aug 3, 2013)

abandonist said:


> I'm not trolling. I have a different opinion and it just happens to often be negative. There's other folk in here that don't seem thrilled about the reunion either. Hell, I even provided an article on why I feel that way.


I respect your opinions and all, but you seem to go out of your way to stroll through every thread in General Music to post how much you you hate or think something is shit. Why do you even use this forum bro? The general taste here doesn't seem to interest you much.


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## blaaargh (Aug 3, 2013)

News flash: people dont always have the same opinion as you. That is a good thing. I dont always agree with abandonist, but i enjoy reading his posts, as they usually have solid reasoning behind them. Besides, a community where everyone had the same opinions and tastes would be mind numbing torture. I dont like a lot of the music that gets praised around here either, but ive also found some really great stuff through this forum. It takes all kinds to make a great community, and honestly i wish there were more dudes like him on here.


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## Don Vito (Aug 3, 2013)

News flash: I like him, but he hardly ever posts anything that isn't derogatory.


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## AdamMaz (Aug 3, 2013)

blaaargh said:


> Besides, a community where everyone had the same opinions and tastes would be mind numbing torture.


This community does have the same tastes


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## abandonist (Aug 4, 2013)

Don Vito said:


> News flash: I like him, but he hardly ever posts anything that isn't derogatory.



Indulge me to derail for a moment and explain a bit about myself. 

Getting to know abandonist:

First thing is that I'm a bit older than most folk on here. I'm 31 and lived in S Florida through all the FDM/Morrisound glory days. I started listening to metal around the age of 10. I saw At the Gates and Dissection on their first US date ever (Nemesis in Ft Lauderdale or West Palm, forget exactly where that place was). I was listening to Emperor when they released In the Nightside Eclipse. Malevolent Creation are long time friends. I don't say this to impress you, because who gives a shit on the internet, I say this so you can understand that I've been around the underground for a pretty long time. What may seem fresh to someone newer to the scene is often old hat for me. I had an extremely rough upbringing and I'm a pretty pessimistic person. Maybe that's a flaw, but it's the dude I am. I have a successful business and a pretty wife. 

Now that you know a little about me, lets talk about my views on art.

Most music/art/literature is bad. That's just the law of averages. It takes a lot of things that are really dreadful to end up hearing something inspired and worthy of praise. It's Yin and Yang, darkness and light, etc. There exists a middle ground of gray as well - which is the worst possible place to be. At a 5 out of 10 you might as well be invisible. No one wants to be invisible. Now extrapolate that idea into our realm of discussion here; namely Metal Music by and large. Using that formula it's a fair assessment that most metal is pretty bad - especially if it has mass appeal. Mass appeal is generally relegated to a certain lowest common denominator by its very existence. That's not to say there's no place for Universal Human Condition in the things I like, but they are the minority. I dig Journey, and their appeal is broad, to say the least. 

It takes all kinds to form a community as the fella said above. Think of me as the angry old man waving his cane at the kids. I'm vitriolic, a little caustic, and occasionally downright mean, but I do contribute here. Yes, it is mostly in the form of saying I think things suck, but if it's nothing but praise and hugs that would be a pretty shitty conversation. I've never (that I can recall) struck someone down and not backed it up with a clear reason if pressed for one. I've been banned twice. Once was legit, and the other I think was a bit kid-glovey. I made a joke in the thread about "Baby Rape", which is the British term for underage sex, saying "what if the 'baby' was all tarted up?" - which is more a joke about terminology than rape; in my head at least. Either way, I'll take it. It's just a message board. 

As for why I post here. I do actually find a fair bit of new music I actually like on this forum. It's rare for me, so I stick around. The gear sections have been helpful on several occasions, and I try to not act out in those areas at all. They're there for learning.

So, at the end of the day, I think I contribute as much as anyone else does. It may not be in the form most would like, but it is a valid contribution - and an important one. If no one questioned the validity of anything we'd never have any critical assessment; and that's kind of the point of a discussion board.

Sorry for the derail, TL;DR, et all.

As you were.


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## Don Vito (Aug 4, 2013)

Damn good explanation. Carry on then.

I still don't understand this I'm afraid.


abandonist said:


> Now that you know a little about me, lets talk about my views on art.
> 
> Most music/art/literature is bad. That's just the law of averages. It takes a lot of things that are really dreadful to end up hearing something inspired and worthy of praise. It's Yin and Yang, darkness and light, etc. There exists a middle ground of gray as well - which is the worst possible place to be. At a 5 out of 10 you might as well be invisible. No one wants to be invisible. Now extrapolate that idea into our realm of discussion here; namely Metal Music by and large. Using that formula it's a fair assessment that most metal is pretty bad - especially if it has mass appeal. Mass appeal is generally relegated to a certain lowest common denominator by its very existence. That's not to say there's no place for Universal Human Condition in the things I like, but they are the minority. I dig Journey, and their appeal is broad, to say the least.


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## InfinityCollision (Aug 4, 2013)

People share music they see as good because it's worth listening to. People sometimes share music that's bad because it's either hilariously bad or has that sort of trainwreck vibe that makes people stop and stare for a moment. But you hardly hear people talk about the stuff in the middle. How many times has Ix Equilibrium come up in this thread vs Eclipse, Anthems, or Prometheus? Who talks about that band that consistently gets 3/5 stars in reviews? If you follow that line of thought to its logical endpoint, the only music that is actually "good" is not the stuff that is 5/10 or better, it's the ~8/10s and up.


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## abandonist (Aug 4, 2013)

Exactly.


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## asmegin_slayer (Aug 5, 2013)

I'm excited for their reunion, been a fan of them for years but never seen them live nor ihsahns work live.


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## Tang (Aug 5, 2013)

I'd love to see if Emperor can play their songs better than Ihsahn + Leprous. From what I've read online, that combination just made those songs come alive.



EDIT: nice write-up abadonist. it's nice to have people like you around, and I mean that in the best possible way.


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## DLG (Aug 6, 2013)

EMPEROR will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of "In The Nightside Eclipse" at next year´s Wacken Open Air. Ihsahn and Samoth will be joined by Faust on drums, and they will perform the album in its entirety.

There will be no new studio album or a world wide tour, only a few exclusive festival appearances next year, to mark the celebration of this landmark album.


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## Ironbird (Aug 6, 2013)

Emperor will always be at the top of my list of favourite BM bands, alongside the mighty Enslaved.

Ihsahn really took musicianship in a black metal context to a whole new level.


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## Opion (Aug 6, 2013)

I'm not the biggest black metal fan so I can't say with all honestly I would be offended if they did it for a cash grab, or if they feel they just have an itch to scratch and the only way to fix it would be to revisit their past in a cathartic sort of process. 

I think any musician/group of musicians who make an album, ride the popularity wave because of that album and then descend into mediocrity/side projects always end up at a point where they feel revisiting their past could revitalize their place in music. You can't forget where you came from, and it probably is going to be enjoyable for them as much as it'll be for the fans, although I can't speak for them. Regardless In The Nightside Eclipse is a ....ing classic and I wouldn't say no to watching it performed live.


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## vilk (Aug 6, 2013)

I went to NYC to see Emperor on their reunion tour in... 2006 was it? It was freaking awesome. Definitely one of the most intense shows I've ever seen. The crowd was crazy. AND they played all of my favorite Emperor songs (including In The Wordless Chamber \m/). I've never seen Ihsahn performing his solo stuff nor leprous, but Emperor played everything _perfect_ live. Arguably faster and more intensely than in the studio.


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## Sepultorture (Aug 6, 2013)

baron samedi said:


> I went to NYC to see Emperor on their reunion tour in... 2006 was it? It was freaking awesome. Definitely one of the most intense shows I've ever seen. The crowd was crazy. AND they played all of my favorite Emperor songs (including In The Wordless Chamber \m/). I've never seen Ihsahn performing his solo stuff nor leprous, but Emperor played everything _perfect_ live. Arguably faster and more intensely than in the studio.



i was there, flew in from Halifax (lived there around that time) just to see them and then fly immediately back, facking tits show, pissed Samoth wasn't allowed into the country though


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## Vhyle (Aug 7, 2013)

Oh man.

I would whip out my scrotum and shave it in public, to see Emperor perform live.


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## Dyingsea (Aug 7, 2013)

Wonder what Trym thinks about being replaced by Faust? Or maybe he opted out himself?


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## Sofos (Aug 7, 2013)

Vhyle said:


> Oh man.
> 
> I would whip out my scrotum and shave it in public, to see Emperor perform live.



as would i, man, as would i... 



Dyingsea said:


> Wonder what Trym thinks about being replaced by Faust? Or maybe he opted out himself?



I think i was something they talked about as a band, since it IS the anniversary, and Faust did the drumming on the album. Plus, it's his first time with Emperor in ages. I mean the dude doesn't even have hair anymore! haha.


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## CharlesTbastard (Aug 7, 2013)

Innovators?yeh,ill give em that.but after ITNE,gettin far removed from " black metal".just like Mayhem.just not the same band.but ya cant fault them for developingand becoming better musicians and songwriters.

Wrath ofthe tyrants is by far their best.it is " black meal".its just that listeners are spoiled by everything sounding crisp and clear nowadays.

Ive been into extreme music since its inception.to me,Marduk and Dissection are better than Emperor.


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## CharlesTbastard (Aug 7, 2013)

DLG said:


> EMPEROR will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of "In The Nightside Eclipse" at next year´s Wacken Open Air. Ihsahn and Samoth will be joined by Faust on drums, and they will perform the album in its entirety.
> 
> There will be no new studio album or a world wide tour, only a few exclusive festival appearances next year, to mark the celebration of this landmark album.



This does have the potential to be mind-blowing.hope they record it for a dvd.


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## Sepultorture (Aug 7, 2013)

CharlesTbastard said:


> This does have the potential to be mind-blowing.hope they record it for a dvd.



I'd fap to the whole facking thing


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## Vhyle (Aug 7, 2013)

Apparently, Trym is mainly into filmmaking nowadays. I was wondering if he was still playing anymore. I have a mancrush on Trym, and I don't afraid of anything. He's one of my favorite metal drummers evar.

Also I think he runs a tattoo parlor, if I remember. I believe I read that in an interview or some such.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trym_Torson


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## Vhyle (Aug 7, 2013)

Sepultorture said:


> I'd fap to the whole facking thing


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## Sofos (Aug 9, 2013)

The girlfriend of Einar Solberg (Leprous, Ihsahn) informed me just now that Einar will be performing at Wacken with Emperor, just as he has done in the past. They better record it for a DVD.


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## Pweaks (Oct 11, 2013)

I checked out Ihsahn's solo stuff and after listening to After (lol) my mind was completely blown away. He is a genius. 

Of course I had heard about Emperor but never really gave them a chance. I have been listening to the first two albums now and they sound amazing. I like the fact that they are not too "kvlt" and the quality is audible.


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## Don Vito (Oct 11, 2013)

Oh, this thread again.

edit: here's the full, professional quality rehearsal


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## jay moth (Oct 11, 2013)

Which one? That video contains riffs from two different Mayhem songs played in quite sloppy way (even sloppier than Mayhem itself actually), so I don't know exactly what do You mean...


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## Don Vito (Oct 11, 2013)

Deathcrush


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## Decapitated666 (Oct 12, 2013)

One of the best black metal bands ever. In The Nightside Eclipse is such a ....ing masterpiece.


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## Necris (Apr 8, 2014)

Plastichead.com (UK): Music CDs, DVDs, Vinyl, Books, Accessories and other Music Merchandise



I'm pretty much convinced Ihsahn is running out of money.  Still, I'll probably pick it up since the copy of the album I had is broken and of course the alternate mix and preproduction stuff is interesting too. Having As the Shadows Rise on the same disc is also a bonus. Sucks for the guys at Hammerheart Records who just rereleased a vinyl of As the Shadows Rise though.

Here's hoping this remaster doesn't somehow manage to be worse than the original CD version (the original tape sounded better, more instrument seperation and headroom) or the the 2004 remaster, I haven't heard the 1999 remaster. Re-Re-Remastered.


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## Chiba666 (Apr 9, 2014)

May have to pick that up as that is one of my top 10 albums of all time. Really happy to be seeing them at Tuska this year as well, my poor poor wife.


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## chopeth (Apr 10, 2014)

Sadly, I won't be able to see Emperor this summer, I hope they make a video of it at least. Here, a couple of my last covers of the best black metal band. Enjoy it


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## HurrDurr (Apr 10, 2014)

Necris said:


> (bundle thing)



The link took me to a UK distribution site, but do you know if this pack will be available in the US through another label/distributor? I'd love to get my hands on it, especially for that EP.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jun 8, 2014)

Reunited Emperor Performs At Sweden Rock Festival (Video) - Blabbermouth.net

Dat Iceman.


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## Necris (Jun 8, 2014)

It may sound odd, but while watching these videos the thought struck me that I probably wouldn't find a well practiced cover band playing early Emperor material any less enjoyable than the actual band playing the same material.

Also, does anyone find it odd that they sort of hyped up how they were going to have Faust drum for the anniversary shows but didn't bother getting Tchort, the guy who tracked the bass? Maybe, they asked and he wasn't interested.


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## InfinityCollision (Jun 8, 2014)

Tchort all but dropped off the face of the earth back around 07/08, wonder what happened there...

Actually, I appear to have missed the memo. Seems Green Carnation is reuniting for another Night Under The Dam performance next month. Didn't see that coming.


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## Thorerges (Jun 8, 2014)

Damn havent listened to this masterpiece of a band in ages.


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## Chiba666 (Jun 9, 2014)

Seeing them end of the month and I can't wait, tis going to be epic.

Blood Mucis are going to be released a massive Vinyl box set next year, may have toi invest but may have to sacrifice my first born to get a sniff at one.

The latest moonsorrow one was 350euro but that was massive


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## Forkface (Jun 9, 2014)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Reunited Emperor Performs At Sweden Rock Festival (Video) - Blabbermouth.net
> 
> Dat Iceman.



jesus h. fakin chirst that iceman yo. Im assuming LACS?


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## welsh_7stinger (Jun 9, 2014)

Got into ihsahn's solo stuff about 4 years ago via his column in guitar world. well some of the riffs were emperor ones and i fricking loved the sound of the riffs so i listened to those song and then became hooked. Anthems is my favorite album of theirs. I can't wait to see em at bloodstock in August.


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## OmegaSlayer (Jun 9, 2014)

How much I would like a new record.
Ihsahn solo stuff doesn't click with me except The Adversary.
I really preferred Zyklon and The Wretched End to Ihsahn solo.

Also...seeing "some" people posting in this thread made me  so hard


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## Vhyle (Jun 9, 2014)

InfinityCollision said:


> Tchort all but dropped off the face of the earth back around 07/08, wonder what happened there...


 
He played for Blood Red Throne for the longest time, and he plays for Carpathian Forest and Green Carnation.


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## InfinityCollision (Jun 9, 2014)

Vhyle said:


> He played for Blood Red Throne for the longest time, and he plays for Carpathian Forest and Green Carnation.



I'm aware of that. Green Carnation's last album was released in 06; they broke up a few months after the original A Night Under the Dam in 07. Apparently Carpathian Forest has been semi-active in the past year or so which I missed (played a few EU gigs, haven't been stateside at all), but they were on hiatus after what, 08? No album since 06 either at any rate. His label pretty much vanished around that time as well.


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## Chiba666 (Jun 11, 2014)

OmegaSlayer said:


> How much I would like a new record.
> Ihsahn solo stuff doesn't click with me except The Adversary.
> I really preferred Zyklon and The Wretched End to Ihsahn solo.
> 
> Also...seeing "some" people posting in this thread made me  so hard


 

REally liekd the First Zyklon album but Disintegrate and Aeon just didnt gel with me. Same with The Wretched End.

Isnt the bass palyer from The Wretched End handling Bass duties for Emperor dates?


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## Vhyle (Jun 11, 2014)

Chiba666 said:


> REally liekd the First Zyklon album but Disintegrate and Aeon just didnt gel with me. Same with The Wretched End.
> 
> Isnt the bass palyer from The Wretched End handling Bass duties for Emperor dates?


 
World Ov Worms is pretty killer. Disentigrate is enjoyable but somewhat meh.

But Aeon is one of my favorite metal albums ever, in the history of ever. And it was my first exposure to the band. I was sold when I heard "Psyklon Aeon".


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## OmegaSlayer (Jun 11, 2014)

Chiba666 said:


> REally liekd the First Zyklon album but Disintegrate and Aeon just didnt gel with me. Same with The Wretched End.
> 
> Isnt the bass palyer from The Wretched End handling Bass duties for Emperor dates?





Vhyle said:


> World Ov Worms is pretty killer. Disentigrate is enjoyable but somewhat meh.
> 
> But Aeon is one of my favorite metal albums ever, in the history of ever. And it was my first exposure to the band. I was sold when I heard "Psyklon Aeon".



I hope you both checked Myrkskog in your life ^___^


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## Vhyle (Jun 11, 2014)

OmegaSlayer said:


> I hope you both checked Myrkskog in your life ^___^


 
Of course!


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## rubbieh (Jun 11, 2014)

InfinityCollision said:


> Tchort all but dropped off the face of the earth back around 07/08, wonder what happened there...
> 
> Actually, I appear to have missed the memo. Seems Green Carnation is reuniting for another Night Under The Dam performance next month. Didn't see that coming.



Tchort is also back with Carpathian Forest after their long hiatus...they've been gigging and preparing for an album.


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## Thorerges (Jun 11, 2014)

OmegaSlayer said:


> I hope you both checked Myrkskog in your life ^___^



Damn, whatever happened to that band. I remember they had a couple of killer releases like a decade ago, the super talented guitar player joined Morbid Angel and that was the end of that. 

I know they had a small show with Obscura, but i would really dig a 3rd record.


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## Thorerges (Jun 11, 2014)

Vhyle said:


> World Ov Worms is pretty killer. Disentigrate is enjoyable but somewhat meh.
> 
> But Aeon is one of my favorite metal albums ever, in the history of ever. And it was my first exposure to the band. I was sold when I heard "Psyklon Aeon".



The problem with disintegrate, to me at least, was the band tried to do the exact same thing as with Aeon. 

That being said, Aeon is absolutely killer.


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## tacotiklah (Jun 12, 2014)

I know this is pretty much their most famous track, but it's so awesome and loved for a good reason. I love these lyrics:

_Once destroyed their souls are being summoned
to my timeless prison of hate
It is delightful to feast upon the screaming souls
That were destroyed in my future

_Metal. As. F_u_ck.


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## beerandbeards (Jun 15, 2014)

I know a lot of you guys are mentioning Anthems but the production value of the last two albums IX and Prometheus only exemplify the skill Emperor has. In my opinion a lot of "Trve Kvlt" black metal musicians don't have the same skill level. Emperor can make anyone a fan i think just due to their skill profiency and the production quality.

I have not come to cure, but to bear witness of disease


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## Don Vito (Jun 15, 2014)

beerandbeards said:


> I know a lot of you guys are mentioning Anthems but the production value of the last two albums IX and Prometheus only exemplify the skill Emperor has. In my opinion a lot of "Trve Kvlt" black metal musicians don't have the same skill level. Emperor can make anyone a fan i think just due to their skill profiency and the production quality.
> 
> I have not come to cure, but to bear witness of disease



Well the first album is always my favorite, but this kind of song is what Ihsahn is best at. Classical intro and all


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## Grand Moff Tim (Jun 16, 2014)

beerandbeards said:


> I know a lot of you guys are mentioning Anthems but the production value of the last two albums IX and Prometheus only exemplify the skill Emperor has. In my opinion a lot of "Trve Kvlt" black metal musicians don't have the same skill level. Emperor can make anyone a fan i think just due to their skill profiency and the production quality.
> 
> I have not come to cure, but to bear witness of disease



I think many people like Anthems because it shows Emperor's musicianship better than some of their earlier releases, but also still retains more of that old school black metal atmosphere that they lost with their last two, in large part because of the shift in production.


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## jwade (Jun 24, 2014)

*edit* Missed the post on the previous page with a video showing the guitar already. 



HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Reunited Emperor Performs At Sweden Rock Festival (Video) - Blabbermouth.net
> 
> Dat Iceman.




Just watched the Hellfest performance, and Ihsahn plays a gorgeous Iceman the entire show. It looks like the old Paul Stanley models, but it appeared to have a wenge/bubinga neck, maple top & natural back. It looked like an Iceman version of Tosin's first sig model. Goddamn.







*edit* apparently, it's a very new guitar built specifically for this string of performances of the first album:


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## Vhyle (Jun 25, 2014)

^ Wow, that's interesting to see him playing an Iceman like that. Very cool nonetheless. Perhaps an Ihsahn signature is in the future?

And I'm guessing the ESP is Samoth's guitar?


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## Cyn__Theia (Jun 25, 2014)

That Iceman is too sexy and too similar to the guitar I've had in mind for my next 6.

Ah well. Ihsahn makes it look good.


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## Chiba666 (Jul 6, 2014)

Great guitar, fantastic performance at Tuska

Tuska is a killer festival VIP tent was great met Silenoz from Dimmu on the sunday(pic to follow).

Mother North was religious if its even possible.

Pics once they are off my camera


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## Alimination (Jul 6, 2014)

Damn dude. I think the specs looks better on the Iceman than RG. So slick


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## Sikthness (Jul 7, 2014)

I know emperors more true releases are classics, but Prometheus is one of the best extreme metal releases ever imo. Seriously underrated.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jul 7, 2014)

Looks like someone was influenced by the TAM.


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## Gothic Headhunter (Jul 7, 2014)

Alright, confession time, "IX Equilibrium" is my favorite Emperor album

















... and "In The Nightside Eclipse" is my least favorite


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## jwade (Jul 8, 2014)

...dude, how drunk are you right now to say that?


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## Necris (Jul 8, 2014)

If you start with Prometheus and work backwards to In the Nightside Eclipse the music gets better as you go along. If you go the opposite way the opposite occurs.


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## Gothic Headhunter (Jul 8, 2014)

jwade said:


> ...dude, how drunk are you right now to say that?



Not at all, actually. I love nightside, too, but there's one problem I have with that album- I can't listen to it all the way through. By the time I get to "towards the pantheon" (even though I love that song) I'm like "I just heard this. I just heard this same exact thing like 5 minutes ago." There's just not enough variation in the album to keep me interested, whereas I think IX Equilibrium has a lot more going on, and there's been numerous times where I've started with "curse you all men" with no intention of listening to anything else and ending up listening to half the album. Nightside is great, but Equilibrium is a masterpiece. Just my


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## Vhyle (Jul 8, 2014)

IX Equilibrium is also my favorite Emperor album, but I love Nightside as well. It's an absolute black metal masterpiece, especially when it comes to the grim wintry atmosphere that they nailed with that album. Honestly, I dare say that all of Emperor's albums are masterpieces in their own regards. I love them all. But, IX Equilibrium is my favorite of them all.


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## gorthul (Jul 8, 2014)

Gothic Headhunter said:


> Not at all, actually. I love nightside, too, but there's one problem I have with that album- I can't listen to it all the way through. By the time I get to "towards the pantheon" (even though I love that song) I'm like "I just heard this. I just heard this same exact thing like 5 minutes ago." There's just not enough variation in the album to keep me interested, whereas I think IX Equilibrium has a lot more going on, and there's been numerous times where I've started with "curse you all men" with no intention of listening to anything else and ending up listening to half the album. Nightside is great, but Equilibrium is a masterpiece. Just my



I'm with you regarding the Nightside album.
I don't like the production of it (even though it is one of the better sounding classic black metal albums) and imo Ihsahn's vocals aren't as good as on the later albums.
I pretty much only rate this album quite high because Black Wizards and Inno A Satana, which both have very memorable parts and good songwriting, making them standout-tracks between all the other Nightside songs (that often feel the same, as you mentioned).

My ranking is -> Anthems / Prometheus -> Equilibrium -> Nightside


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## OmegaSlayer (Jul 8, 2014)

I'm in the IX Equilibrium camp.

That album has a thickness that is incredible.
From an immense sound to the layerings of the instruments, to the moods, to the amount of ideas, the vocal lines, the harmonic richness, the references to thrash and classic metal, everything.
The guitar wall on An Elegy Of Icaros at 1:42 alone kills 90% of extreme music imho.

Obviously Inno A Satana or I Am The Black Wizards are TIMELESS classics, instantly recognizable, pieces of our teenhood (for some), but as a whole record, IX Equilibrium is a monster.


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## Thorerges (Jul 8, 2014)

Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is my all time favorite. I hate black metal, but Emperor always gets me because the writing is so good.


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## OmegaSlayer (Jul 8, 2014)

Thorerges said:


> Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is my all time favorite. I hate black metal, but Emperor always gets me because the writing is so good.



You know...was thinking about this someway...
In The Nightside is one of 3 Norway's 90s best black metal records along with Nemesis Divina and something else...
I think people's preference in Emperor's records is all relatable to how much everyone is into "pure" black metal.
Purists obviously prefer In The Nightside and it's right that way


----------



## Cyn__Theia (Jul 8, 2014)

Just chiming in to build on this current discussion of discography preference. I could go into a bit more detail as to why I like each album more than another, but if I had to list what material I prefer (going strictly by full-length), I would have to say (from most favorite to least):
IX Equilibrium; Nightside; Anthems; Prometheus


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## Gothic Headhunter (Jul 8, 2014)

You guys all just said everything I wanted to say but I wasn't sure how to word it

Cheers


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## jwade (Jul 8, 2014)

I've actually never been able to sit through listening to either IX Equilibrium or Prometheus in full. I find that after 2-3 songs, I have to turn it off and go back to Nightside or Anthems. For me, the later ones just don't have that certain something. 

As for that guitar, I'm definitely making my own (probably a seven though). So frigging gorgeous.


----------



## Vhyle (Jul 8, 2014)

I especially loved how they maintained a huge distance with the drums on Nightside and IX Equilibrium. They really made the drums sound distant, and it really opened up the enormous atmosphere of those albums.


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## OmegaSlayer (Jul 8, 2014)

Vhyle said:


> I especially loved how they maintained a huge distance with the drums on Nightside and IX Equilibrium. They really made the drums sound distant, and it really opened up the enormous atmosphere of those albums.



Drums...I always wished Emperor had a more creative drummer like Asgeir Mickelson for example, or Frost perhaps...I love Frost's handwork and touch.
Trym is too "regular", powerful, consistent, but too simple...every fill is the same 
That's the true Emperor's weakpoint imho.


----------



## Vhyle (Jul 9, 2014)

OmegaSlayer said:


> Drums...I always wished Emperor had a more creative drummer like Asgeir Mickelson for example, or Frost perhaps...I love Frost's handwork and touch.
> Trym is too "regular", powerful, consistent, but too simple...every fill is the same
> That's the true Emperor's weakpoint imho.


 
I wholeheartedly disagree. Trym's fills have a TON of variation, especially on the later albums like IX and Prometheus. He draws (and is known for it) a lot of influence from jazz drumming, especially when it comes to his fills. He played the right fills at the right times, especially during parts that are more symphonic-laden.

I love Frost, but his strongpoint is the ability to blast like a mother bitch for minutes on end, without losing an ounce of tempo or strength. But his fills aren't quite as varied and tasteful as Trym's.

Asgeir rules too, and he could be a good fit for Emperor - no argument there. Hell, he did a phenomenal job with Ihsahn already.


----------



## vilk (Jul 9, 2014)

I think people don't pay enough attention to Trym because he's always downplayed in the mix. I never realized how insane the dude was until I saw him live. The shit that guy does on In The Wordless Chamber is disgusting.


----------



## Dyingsea (Jul 9, 2014)

Somehow Asgeirs drum tone always sounds super thin and weak even though he's a great drummer. I"m not quite sure how but it's either how he tells the dudes to mix it or partially just how his set sounds and how he tunes everything. It's that way on Borknagar, Ihsahn, Spiral Architect etc.


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## Vhyle (Jul 9, 2014)

vilk said:


> I think people don't pay enough attention to Trym because he's always downplayed in the mix. I never realized how insane the dude was until I saw him live. The shit that guy does on In The Wordless Chamber is disgusting.



His playing on Zyklon was ridiculous. He also played drums on the majority of the first Abigail Williams album, and it's equally as ridiculous. He's definitely a monster player.


----------



## chopeth (Jul 10, 2014)

*Emperor: 'Black Metal Has Gone Gray, It Became Watered Down'*

Discussing the state of black metal, Emperor frontman Ihsahn has described the notorious genre as rather watered down these days, much like the rest of metal subgenres. 

"I think particularly black metal has gone gray like many other metal subgenres or like music in general, really," he told Noisey. "You start out new as a phenomenon, and there gradually becomes different directions in that. Some people do something new, and then some people copy it, and it becomes watered down. 

"It becomes gray," the musician continued. "A lot of people involved in this genre originally do a lot of other interesting stuff. The genre itself has changed, but I think extreme music - it's more a matter of the whole music industry having changed. That's kind of the biggest thing if you take black metal now and then. 

Comparing now and then, Ihsahn focused on the mystique factor, saying, "For us being here now against being there then, I guess our whole career is built on this kind of mystique almost. People didn't know sh-t about us. We were just crazy Norwegians from a place that most people hadn't heard of doing this extreme music in this strange makeup. [Laughs] 

"So people had absolutely no clue. Whereas today you get in touch with the biggest stars on Twitter or Facebook or whatever. Nothing is private. It's very bad times to be kind of a mysterious black metal artist, I guess. It'd be very hard to build that kind of niche again if you were a young band starting out today. [Laughs]"

Further discussing the matter, the frontman placed the internet among the somewhat negative segments of today's music scene. "If you look at it from an industry point of view, the internet sucks, but you can't really put down the Internet, can you?" he asked. 

"There are definitely some up sides as well. It's just changed. There's so much to benefit from in discovering new stuff, but it does challenge people within this genre where back in the early '90s, that was the natural way of going about it and, of course, you have the avid experience from both ends now. 

"Metal, in general, has always been very theatrical, and it's supposed to be larger than life. It started in peril in the early '90s with the whole theatrical black metal thing where you had the grunge movement that was kind of very mundane and down to earth. These days you don't have these kind of rock stars anymore, not to the same extent. Which, in practical terms, this is very, very good. 

"But at the same time, I love that you still have people like Prince around, who live in their own extreme rock star world. [Laughs] It's just something fascinating about that. It's like when I view a piece of art, I don't give a s--t what the artist had for dinner or if he was at the gym. But the idea is that if it was an illusion back then or now, it was supposed to be. 

"I remember as a fan of music myself, when I went to see my first Iron Maiden show, just that feeling of being within the same four walls, even though it was a huge concert, I was breathing the same air as Iron Maiden. I've had the pleasure of meeting some of my childhood heroes, and they're really nice people, but it kind of changes your perspective. 

"Sometimes it's just good to have that kind of distance and to have that kind of out-of-this-world type of experience. You don't need everything. When you get a nice meal at a restaurant, you don't want to know the full recipe. You just want to enjoy it. [Laughs]" Ihsahn concluded.

Emperor: 'Black Metal Has Gone Gray, It Became Watered Down' | Music News @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com


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## Necris (Aug 9, 2014)

So I've listened to the 20th Anniversary Edition of In the Nightside Eclipse, the only difference between it an the 2004 remaster is that the 20th anniversary edition is brickwalled to +0.3db

The Remaster of "As the Shadows Rise" is the same. +.03 db peaks (it's rarely not peaking). For comparison the highest peaks on the original version were around -4.4db. Goodbye dynamics. I'll stick with the original version and just turn up a little bit.

As such that part of this edition is completely pointless to me, since I have earlier versions.

The unreleased mix is interesting, If you're going to buy the 20th anniversary edition buy it for this.
You get to hear parts of the arrangements that you never noticed in the final mix such as the timpani in "The Burning Shadows of Silence" (it's still there, but it's mixed way down in the final version). It also rectifies one of the major complaints I hear about the album, namely that the guitars are too low, they still get eaten by synth occasionally though. As a bonus, it's not completely brickwalled like the preceding tracks.

The 3 rehearsal/preproduction tracks are interesting too, different vocal deliveries from the final versions and less synth (much cheesier synth sounds too).

There are bootleg CDs floating around with multiple full Emperor Rehearsals from 1992 and 1993, in varying quality, but if you don't feel like looking for those/don't really care about hearing rehearsal versions of the final tracks or even just can't stand anything below pro studio production quality these 3 tracks will probably be enough.

If you already have In the Nightside Eclipse and As the Shadows Rise (or even a cd pressing of the Wild Rags the Wrath of the Tyrant bootleg with As the Shadows Rise tacked on as bonus tracks) and don't really care about rehearsal tracks or alternative mixes, don't bother with this. 

I understand it's hard to "add value" to an album that's been around for 20 years, and I guess they did a decent job, but I wish just once a ____ year anniversary release would be a release of the album with a completely unaltered version of the original master and then maybe have extra material like obscure rehearsal tapes, alternative mixes or whatever included on a separate disc. I can dream I guess, but hey, I'm the guy who would like a shirt with their original logo on it too...


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## Vhyle (Aug 9, 2014)

I've honestly never fully understood why doing remasters of old albums. I get it - technological advances in audio are pretty great in a 20-year timespan, but to me, once an old album is mastered and released, that's that. You can't really do THAT much to make it sound significantly better. I've messed around with Audacity by taking muddy recordings (like a track from Arsis' United in Regret album, for example), and simply changing the EQ on it. That improved it a good it (at least to my ears, I realize that's subjective), but outside of doing something like that, there isn't really much else you can do to a mastered album. They're celebrating the anniversary of their release, I understand that - and they should. Nightside is a remarkable album, and it deserves to be recognized on such an occasion. But to remaster it? I disagree with that. The very sound and magic of that album, and them capturing those moments of their music at those specific times, is what makes it so legendary. That goes for many other albums that have been remastered and re-released.

Remastering in the sake of downright repairing an audio nightmare that may have occurred for whatever reason, that's a different story.

I agree with you on the last point - throw in some extra obscure material that was previously unreleased. Rehearsal tapes, unreleased demos, whatever else. Release some old footage of anything that led up to the creation of the album.


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## mgh (Aug 9, 2014)

whilst I generally agree, there are a few albums (Eucharist - Velvet Creation, Ulver - Nattens Madrigal, Pestilence - Spheres) which I would love to hear with a bit of a better production...


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## JD27 (Aug 9, 2014)

Their set is streaming from Bloodstock today.

Live Stream - Bloodstock Festival 2014 - Video Dailymotion


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## jwade (Aug 9, 2014)

that link doesn't work for me. it just plays a 45 second promo for Bloodstock. damn it.


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## JD27 (Aug 9, 2014)

jwade said:


> that link doesn't work for me. it just plays a 45 second promo for Bloodstock. damn it.



They already played, went on just after I posted about 4:30pm EST.


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## jwade (Aug 9, 2014)

Ha. Fail at reading post times. An well, hopefully it ends up on YouTube later.


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## SD83 (Aug 10, 2014)

The sets from Hellfest
Hellfest | ARTE Concert
and Wacken
Wacken | ARTE Concert
are still online though 

I still can't get into their older stuff. I love Nonus Equilibrium & Prometheus, but... those sets rather bored me


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## SilentSeraph (Aug 11, 2014)

I got back from Bloodstock a couple of hours ago, and was about 6 rows away from the front for Emperor's set. All I can say is that it was amazing. I was honestly hypnotized by them, I barely head banged and didn't mosh because I was just watching Ihsahn, Faust and the rest of them perform. Seeing them live really adds power to the album, I found that I am better able to appreciate the album after seeing it, strangely.


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## 7stg (Aug 11, 2014)

Here are Bloodstock and Wacken 2014


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## Chiba666 (Aug 12, 2014)

The keyboad player made me laugh, in fact any one that headbangs while playing keyboards makes me chuickle.

The bass player gets the windmill on thats for sure


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## jwade (Aug 12, 2014)

I seriously can't get enough of that Iceman.


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## DLG (Aug 12, 2014)

Chiba666 said:


> The keyboad player made me laugh, in fact any one that headbangs while playing keyboards makes me chuickle.



you should see him live with Leprous. he sings, plays keys and headbangs even more


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## musicaldeath (Oct 23, 2014)

I just picked up Live Inferno and In The Nightside Eclipse 20th anniversary. Just finished watching Live Inferno... damn I can't get enough of these guys.


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## spn_phoenix_92 (Oct 23, 2014)

Someone's selling a signed copy of a In the Nightside Eclipse cassette, if I had that kind of money to throw around it would be mine already

Emperor in The Nightside Eclipse Signed Orig Demo Immortal Mayhem Marduk | eBay


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## Pweaks (Oct 24, 2014)

hgfjfhj said:


> I've listened to Ihsahn's After, and been wanting to listen to Emperor for a while now, that song was really good too. For anyone who's more Emperor-educated, what album(s) would be a good starting point?



I'd say start with IX Equilibrium if you are not familiar with the kvlt. If you are, then I guess you could start with either one, In the Nightside Eclipse or Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk. The latter has clearer production.


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## Thorerges (Oct 26, 2014)

Chiba666 said:


> The keyboad player made me laugh, in fact any one that headbangs while playing keyboards makes me chuickle.
> 
> The bass player gets the windmill on thats for sure



Isn't the bassist Secthdamon from Zyklon?


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## sacredl (Oct 26, 2014)

Pweaks said:


> I'd say start with IX Equilibrium if you are not familiar with the kvlt. If you are, then I guess you could start with either one, In the Nightside Eclipse or Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk. The latter has clearer production.



While IX Equilibrium is my favorite Emperor album I wouldn't say it's a good example of their kvlt sound. Afterall lots of black metal guys were butthurt after this album and started calling them extreme metal band.

For kvlt sound Anthems are good. Much better production than ItNE which is in some places unbearable.


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## vilk (Nov 3, 2014)

I don't even listen to Nightside Eclipse because Anthems just blows it the .... out of the water.


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## musicaldeath (Nov 3, 2014)

Just listen to all of it. And the 20th anniversary version of ItNSE is pretty awesome. They didn't compromise any of the grittiness of the original, yet it' subtly clearer in production.


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## Dyingsea (Nov 3, 2014)

sacredl said:


> For kvlt sound Anthems are good. Much better production than ItNE which is in some places unbearable.



See I think Anthems sounds horrible. Literally like every fader is thrown all the way up and there is zero space for the sound to breathe and no consideration given to a mix at all. That album fatigues my ears to no end. Nightside has great atmosphere and production for what it was (a DIY '94 BM album) though I know the guitar tone was pretty rough but that was the sound back then.


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## Necris (Nov 3, 2014)

^ Wrath of the Tyrant and As the Shadows Rise were DIY. Nightside wasn't DIY, it was recorded at a recording studio in the Greig Hall, as were many other albums from the early 90s. (De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas for example).
Anthems was recorded there as well. I like In the Nightside Eclipse a whole lot and it's their only full length I really care to listen to but the mix has its flaws. (I've probably mentioned what I didn't like about it in this thread already)

The Reverence EP was probably the best result they got in regards to sound. I think the version of the Loss and Curse of Reverence on that EP still sounds better than the Anthems version. Maybe Anthems was hurt by a shitty mastering job? Considering the EP came out the same year as Anthems and I doubt that version of the song was a completely separate recording.


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## spn_phoenix_92 (Nov 3, 2014)

If ItNE had the production quality and vocal style of Prometheus, it would be one of the greatest albums ever.


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## Defi (Nov 3, 2014)

Fun fact: prometheus is what got me into black metal. call it whatever genre you want, but it opened the door (as in, it was the first album i listened to that was "black metal") I think it's an amazing album, perhaps a bit long winded in the middle, maybe a bit too synth heavy. I know many emperor fans strongly dislike it. Is it because it's not so.. traditional black? I seem to prefer "least popular among fans" albums of all my favorite artists. Even Ihsahn himself said something about how "the album started out really good and then lost direction" or something like that in some interview, as if he was disappointed in it. 

Truthfully haven't listened to their other albums that much. Not sure if they're really my style, I'm not a big fan of synth taking such a big role. But hell, I feel compelled to give them all another spin. Ihsahn's solo stuff is pretty bland to my ear too, that I won't be spinning very much.

I just got a 7 string and feel compelled to learn some of the songs on prometheus. fun stuff. I'm not good enough to play it, and most tabs suck. time to practice my ear and fingers.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Nov 4, 2014)

I'd like _Prometheus_ more if he hadn't gotten Thomas the Tank Engine to do guest vocals on that one track.


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## chopeth (Nov 4, 2014)

Defi said:


> I just got a 7 string and feel compelled to learn some of the songs on prometheus. fun stuff. I'm not good enough to play it, and most tabs suck. time to practice my ear and fingers.



Buy Ihsahn's Scattered Ashes, that's where I learnt In the Wordless Chamber and The Tongue of Fire, both for 7 strings and both tabbed by Ihsahn himself. ITWC will do miracles with your right hand stamina.


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## Pweaks (Nov 4, 2014)

sacredl said:


> While IX Equilibrium is my favorite Emperor album I wouldn't say it's a good example of their kvlt sound. Afterall lots of black metal guys were butthurt after this album and started calling them extreme metal band.
> 
> For kvlt sound Anthems are good. Much better production than ItNE which is in some places unbearable.



I meant that if you are not familiar with the low production, then start with IX Equilibrium.


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## jwade (Nov 6, 2014)

Still can't get enough:


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## musicaldeath (Dec 11, 2015)

Is the Scattered Ashes book still available? I looked it up on Amazon (American site) and they had 1 copy left, but it wasn't clear if it was the book or the cd. Looked on the Canadian site and they had one for $700. Seven Hundred.


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## ArtDecade (Dec 11, 2015)

I've got one for 600.  Want it?


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## Kwert (Dec 11, 2015)

Dyingsea said:


> See I think Anthems sounds horrible. Literally like every fader is thrown all the way up and there is zero space for the sound to breathe and no consideration given to a mix at all. That album fatigues my ears to no end. Nightside has great atmosphere and production for what it was (a DIY '94 BM album) though I know the guitar tone was pretty rough but that was the sound back then.




This was the signature Emperor sound back then. They always sought to create a wall of sound production.


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## lobee (Dec 11, 2015)

Anybody see the absolutely ridiculous Emperor 24LP vinyl box set pre-order from Blood Music? 

Emperor "The Complete Works" Marble Edition - Blood Music








Opting out of this one as I'm only really into _Equilibrium_, and _Prometheus_, and periodically give _Anthems_ and _Nightside_ a spin.


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## chopeth (Dec 12, 2015)

lobee said:


> Anybody see the absolutely ridiculous Emperor 24LP vinyl box set pre-order from Blood Music?
> 
> Emperor "The Complete Works" Marble Edition - Blood Music
> 
> ...



I saw it, very exhited, then I saw the price


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## Chiba666 (Dec 12, 2015)

Blood Music have put out a fantastic product. I own a few of their releases and they are all top draw.

Yes this box set costs a lot but in my eyes to get the complete collection with everything they ahve ever produced then as a fan it would be worth spending the money. IF I had the cash that is.

I know they were down to 50 dd copies left of the 3 different versions.


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## Sumsar (Aug 12, 2016)

Time for a necrobump for this thread!

Emperor is going on a 20 anniversary tour in 2017 for what is probably one of the best black metal albums ever: "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk"

So far only confirmed performance is the 'Brutal Assault Festival' in the Czech Republic.

And so far it seems from their facebook post that they will be Ihsahn, Samoth and Trym. I suppose Secthdamon will be playing bass again, unless they can dig up one of their old bass players from back then? And 99% chance of Einar Solberg on keys since he works so much with Ihsahn anyways.

Other obvious apperences must be Wacken Open Air along with a good bunch of other European festivals. I imaging they are also going to do some Japan dates like they did for 'In the Nightside Eclipse'. Maybe some North American dates as well? Dunno.

Personally I hope for Copenhell in Denmark, else I will have to travel to catch this one, which is pretty much a must for me.


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## Necris (Aug 12, 2016)

I think any pretense of Emperor having been "put to rest" can safely be ignored at this point, but I can't really complain about 2 classic albums getting 20th anniversary tours devoted to them. If they were to tour for IX Equilibrium, on the other hand, I might begin implying that Ihsahn has an addiction to sweaters and beard oil that necessitates milking the Emperor name for all it's worth.

On the topic of early Emperor and the "Complete Works" Box Set I'd love to see their second alternate logo that was only used on the flyer for their first show. I'm fairly sure would have been included in the big book that came with the Box Set, if not that's quite the oversight.

This Is almost certainly their original logo. It's actually one of my favorite logos, too.It appeared in an old fanzine for an interview Samoth gave shortly after the release of Wrath of the Tyrant (their self produced version with the chimera as cover art, not the wild rags release.) How old is the interview? Samoth was still going by "Samot" and was still drumming for Emperor live and he mentions that they're still searching for a drummer, Ihsahn was going by "Steingrim Ygg" or just "Ygg" at this point and Mortiis was on bass. To my knowledge the band also produced a shirt featuring this logo on an old Gustave Dore illustration very early on.


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## Sumsar (Aug 13, 2016)

Necris said:


> ... If they were to tour for IX Equilibrium, on the other hand, I might begin implying that Ihsahn has an addiction to sweaters and beard oil that necessitates milking the Emperor name for all it's worth.





Though I agree. If they are going to do another tour in what must be 2019, I think it should be more of a general Emperor reunion tour, where they play material from all the albums, also because a live version of Prometheus would be a little weird.

I don't think that it is actually for the money that they do them, atleast not for Ihsahn. He seems to be doing well as a producer as well as selling his own music and playing some fairly large shows.
I would think Samoth might be the one who needs it the most? He has his 'The Wrecthed End' project which did realease an album earlier this year, but they don't tour for it, and I don't think it earns much money from sales. I actually wonder if he has a regular dayjob besides doing music at this point?
And Trym got his tattoo shop, which I guess earns enough money?


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## Sikthness (Aug 13, 2016)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> I'd like _Prometheus_ more if he hadn't gotten Thomas the Tank Engine to do guest vocals on that one track.



laughed out loud at this...but seriously Prometheus is a top tier blackened Death album Imo, or whatever genre you want to put on it, that CD is amazing.


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## chopeth (Aug 14, 2016)

I missed the wonderful ITNE gig, very few shows in Europe, I wish I could see Anthems this time, Prometheus would be awesome too, but I'm afraid too much a big trip for me. At least I had the chance to meet Ihsahn last year in a Leprous show. Was sooo excited to talk to a legend I forgot most of my English.


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## wankerness (Aug 14, 2016)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> I'd like _Prometheus_ more if he hadn't gotten Thomas the Tank Engine to do guest vocals on that one track.



I didn't see this till today, but now I'm trying to figure it out. Does Thomas the Tank Engine even HAVE a voice? I thought that show exclusively had narration?! I'm not a Thomas the Tank Engine expert.


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## Andromalia (Aug 14, 2016)

Emperor reunion IV, return of the vengeful comeback.


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## Nights_Blood (Aug 21, 2016)

Fingers are crossed for this reunion to make it's way to the states. Missed the '07 tour.


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## Chiba666 (Aug 22, 2016)

Why don't they just come out and say they will do selective dates for each album and be done with it.

Would say I'm hoping for a new album but not sure if it would be the same, now a new Zyklon album would be worth waiting for.


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## Thrashmaster (Aug 22, 2016)

"anyhems to the welkin at dusk" is in the top 5 of my favorite all time albums. i never get tired of listening to that one. A true classic. ( love tyrant and nightside as well. Truth if you have the stones to cover mercryful fate and pull it off then i salute you, metal gods.


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## luislais (Aug 22, 2016)

Yeeeaaahhhh, I hope I can see them this time!!!

One of my five favourite bands!!!


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## Chiba666 (Aug 22, 2016)

Saw them at Tuska playing Nightside in the daylight which was abit strange but killer show. would love to see them with Tyrm on drums but chances are not this time.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Aug 22, 2016)

wankerness said:


> I didn't see this till today, but now I'm trying to figure it out. Does Thomas the Tank Engine even HAVE a voice? I thought that show exclusively had narration?! I'm not a Thomas the Tank Engine expert.


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## DLG (Aug 23, 2016)

Chiba666 said:


> Why don't they just come out and say they will do selective dates for each album and be done with it.



because they don't want to?


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## chopeth (Aug 23, 2016)

luislais said:


> Yeeeaaahhhh, I hope I can see them this time!!!
> 
> One of my five favourite bands!!!



France maybe?


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## Sumsar (Aug 23, 2016)

Grand Moff Tim said:


>




Seems like that was the actual sound clip that was used on the album


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## AliceLG (Aug 23, 2016)

Chiba666 said:


> Saw them at Tuska playing Nightside in the daylight which was abit strange but killer show. would love to see them with Tyrm on drums but chances are not this time.



Saw them at Wacken playing Nightside during the day. The guy making the introduction even made a joke about it. And now Emperor with a very special show: In the Daylight Eclipse  Killer show nonetheless


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## abeigor (Aug 23, 2016)

Chiba666 said:


> Would say I'm hoping for a new album but not sure if it would be the same, now a new Zyklon album would be worth waiting for.



Samoth seems content with The Wretched End, thought I can't excited about them. New Zyklon would definitely be interesting!


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## Necris (Aug 24, 2016)

Chiba666 said:


> Would say I'm hoping for a new album but not sure if it would be the same...



The difference in artistic aims between Ihsahn and Samoth is why Emperor split in the first place and arguably that difference has only become more pronounced over time. Samoth has admitted that he wasn't particularly invested in the Prometheus material at all, and was more devoted at the time to the project which would become Zyklon. Prometheus was Ihsahns brainchild and was essentially his first solo album, with the entirety of the album being written by him and, aside from drums and reamping, recorded in his home studio like all later solo albums of his. In my opinion, though, Zyklon's "World ov Worms" shares more common ground with "Prometheus" than Ihsahn's "Arktis." shares with The Wretched End's "In These Woods, From these Mountains".
Since the difference between their aims has grown, or at the very least hasn't gotten smaller, I think a new album is unlikely, and in just about every interview with either Ihsahn or Samoth they themselves cite their differing musical goals as a reason why a new Emperor album wouldn't work.

As a side note Mrykskog's material might be enjoyable to you if you haven't already heard it, since it's essentially Zyklon sans Samoth and Trym.


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## Chiba666 (Aug 24, 2016)

Will have a listen, thanks.


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## Sumsar (Aug 24, 2016)

Personally the first Myrkskog album is a lot better and also closer to Emperor than their second (they have only done two albums).


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