Black Metal. - Page 14

swizzlenuts · January 2nd, 2007, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dazed and Brutal

I know they're well liked (probably loved), but what are some opinions on Emperor.

In the Nightside Eclipse is the only album by them that I have ever bothered listening to, I thought it was pretty damn good. How about the other stuff?

Anthems seems really forced, and where ITNE does a good job, Anthems fails. The rest isn't really black metal; it's interesting and stuff though.

-Demonium- · January 2nd, 2007, 11:50 PM

Anthems is fantastic in my opinion. IX Equilibrium on the other hand... quite disappointing.

Hubster · January 2nd, 2007, 11:52 PM

Everything up to IXE is great imo. Prometheus... well, look the music *IS* good, but for what I expect from Emperor, no.

Prometheus would have been much better as an Ihsahn debut solo record (practically is anyway).

VittraEternity · January 3rd, 2007, 12:21 AM

Emperor is fantastic but like many others I don't care for their last two albums, however I really enjoyed Ihsahn's The Adversary. I like Anthems the best actually, a lot having to do with the epic that is "With Strength I Burn." A fantastic release though I would hesitate to really call it a black metal album, by contrast to typical releases.

Thasis · January 3rd, 2007, 12:48 AM

Emperor is great all the way through. It's just the later great doesn't realy seem that great if you compare it to the old great. As for Ihsahn, the solo stuff is actualy pretty good. It was pretty melo, but it was similiar to Prometheus in certain stylings.

Hubster · January 3rd, 2007, 12:56 AM

^ Yes, agreed.

I was very upset about the demise of Peccatum though. I love what Ihsahn and Ihriel come up with together, the romanticsm and Western Art Music influences in Peccatum are beautiful.

The last two releases (Lost in Reverie, and The Moribund People [EP]) are excellent releases.

Notably, Ihsahn's vocal work in Peccatum showed he is a very capable musician in vocal aspects, both clean and grim styles: His grim vocals with Peccatum have a more abrasive quality, while retaining his timbre. His clean vocals in recent times (The Adversary and also the live Emperor footage from Wacken 2006) shows he has been training hard: his singing skill has increased several levels, and he has strengthened his upper registers and falsettos considerably. Most impressive!

On a note about Heidi (Ihriel) I am dying to get my hands on some Star Of Ash. I've not yet heard it, but from what I hear of her in Peccatum, she sounds very very interesting.

VittraEternity · January 3rd, 2007, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thasis

Emperor is great all the way through. It's just the later great doesn't realy seem that great if you compare it to the old great. As for Ihsahn, the solo stuff is actualy pretty good. It was pretty melo, but it was similiar to Prometheus in certain stylings.

Yes, I do see the many similarities with latter Emperor and Ihsahn, and perhaps my opinion is biased for comparing the newer to earlier work. As mentioned before, maybe if Prometheus was released under the Ihsahn name I would have liked it better. Though I think The Adversary is better and offers a bit more in terms of mood and feeling, where as I found Prometheus and Equilibrium to be somewhat sterile.

Hubster · January 3rd, 2007, 01:03 AM

If memory serves, Prometheus was written entirely by Ihsahn with no input from Samoth at all as Emperor had already disbanded by the albums completion.

VittraEternity · January 3rd, 2007, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hubster

If memory serves, Prometheus was written entirely by Ihsahn with no input from Samoth at all as Emperor had already disbanded by the albums completion.

I believe you're right.

Nico · January 3rd, 2007, 07:02 AM

For Hubster and such who were interested - Spiculum Iratus
YouSendIt: The Leader in File Delivery.

Hubster · January 3rd, 2007, 07:43 AM

^ cheers mate