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The reaction this album has received is very much mixed, ranging from dismissive and disgusted elitist views to ecstatically positive comments. My view on this album would land somewhere in the middle. The reason for this is that there are elements of the music that I really enjoy, and others that I don’t find very interesting, even to the point of being annoying. There is no doubt however that this album showcases a band at the peak of their musical career, as the musicianship and composition skills can’t be knocked. The drumming in particular is impressive and very enjoyable, as Trym confirms his position as one of my favourite drummers with an energetic display of hyper-fast precision which Emperor’s music would sorely miss in my opinion. A prime example would be the bulk of the album’s closing track – "Thorns On My Grave" – a particularly staggering display of speed and stamina! What works best though about the sound is the subtle but significant presence of symphonic elements, which combine with the clean vocals and squealing riffs to create the strange atmosphere that is so prevalent in this album. The orchestral accompaniment to tracks such as "In The Wordless Chamber" are particularly of note, as they add beautifully voiced melodies to the music which are a massive improvement to the raw instruments. The said clean vocals are also a particular highlight for me on their own, as they have a choral and commanding quality which really helps to convey the well-written lyrics.
That said then, I will now mention the guitars. The central basis of the guitar style in general seems to be constant use of squealing harmonics and chugging riff work, and while this does form the main sound of the album, I feel that the repetitive use of squealing fills, in particular, is perhaps overdone. Some of these work very well, but others just seem unnecessary and tiresome. There are indeed many excellent riffs, although they are not all particularly memorable. The guitar work overall is very impressive and enjoyable, but it just doesn’t appeal to me a great deal. There are certainly sections which might be likened more to death metal than black metal, but that is merely an observation and no criticism of the style. What is vital to remember is that it is easy to write this album off if it is compared with the classic black metal roots of the band’s past, as that is purely a matter of taste. Indeed, to even classify this as black metal is difficult. For me it is the case that I prefer the band’s ‘In The Nightside Eclipse’ era material, but that is not relevant and should not detract from the review. If you are listening to this music in the hopes of hearing a sound you have already heard from Emperor, then it is unlikely that you will be satisfied. Approaching it as a stand-alone piece of music, regardless of its style, is in my opinion the only way it can be fully appreciated.
On then now to the vocals, as these are for me another element that detracts from my overall enjoyment of the album. It is hard to pinpoint, but there is a certain feel to the vocals that I would prefer was not the case. They sound very much electronically adapted and artificial in places, and this may well be the case. If in fact there were no electrical alterations to Ihsahn’s voice then I applaud the versatility of his vocals, but I just find it comes down to a matter of taste, and I would have preferred a more natural sounding voice, if that can be said of this type of vocals! This said though I still enjoy the vocals within the context of the album, which is the most important thing. They complement the other instruments well and add a lot to the feel of the album, so in that respect they are fitting.
In conclusion then, I have a mixed attitude towards this album. There are definitely many very interesting aspects to it, and I respect the band for creating something which is – preferences aside – a complex and adventurous album. The highlight track for me is ‘In The Wordless Chamber’, but there are several other interesting ones. By all means check this album out - if there is any band that deserves recognition for their music, then it is Emperor. I would however suggest you approach it with an open mind, and listen to it without making comparisons to what you think it ‘should’ sound like. It is not a classic in my book, but I enjoy it nonetheless, and I hope you can as well.
| Tracklist |
| 1. The Eruption |
| 2. Depraved |
| 3. Empty |
| 4. The Prophet |
| 5. The Tongue Of Fire |
| 6. In The Wordless Chamber |
| 7. Grey |
| 8. He Who Sought The Fire |
| 9. Thorns On My Grave |
: 51.44
| Buy other Emperor albums |
