Reviews: Emperor

True Norwegian Black Metal

Emperor/Wrath of the Tyrant - originally 1992 - re-release 1999

Well I couldn’t give this album the same honor that I gave DarkThrone’s “A Blaze in the Northern Sky,” by not rating this demo/lp, no matter how much I loved this CD, because really what I am rating is the re-release and this album did not seem to have as much an effect, as you’d think. Well any ways, this is another demo/lp which can be said to define black metal but in a much different way than DarkThrone’s release, although the album is badly produced and can at times sound ugly, they took black metal and made it sound at times ::gasp:: pretty! As ugly and sinister as they sound the keyboards they add here and there (“Night of the Graveless Souls” the lp version), and a few of the riffs used in some of the songs (“Witches Sabbath” on “Wrath of the Tyrant”) are actually quite melodic and definitely add to their atmosphere. I loved it. I would definitely recommend this album to a black metaller but definitely not to someone who does not listen to true Norwegian black metal, although Emperor was the band that got me into true black metal, I guess you have to be born with black metal in you!

In the Nightside Eclipse(w/bonus tracks) - originally 1994 - re-release 1999

NO RATING

I have done this album the honour of giving it no rating, because this album was so influential in the Norwegian BM scene that it has become a "classic." In this album it is said EmpEroR fully developed the new sub-genre of "symphonic Black Metal," with epic keyboards, haunting vocals, and dark/gothic atmosphere, along with many norwegian historical influences. This album has remakes of some of their older songs such as "Cosmic Keys to my Creation and Times," and "I am the Black Wizards," along with covers of Bathory and Mercyful Fate(which are excellent). Emperor still have not gained excellent recording technique, the treble is still very high, as is common id black metal, but all the instruments are clear and alot better than most Black metal of the time. I'd recommend this album to any Black Metal fan, who is willing to accept keyboards and melody in their black metal.