Emperor: Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk (Limited Box Edition)

To celebrate the magnificence of Emperor's achievements, Candlelight has decided to issue each individual release in a visually striking hinged-box set including: a digi pack version of the CD, poster with never seen before photos and album specific linear notes. These are limited to 1500 hundred units in North America and just 3000 worldwide. They are not going to last very long so steal if you have to!

Is it pure black metal? Probably not, but Anthems is much too literate and musically refined with its classically endowed song theatrics and contrapuntal layering to be considered familiar. Is it legendary? You best believe! Emperor single handedly-- handed all of those in the genre their ass with this one. Beginning with the sounding horn on "Alsvartr" what we have here is literally the dark legion's "call to arms" with Ihsahn taking on their voice in the lyrical narrative of this morbid symphony of complete disdain for those comprising the human race. Surrender all hope because hate has truly become a convincing work of art.

The production and performance on this purely black colored disc (very cool) is meant to saturate you with organized chaos swashed by tides of confusion. Fittingly recorded in the Memorial Hall of Grieg (named after Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg) production values are markedly improved over the previous two efforts and its duality of purpose only reinforces the sheer amount of thought that comprises the recording. Drummer Trym does an inspiring job in taking the performance aspect further by delivering a blast montage that barely allows you to get your breath and gain solid footing. He really helps take that whole "overall" sense of urgency higher. There is also a fair amount of keyboard found throughout to help soften the discordant proceedings and lend a royal atmosphere to the release from tension. This is another aspect that accommodates the metamorphosis of the genre beyond the "Neanderthal" aspects that previously had exclusive residence. You absolutely have to evolve to stay relevant and to survive in an ever changing environment. Emperor provided the genotype for the continued propagation of the dark musical art.

It would be monotonous to describe this in any more detail because it has been written about incessantly since its origin in 1997, but suffice to say that this is one of metals crowning achievements and certainly sits on those "hard to reach" top shelves reserved only for the most prestigious.

Track listing
1. Alsvartr (The Oath)
2. Ye Entrancemperium
3. Thus Spake the Nightspirit
4. Ensorcelled by Khaos
5. The Loss and Curse of Reverence
6. The Acclamation of Bonds
7. With Strength I Burn
8. The Wanderer
9. In Longing Spirit
10. Opus A Satana
11. The Loss and Curse of Reverance (Live)

Added: September 5th 2007
Reviewer: Hugh Dark
Score:
Related Link: Emperor Website
Hits: 3176
Language: english

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