Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
Encyclopedia
Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is the second full-length album by Norwegian
symphonic black metal
band Emperor
. It was released in 1997 (see 1997 in music
). The album was recorded in the Grieg Hall
in Bergen, Norway. In contrast to the preceding full length, In the Nightside Eclipse
, Anthems... showcases a faster, more guitar-driven performance with more minimal usage of keyboards and more clean singing and blast beat-style drumwork. The album's musical approach is explained on the back cover, with a quote that reads "Emperor performs Sophisticated Black Metal Art exclusively". As well, the album's lyrical themes began to move away from nature and Satanic elements and began to incorporate more mystical themes.
In 1996, the EP Reverence
, which included the track "The Loss and Curse of Reverence", was released as a teaser for the album. In 1998, the album was remastered and re-released in with the three non-album tracks from Reverence. The band made a promotional video
for "The Loss and Curse of Reverence".
The opening guitar riff to "Ye Entrancemperium" is taken from an unnamed Mayhem
song. As such, Mayhem guitarist, Euronymous
, is credited in the album liner notes even though he died two years before the album was written and recorded. A recording of this unfinished track can be found on the Mayhem bootleg Ha Elm Zalag.
At the time of its release, the album reached #28 on Finnish
album charts.
He added that there's greater use of classical flourishes, greater variety in Ihsahn's vocals, more audible guitar interplay between Ihsahn and Samoth, and more complex and melodic keyboard work. "It definitely builds on the groundwork laid by extreme metal pioneers Celtic Frost and Bathory: the former with its restless experimentalism, and the latter with its determination to create something quintessentially Scandinavian."
Finally, he concluded, "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk cemented Emperor's reputation as black metal's greatest band, and Ihsahn as its foremost musical visionary; it also firmly established black metal as an art form that wasn't going away any time soon, and opened up a wide range of creative possibilities to the more progressive, eccentric wing of the genre. In the Nightside Eclipse might epitomize black metal better than any other album, but divorced from outside context, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is black metal's greatest stand-alone creative achievement."
Bonus tracks:
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal is a black metal subgenre that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The genre is known for its symphonic and orchestral elements and is centralized in Europe.-Characteristics:...
band Emperor
Emperor (band)
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:...
. It was released in 1997 (see 1997 in music
1997 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
). The album was recorded in the Grieg Hall
Grieg Hall
The Grieg Hall is a 1,500 seat concert hall in Bergen, Norway. It has been the home of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra since the hall's completion in 1978. It hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 1986, and is the host of the annual Norwegian Brass Band Championship competition, which occurs in...
in Bergen, Norway. In contrast to the preceding full length, In the Nightside Eclipse
In the Nightside Eclipse
In the Nightside Eclipse is the first full-length album and fourth official release by Norwegian black metal band Emperor. It features one of Emperor's best-known songs, "I Am the Black Wizards". It was recorded in July, 1993 at Grieghallen and released in 1994 by Candlelight Records. The cover was...
, Anthems... showcases a faster, more guitar-driven performance with more minimal usage of keyboards and more clean singing and blast beat-style drumwork. The album's musical approach is explained on the back cover, with a quote that reads "Emperor performs Sophisticated Black Metal Art exclusively". As well, the album's lyrical themes began to move away from nature and Satanic elements and began to incorporate more mystical themes.
In 1996, the EP Reverence
Reverence (Emperor album)
Reverence is an EP by the symphonic black metal band Emperor. It was released as a teaser for their upcoming full length album Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk, with the first song being a track from that album, the second a song that was recorded for it but subsequently left off, and the third song...
, which included the track "The Loss and Curse of Reverence", was released as a teaser for the album. In 1998, the album was remastered and re-released in with the three non-album tracks from Reverence. The band made a promotional video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "The Loss and Curse of Reverence".
The opening guitar riff to "Ye Entrancemperium" is taken from an unnamed Mayhem
Mayhem (band)
Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, Norway and regarded as one of the pioneers of the influential Norwegian black metal scene...
song. As such, Mayhem guitarist, Euronymous
Euronymous
Øystein Aarseth , who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem...
, is credited in the album liner notes even though he died two years before the album was written and recorded. A recording of this unfinished track can be found on the Mayhem bootleg Ha Elm Zalag.
At the time of its release, the album reached #28 on Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
album charts.
Reception
According to Steve Huey from Allmusic, the album "a magnificently conceived and executed opus that fulfills all of Emperor's promise and ambition. The biggest difference from its predecessor [being] the crisper, clearer production, which allows details in the arrangements to emerge far more readily."He added that there's greater use of classical flourishes, greater variety in Ihsahn's vocals, more audible guitar interplay between Ihsahn and Samoth, and more complex and melodic keyboard work. "It definitely builds on the groundwork laid by extreme metal pioneers Celtic Frost and Bathory: the former with its restless experimentalism, and the latter with its determination to create something quintessentially Scandinavian."
Finally, he concluded, "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk cemented Emperor's reputation as black metal's greatest band, and Ihsahn as its foremost musical visionary; it also firmly established black metal as an art form that wasn't going away any time soon, and opened up a wide range of creative possibilities to the more progressive, eccentric wing of the genre. In the Nightside Eclipse might epitomize black metal better than any other album, but divorced from outside context, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is black metal's greatest stand-alone creative achievement."
Track listing
- "Alsvartr (The Oath)" – IhsahnIhsahnIhsahn is a Norwegian composer, guitar, bass, keyboard player and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor. He has appeared in Thou Shalt Suffer, up until March 4, 2006, played in Peccatum with his wife Ihriel , and now devotes himself to his solo project,...
– 4:18 - "Ye Entrancemperium" – Ihsahn, SamothSamothSamoth is a prominent musician and multi-instrumentalist in the Norwegian black metal scene. He was well known for his distinct guitar work and drumming in the band Emperor, as well as his formation of the death metal band Zyklon...
, EuronymousEuronymousØystein Aarseth , who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem...
– 5:14 - "Thus Spake the Nightspirit" – Ihsahn – 4:30
- "Ensorcelled by Khaos" – Ihsahn, Samoth – 6:39
- "The Loss and Curse of Reverence" – Ihsahn, Samoth – 6:09
- "The Acclamation of Bonds" – Ihsahn, Samoth – 5:54
- "With Strength I Burn" – Ihsahn, Samoth – 8:17
- "The Wanderer" – Samoth – 2:54
Bonus tracks:
- "In Longing Spirit" - 5:55
- "Opus a Satana" - 4:18
- "The Loss and Curse of Reverence - Live" - 6:24
Credits
- IhsahnIhsahnIhsahn is a Norwegian composer, guitar, bass, keyboard player and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor. He has appeared in Thou Shalt Suffer, up until March 4, 2006, played in Peccatum with his wife Ihriel , and now devotes himself to his solo project,...
– vocals, guitar, synthesizer, arranger, producer, mastering - SamothSamothSamoth is a prominent musician and multi-instrumentalist in the Norwegian black metal scene. He was well known for his distinct guitar work and drumming in the band Emperor, as well as his formation of the death metal band Zyklon...
– guitar, arranger, mastering, producer - Alver – bass
- TrymTrym TorsonTrym Torson , or just Trym, is a Norwegian drummer, formerly with Zyklon. Torson started playing in the Viking metal band Enslaved and was later invited to play in black metal band Emperor. He co-founded Zyklon together with Emperor member Samoth...
– drums, percussion - Pytten – engineer, producer
- Yens – photography
- Stephen O'MalleyStephen O'MalleyStephen O'Malley is a musician, predominantly a guitarist, producer and composer from Seattle, Washington who has conceptualized and participated in numerous drone doom, death/doom, and experimental music groups....
– design - David Palser – photography
- Cristophe Szpajdel – illustrations/logo
- N.A.P. – design
- EuronymousEuronymousØystein Aarseth , who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem...
- composing the opening riff on "Ye Entrancemperium"