Emperor were a
NorwegianNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
black metalBlack metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It often employs fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, double-kick drumming, and unconventional song structure....
band formed in 1991. Over the years, the band's music changed to what can be called "
extremeExtreme metal is an umbrella term, somewhat loosely defined, for a number of related heavy metal subgenres that have developed since the 1980s...
symphonic metalSymphonic metal or opera metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that sound similar to a classical symphony. Symphonic metal is both a genre of metal and a name given to several subgenres of other metal genres, and as such, both forms of...
" in their later days. 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
SamothSamoth is a prominent musician and multi-instrumentalist in the Norwegian black metal scene. He is well known for his distinct guitar work and drumming in the band Emperor, as well as his formation of the death metal band Zyklon...
on drums and
IhsahnIhsahn 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 Ihsahn (born October 10, 1975 as Vegard Sverre...
on guitar and vocals.
Biography
In their youth, Ihsahn and Samoth met at a rock music seminar. The two young men began playing together under various names; first Dark Device, then Xerasia, then Embryonic. The group soon evolved into the now well-known band Thou Shalt Suffer. Soon, however, Samoth began to write music outside of Thou Shalt Suffer, and together with Ihsahn and a new bass player called Mortiis (later of his own eponymous band
MortiisMortiis is a band from Notodden, Norway fronted by Håvard Ellefsen, who is also known as the namesake of the band. The name is a misspelling of the word 'mortis', which is the pronunciation used by the band. However, Mortiis started as the solo project of Ellefsen as a means to convey a story...
), Emperor was formed. After a short while together, the band released a demo entitled
Wrath of the TyrantWrath of the Tyrant is a demo released in 1992 by the black metal band Emperor. Because of the poor production, many have found this release offputting and/or frightening, although it is not unlike the low production quality demos of many other black metal groups of the time...
. It quickly gained popularity in the underground and attracted the attention of the then-start-up label Candlelight. Soon afterwards, a record contract was signed, Samoth moved to rhythm guitar, Ihsahn continued the vocal duties and lead guitars and
FaustBård G. "Faust" Eithun is a Norwegian drummer. He is best known for his work with early black metal band Emperor, especially on the albums As the Shadows Rise and In the Nightside Eclipse...
was recruited as a drummer. Shortly after, the band was signed to the infamous first black metal label,
Deathlike Silence ProductionsDeathlike Silence Productions was an Oslo, Norway based independent record label founded in the late 1980s that focused primarily on black metal. It was the first independent label to do so. The label was founded by Øystein Aarseth, also known as Euronymous, who operated the label until his murder...
, and planned to release their next cd soon, though the band never managed to release any material while signed to DSP.
In the summer of 1992, a series of events were set in motion by the black metal inner circle. Samoth, along with various other black metallers, set out to burn down the ancient churches of Norway.
http://www.angelfire.com/de3/dragonsofthenorth/Arson.html Also in 1992, Faust lived in
Lillehammeris a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal...
, and in the newly-constructed Olympic park a homosexual man named Magne Andreassen approached him and suggested that they take a walk in the nearby forest. Faust agreed, and once in the forest, the man began to make strong sexual advances towards him. Faust then stabbed the man to death, kicking him in the head afterwards to ensure that he was dead.
http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/faust.htmhttp://www.angelfire.com/de3/dragonsofthenorth/Arson.html He was not convicted until two years later. The day after Faust committed the murder, he went with
EuronymousØystein Aarseth , who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem...
of Mayhem and
Varg VikernesVarg Vikernes is a Norwegian black metal musician, convicted murderer and arsonist, and former far-right political activist. In 1991 Vikernes conceived the one-man music project Burzum, which quickly became popular within the early Norwegian black metal scene. In 1992 he joined the band Mayhem and...
of
BurzumBurzum is the musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
to burn the
HolmenkollenHolmenkollen is a neighborhood in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. In addition to being a residential area, the area has been a ski recreation area since the late 19th century, with its famous, eponymous, ski jump arena hosting competitions since 1892...
Church in Oslo. In the summer of 1993, the band began working on their first full-length record. Emperor toured with
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
group
Cradle of FilthCradle of Filth are an English Extreme metal band from Suffolk, formed in 1991. They have been embraced and disowned with equal fervour by various metal communities, and their particular subgenre has provoked a great deal of discussion....
, and after this tour the band ceased wearing
corpse paintCorpse paint is a style of black-and-white, or just white makeup, used extensively by black metal bands during live concerts and photo shoots. The makeup is used to intensify the bands' imagery of evil, inhumanity, and corpse-like decay. It is most commonly used just on the face, but also on arms...
; they stated that it was becoming a trend and losing its original significance and symbolism. In the autumn of that year, the police began to investigate the murder of Euronymous of Mayhem, naming
Varg VikernesVarg Vikernes is a Norwegian black metal musician, convicted murderer and arsonist, and former far-right political activist. In 1991 Vikernes conceived the one-man music project Burzum, which quickly became popular within the early Norwegian black metal scene. In 1992 he joined the band Mayhem and...
(of
BurzumBurzum is the musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
) as a suspect; this investigation eventually led to the incarceration of Samoth for arson, and of Faust for the murder of Magne Andreassen.
In 1994 Samoth was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burning Skjold Church in Vindafjord, together with Varg Vikernes. The arson was committed during a pause in the recording of the Burzum EP Aske (Ashes). In 1994,
In the Nightside EclipseIn the Nightside Eclipse was the first full-length album and fourth official release by Norwegian symphonic 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....
was released, and earned Emperor widespread acclaim and a large fanbase. The album is considered by many a definitive black metal record, with its epic, evolving song structures, ambient keyboard sounds, and raspy, spewed vocals.
After Samoth's parole, the band was joined by
TrymTrym Torson , or just simply "Trym" is a Norwegian drummer, currently playing with Zyklon. He 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 band mate Samoth...
and Alver on drums and bass respectively, and at the end of 1996, Emperor entered the studio to record
Anthems to the Welkin at DuskAnthems to the Welkin at Dusk is the second full-length album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Emperor. It was released in 1997 . The album was recorded in the Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway....
. Featuring a much more progressive sound than their earlier output,
Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk won the 'album of the year' poll in many popular metal magazines around the world, including
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
Terrorizer and
USThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Metal Maniacs. Bassist Alver soon left.
Now continuing their career as a trio, with Ihsahn handling
keyboardsA keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include various types of organs as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals, guitars and bass, the band recorded their third album
IX EquilibriumIX Equilibrium is the third studio album by the symphonic black metal band Emperor. The band had stated that they were to "return to their roots", and the music presented showcases some of the band's darkest and most vicious material, as well as their cleanest production at the time...
and toured
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
and the United States. It was around 2000 when Samoth and Trym started to gravitate more towards
death metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, while Ihsahn directed his musical exploration towards the more artistic and progressive side of
extreme metalExtreme metal is an umbrella term, somewhat loosely defined, for a number of related heavy metal subgenres that have developed since the 1980s...
, as shown by his side project,
PeccatumPeccatum was an avant-garde metal band from Norway. Their influences range from black metal, progressive metal, industrial music, symphonic metal and gothic metal to European classical music and contemporary music.-Biography:...
. Thus, in 2001, Emperor decided to disband after releasing one final album,
Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & DemisePrometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise is the fourth and final studio album by Emperor. Produced by band member Ihsahn, it was released by Candelight and was the band's final album. Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise differs from Emperor's previous recordings with a focus on a more...
, composed entirely by Ihsahn.
Following the breakup, Samoth and Trym continued playing in the black/death metal outfit
ZyklonZyklon is a Norwegian blackened death metal band formed in 1998 by Samoth and Trym of Emperor, along with former members of Myrkskog. Their style has been defined as modern death metal with black and industrial undertones...
, while Ihsahn concentrated on his family project
PeccatumPeccatum was an avant-garde metal band from Norway. Their influences range from black metal, progressive metal, industrial music, symphonic metal and gothic metal to European classical music and contemporary music.-Biography:...
. Later
IhsahnIhsahn 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 Ihsahn (born October 10, 1975 as Vegard Sverre...
announced a
solo projectThe Adversary is the debut solo album of Emperor frontman Ihsahn. The album combines various elements from the different extreme metal genres, yet keeps the progressive edge from later Emperor works. It proves hard to categorize, due to the varied mix of styles incorporated, but in general the...
, much in the vein of
Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & DemisePrometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise is the fourth and final studio album by Emperor. Produced by band member Ihsahn, it was released by Candelight and was the band's final album. Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise differs from Emperor's previous recordings with a focus on a more...
and
PeccatumPeccatum was an avant-garde metal band from Norway. Their influences range from black metal, progressive metal, industrial music, symphonic metal and gothic metal to European classical music and contemporary music.-Biography:...
, featuring drummer Asgeir Mickelson of
BorknagarBorknagar is a progressive black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines folk metal and black metal with progressive and melodic elements...
and
VintersorgVintersorg is a Swedish band from Skellefteå, Sweden, formed in 1994 under the name Vargatron...
. It has generated positive feedback in the
black metalBlack metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It often employs fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, double-kick drumming, and unconventional song structure....
community.
Recently,
IhsahnIhsahn 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 Ihsahn (born October 10, 1975 as Vegard Sverre...
announced an Emperor
TablatureTablature is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches....
Book based on their
Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial WrathScattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath is a compilation album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Emperor, released in 2003. It contains 27 songs from ten different releases with a total running time of nearly two and a half hours. Limited pressings of the album came in a purple slipcase...
compilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, source or subject matter...
, containing thirteen Emperor tracks from their back catalogue. It will be transcribed by Ihsahn with a
forewordA foreword is a piece of writing often found at the beginning of a book or other piece of literature, before the introduction, and written by someone other than the author of the book. A preface, by contrast, is written by the author of the book, although sometimes the two terms are used...
also by him, and is to be released October 31 via
Candlelight RecordsCandlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
. Emperor's albums were also re-issued in a special box version with a bonus poster on Aug. 21, 2007.
Samoth announced on October 23, 2007 that Emperor will be preparing a second official DVD release. On December 8, 2008 it was revealed that this release will be called
Live Inferno and come in the form of a double-disc live album and a live DVD, taken from their appearances at Inferno and Wacken metal festivals during their brief reunion. It will be released on April 16, 2009 in Europe and April 21 in North America.
Live Performances
The band played a surprise three-song show in Oslo on 30 September 2005, at which they announced a series of full concerts to take place in California, New York City, and Europe in 2006. As of February 2006, they were also scheduled to play at the
Inferno festivalInferno Metal Festival is an annual extreme metal festival in Oslo, Norway. The festival take place at Rockefeller Music Hall.-2009:The 2009 edition took place at Rockefeller Music Hall from April 8 , to April 11.*Carpathian Forest...
in April and
Wacken Open AirWacken Open Air is one of the leading summer open air heavy metal music festivals. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
in August. Samoth unfortunately was unable to take part in the US tour dates, as his conviction for the arson he committed in 1992 lengthened the process for his visa application, so Emperor performed without him.
On October 7 2006, Emperor performed at the under-18 Motstøy-festival in their home town of Notodden. The band had wanted to do an under-18 gig and a gig at their home town, so the festival fit perfectly. It was held at a small venue called StuA, and with only 450 tickets available, the concert was sold out in short time.
On the 28th of October 2006, Emperor returned to the UK to play a gig at London's Astoria venue, where the band was warmly greeted by fans. In 2007, Emperor played a series of one-off shows in the United States and two festival gigs in France and Finland.
Band members
Final lineup
- Ihsahn
Ihsahn 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 Ihsahn (born October 10, 1975 as Vegard Sverre...
(Vegard Sverre Tveitan) - vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards (1991– 2001, 2006, 2007)
- Samoth
Samoth is a prominent musician and multi-instrumentalist in the Norwegian black metal scene. He is well known for his distinct guitar work and drumming in the band Emperor, as well as his formation of the death metal band Zyklon...
(Tomas Haugen) - guitars, bass guitar, drums, vocals (1991–2001, 2006, 2007)
- Trym Torson
Trym Torson , or just simply "Trym" is a Norwegian drummer, currently playing with Zyklon. He 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 band mate Samoth...
(Kai Johnny Mosaker) - drums (1996–2001, 2006, 2007)
Former members
- Alver (Jonas Alver) - bass guitar (1995–1998)
- Tchort
Terje Vik Schei , better known by his stage name Tchort, is a Norwegian musician. He is known for his time spent playing bass for the black metal band Emperor and for leading the progressive metal band Green Carnation...
(Terje Schei) - bass guitar (1993–1994)
- Mortiis
Mortiis is a band from Notodden, Norway fronted by Håvard Ellefsen, who is also known as the namesake of the band. The name is a misspelling of the word 'mortis', which is the pronunciation used by the band. However, Mortiis started as the solo project of Ellefsen as a means to convey a story...
(Håvard Ellefsen) - bass guitar (1991–1992)
- Faust
Bård G. "Faust" Eithun is a Norwegian drummer. He is best known for his work with early black metal band Emperor, especially on the albums As the Shadows Rise and In the Nightside Eclipse...
(Bård Eithun) - drums (1992–1993)
Live and session members
- Secthdamon (Odd Tony) - bass guitar (2005–)
- Also involved in Zyklon
Zyklon is a Norwegian blackened death metal band formed in 1998 by Samoth and Trym of Emperor, along with former members of Myrkskog. Their style has been defined as modern death metal with black and industrial undertones...
and MyrkskogMyrkskog is a death metal band formed in 1993 from Drammen, Norway.-Band history:Usually their music consisted of thunderous high speed double-bass with rapid blastbeats and fills. Guitars were made up of harmonic tremolo picking and sometimes powerchords with fast solos composed by Destructhor...
.
- Einar Solberg - keyboards (2005–)
- Charmand Grimloch (Joachim Rygg) - keyboard (1996–1999)
- Also involved in Tartaros and The Thrill
- Tyr (Jan Erik Torgersen) - bass guitar (1998–1999)
- Also involved in Borknagar
Borknagar is a progressive black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines folk metal and black metal with progressive and melodic elements...
and VintersorgVintersorg is a Swedish band from Skellefteå, Sweden, formed in 1994 under the name Vargatron...
.
- Ildjarn (Vidar Vaaer) - bass guitar (1993)
- Also involved in Ildjarn
Ildjarn was a black metal solo project from Norway that formed in 1992. Ildjarn recorded music until 1997 but did not officially end until 2005. The man behind Ildjarn was Vidar Vaaer, although some releases were collaborations with a musician known as Nidhogg...
and Thou Shalt Suffer.
- Sverd (Steinar Johnsen)
Steinar Sverd Johnsen is a Norwegian keyboardist and composer, born 1972. Sverd last played keyboards and synthesizers in Arcturus and was also the main composer for the band. He formed the band with Jan Axel Blomberg of Mayhem in 1987, originally under the moniker Mortem...
- keyboards (1994–1995)
- Also involved in Arcturus
Arcturus was a metal band formed in Norway in 1987 under the name Mortem. In 1990, the band changed their name to Arcturus , after the Behenian fixed star Arcturus.The band released four official full-length albums...
and The Kovenant.
Discography
- In the Nightside Eclipse
In the Nightside Eclipse was the first full-length album and fourth official release by Norwegian symphonic 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....
(1994)
- Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is the second full-length album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Emperor. It was released in 1997 . The album was recorded in the Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway....
(1997)
- IX Equilibrium
IX Equilibrium is the third studio album by the symphonic black metal band Emperor. The band had stated that they were to "return to their roots", and the music presented showcases some of the band's darkest and most vicious material, as well as their cleanest production at the time...
(1999)
- Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise (2001)
Videography
- The Loss and Curse of Reverence – promo video
- Emperial Live Ceremony
Emperial Live Ceremony is a live album from Emperor. Recorded live at LA2, London, UK April 14, 1999 includes Emperor screensavers and a video for "I Am the Black Wizards", which can be found as track 1 on the CD. Also released on VHS and DVD . The VHS comes in a card sleeve...
(2000) – VHS/DVD
- Empty (2001) – promo video
- Live Inferno
Live Inferno is the final release from the Symphonic Black Metal band Emperor. It was filmed during the band’s sold out 2005-2007 reunion performances. It was released in Europe on the 20th of April with several editions available...
(2009)
- Live at Wacken Open Air 2006 'A Night of Emperial Wrath' (2009)
External links