By Ryan Leighton
I have often heard people claim that Beethoven would be a metal musician were he alive today, due to the power, intensity, and anger present in his music, allowing It to conjure a similar kind of dark atmosphere as metal music. And similar has been said of some other classical composers as well, pushing this narrative of kinship between these two genres which would otherwise appear quite distinct on a surface level.
Now, I am not trying to claim that Ihsahn is on the same level as Beethoven when it comes to virtuosity and overall influence on music, but listening to his upcoming, self-titled album, which effectively compliments and contrasts the two genres with one another, has given me a new appreciation for this argument, and has helped highlight how similar atmospheres and feelings can be evoked by both.
The release is split into two halves, or two versions, with the first being a metal version, and the second being an orchestral or neo-classical version, covering all the same songs as the other.
The metal half of this album will sound quite familiar overall in style to fans of Ihsahn, being a mixed bag of progressive, avant-garde, and black metal elements, but also with some of the orchestral elements present which define the alternate version of the release.
The orchestral aspects that appear on the metal side of the album are mostly present in the tracks ‘Cervus Venator’, ‘Anima Extraneae’ and ‘Sonata Profana’, the first two being enchanting, melodic, relaxing instrumental pieces somewhat reminiscent of fantasy movie soundtracks, with the latter being more on the eerie side. These short tracks are actually the few which remain the same on both versions.
However, there are pieces of the orchestral style present even throughout the more metal-orientated songs, serving to successfully add an element of epicness and theatricality, and also intensity, where needed, blending masterfully with the varied tempos and the back and forth between heavy and melodic facets encapsulated in Ihsahn’s more signature style.
The metal tracks are very strong on this album, with, as aforementioned, a lot of tempo and stylistic changes throughout, ranging from a more black metal sound, to some chugging, thick, Gojira-like riffs, to softer, and borderline enchanting melodies. The vocals are also expertly performed, with Ihsahn’s trademark piercing screams accompanying the more frenetic and heavy parts of the album, while his clear, refined, clean singing, somewhat reminiscent of Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth, compliments the more canorous aspects.
Some of the standout tracks I would say are ‘Pilgrimage To Oblivion’, ‘A Taste Of The Ambrosia’, ‘Blood Trails To Love’, ‘The Distance Between Us’ and ‘At the Heart Of All Things Broken’.
The orchestral version of the album is extremely well composed and sounds like it was crafted by someone who’s been involved in this genre of music for years. It is extremely evocative and atmospheric, and at times reminiscent of classic movie scores.
Somehow it retains its heaviness and gravitas even without the guitars and distortion, and it is just as good as the metal version, but in a different way. It successfully transforms the songs into something familiar yet distinct, and considering it was all scored by him alone, it is truly testament to Ihsahn’s musical genius. A man who was the main mastermind behind one of the most influential extreme metal acts ever: Emperor, as well as this solo project with it’s numerous other quality releases, and multiple other successful side projects, pushing himself to be even more experimental and creative than ever before. This release is a must listen.
For fans of Emperor (obviously – Ed), Sigh, Opeth, Arcturus, Wolves in the Throne Room, and of course orchestral music.
- ‘Ihsahn‘ is released on Friday (16 February).
- Ihsahn plays the ArcTanGent festival on Friday 16 August.
- Emperor play Glasgow Barrowlands on Friday 22 March and Dublin’s Olympia Theatre on Saturday 23 March
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