Metal Reviews

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WANT

I've preordered this just when it became available on Amazon UK. I cannot await its arrival in the mail!!

Still 3 weeks to hear this baby

Yeah, I know

I don't want to hear it on youtube, either. Putting the CD in the new-bought stereo with the most excellent headphones will be something I'll be anticipating.

Just to whet your appetites, I agree with m'learned friend - excellent album. Would score the same.

Munkeby's increased role is pure joy.

Still waiting on that follow up to Prometheus.

In the meantime, this should suffice, quite pleased that Rio said this material is more aggressive than After.

I doubt Ihsahn will ever reach again the staggering brilliance that was: Prometheus. Emperor is dead. Long live Ihsahn!

Ironically it scored lower than the new Cannibal Corpse.

Mmmmmhmm.

I think I've heard this one enough now to give it an opinion. I was pretty unimpressed the first 5 or 6 listens, as the songwriting seemed overly ornate and complicated, even for Ihsahn, excepting the "singles" like Paranoid or the Townsend vocalized Introspection. The true weight of this album turns out to be in the in more convoluted tracks, like Eagle and the Snake, The Grave (anyone else recall Prometheus imploring there to be 'Thorns On My Grave' like on Emperor's last studio track when hearing this one?), and Departure. Like Charles noted, this album also bring a heavier sound than on After, and Something Out There and Departure feature moments wayyy heavier than I was expecting.

My expectations have been met, and possibly even exceeded, just took some time. Midway through the year, I foresee only MDB with the chance to dethrone this one for me.

SOMETHING OLD
SOMETHING NEW
SOMETHING BORROWED
SOMETHING BLUE

So metal...

Best lyrics ever.

Scratch what I said last time about this album: it isn't aging well for me. Some really, really, great moments, but some bad parts too so I end up listening to a few tracks rather than the whole album.

Maybe next time will flow better, until then, I continue to hope for Emperor's return.

Emperor's return? I highly doubt that. Samoth and Ihsahn aren't very compatible music-wise anymore hence why Emperor is dead. This album is the best album Ihsahn has put out. It's full of shining moments and song-writing of excellent caliber. I don't know what you were expecting or maybe you weren't in the right framework of mind when listening to it.

The certainty some members on the forum speak with here is hilarious. Not meaning to single you out in particular, DI, but just because someone says "This is better!" does not objectively make it so.

I'm not exactly sure what point you're trying make. Of course everyone has an opinion! There is no doubt in my mind that what Ihsahn is composing is very much forward-thinking music that not a lot musicians out there are prepared to do. This Certainty that you speak about comes from personal experience and sensory data! We're not talking about speculations about the afterlife and metaphysical issues that are purely devoid of any experience but about what we can hear and sense with the five senses that we possess. I personally think Ihsahn is noticeably progressing with each and every album. It was the same story with Emperor. More mature with each and every release. That's my opinions and I stand strong by it.

I agree with you DI. I don't think Emperor is ever coming back, but this is Ihsahn's best album for sure.

I was waiting for it! "If you don't like this album then you are just like the naysayers who bashed Prometheus". This album can be as forward thinking as it wants, but that doesn't make it quality. Listen to Angl or even After, everyone's preferred album of the last three, and this album just doesn't have the lasting appeal as those.