EMPEROR — Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (review)

EMPEROR — Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk album cover Album · 1997 · Symphonic Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is the 2nd album by Norwegian black metal act Emperor. The album was released by Candlelight Records in July 1997. It´s been re-released several times since then with different bonus tracks and other features. My version is the 2004 re-release which includes 3 bonus tracks, an interview with Finnish TV and some live clips from 1997-1998. The band´s debut full-length studio album In the Nightside Eclipse was released in 1994 but because of guitarist Samoth´s arson conviction and his 16 months jail sentence and drummer Faust´s murder conviction and long jail sentence it took a couple of years before the band started recording Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk. For the recording of the album new drummer Trym and new bassist Alver were brought in to complete the lineup.

The music on the album is fast-paced raw yet quite symphonic keyboard driven black metal. The musicianship is excellent and you´ll hear no sloppy old school black metal drumming here. The vocals are raspy and occasionally clean. Upon first listen the music can seem a bit chaotic. Mainly because of the synths in the music which gives the music lots of atmosphere but also work as a confusing element. The music is mostly fast paced with blast beat drumming but there are a few calmer sections on the album too. While the synths play a dominant role on the album this is not as such symphonic black metal. Parts of the sound could be labelled that but Emperor have their own unique sound and they are a bit more raw than you usual symphonic black metal act.

The vocals are very low in the mix which to my ears is a production flaw, but it´s probably how it´s supposed to be. I´m not fond of it though. Other than that the production is allright, but as on many other black metal releases there´s not much bass and the guitars sound a bit thin.

I have always had great respect for Emperor´s compositional skills and their great musicianship, but their music has yet to really captivate me. I find it intriguing though and some day I might be won over. Until then I can´t give a full 4 star rating. 3.5 stars are warranted.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Goblin Sessions Heavy Metal
THEM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tormenta De Arena Metalcore
VORAGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Infinite Metalcore
FUTURE GHOST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Heretic Melodic Death Metal
SUNCINDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept Mathcore
FRONTIERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Future Ghost - Wolves (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Future Ghost - Nemesis Game (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Harrowed TwentyTenVideo
HARROWED
Bosh66· 3 days ago
Sunmancer - Realms of Dilemma (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
Sunmancer - Lower Cavalier (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed