Emperor
Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk

THE REVIEW

After a dark gem like “In the Nightside Eclipse,” the task was daunting for the four emperors: to create a new black magic worthy of its illustrious predecessor. But it seems the Emperor still had much to say/give to the black metal scene in that 1997.

“Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” opens with the oath (The Oath, the first track) made to the lord of darkness who, having heard their invocation, sends the destructive Ye Entrancemperium (the second track) as a gift, possibly one of the most devastating black (and metal in general) tracks ever conceived, with its relentless riff that stuns the listener, leaving them breathless. The whole is completed by the drums launched at insane speed, introducing us to that dark realm ruled by the four emperors, also thanks to the touch of the revived (or redead?) Euronmous to whom we owe the intro of the piece. After this peak, the album continues to offer us cold guitars, obsessive basses, and drums never as violent as in this work. Magnificent The Loss and Curse of Reverence where Ihsahn's synth orchestrations intertwine seamlessly with the guitar stabs and his overhuman vocal screams, creating an impenetrable sound wall. The beautiful outro The Wanderer, a highly emotional instrumental piece, is preceded by the equally solemn With Strength I Burn, notable for its “epic” lyrics (a work by Ihsahn and Samoth) and its wavering evolution, with purely black parts alternating with more orchestrated and melodic passages, a sort of “summa” of the group's two souls.
This balance between black violence and orchestral melody, which is particularly evident in this track, pervades the entire album and proves to be the point of no return for the Emperor project. The subsequent "IX Equilibrium" will forever lose that balance of forces, putting an end to the group's dark magic.