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Rating: "Reverence" was created by the historic and fundamental Emperor in 1997 as a precursor to one of their most appreciated masterpieces, that "Anthems to the welkin 'at dusk" that revolutionized the way of seeing early nineties black metal, evolving it in an exemplary manner.
There are three pieces that characterize it, short in duration but profound in both content and elevated quality. The opening track is "The loss and curse of reverence", which will also be presented on "Anthems..", a true musical tornado. The guitars, which cause painfully severe sound wounds, pair with very evocative keyboards creating that mix of graceful ferocity that had already amazed everyone in the previous "In the nightside eclipse".
Ihsahn is an unleashed demon, his rants of pure madness are uncontrollable, yet here more comprehensible thanks to production that better emphasizes the vocals. It closes with a final break of synths alone and then a riff of almost death-grind mold, reminiscent of their past in Thou Shalt Suffer. Tremendous and unsettling.
The second chapter is the reworking of "In longing spirit" from 1992. Slow, sulfurous, with an almost doom pace centered on oppressive keys and spoken parts it erupts into screams of voices and guitars from hell! a truly chilling end of the track and the lyrics are also very valuable, always tinged with dark omens and nostalgic towards the pagan past. The last track is, in my opinion, the strong point of this intense ep.
It is that "Opus a Satana" which represents the symphonic version of one of the most famous songs by the cursed Norwegians: "Inno a Satana". Ihsahn is responsible for a very successful combination of solemn and melancholic synths that alternate in a ride to the center of the most total oblivion. The whirling progression of the keyboard notes reveals the true essence of the symphonic sound and brilliantly overwhelms into classical music. Epic, fantastic, and emotional.
As mentioned, only three pieces but so intense that I highly recommend the purchase, also because 2-3 are unreleased tracks never revisited. Emperors, pioneers and innovators, will never be forgotten. Great.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 The Loss and Curse of Reverence (06:10)
Memories of torment strikes me.
Attempts were made to suffocate me at birth.
Fools, I was already ancient.
Thou can not kill what breeds within Thee.
Alas, this agony, the emptiness of earthborn pride
Hath stirred my faithful heart which guided me to darker paths.
Far away from their pestilent ways
Cleansed was I from deceitful grace.
Yet, put to scorn was I
By those unclean.
Enslaved by ignorance
They blindly spat upon
The deity of hate.
Awake is the darkest fiend.
By the fallen one I shall arise.
Upon bewildered masses,
To whom the indulgence of my soul portray as sin made god,
I shall revile and quell the source
Whence mockery of my kind derive.
This I know: Facile shalt my quest not come to pass.
Deathwish be my gift to all at last.
Honour. Commended no longer as virtue.
Yet, shalt be extolled by light's demise.
By the fallen one I shall arise.
Arise.
Believer,
Speak not to me of justice,
For none have I ever seen.
By God, I shall give as I receive.
Betrayer,
Speak not to me at all.
You and this world
Ripped my fucking heart out.
Again... again... and again...
Again... and again...
02 In Longing Spirit (06:00)
[Words: Samoth & Ihsahn/ Music: Ihsahn/ Arrangements:Ihsahn & Samoth]
Landscapes
Entrance my mind with thoughts of ancient times
I wonder...
Did they walk this path
Open seas
An endless horizon they seam
I wonder...
Where did they go
Nightsky
Source of light and dark
I wonder...
Did they comprehend
Seasons running through my veins
Like snow melting on my skin
They crawl beyond my flesh
and gasp my yearning eyes
Alas!
The force of divinity
What caused its end...
I drown in thoughts
Yet, answers have abandoned this place
Long ago
Blood runs cold from my arm...
Another one is now to die
Is he the last to see
The graceful entity of Nature
Is he the last to have his heart and soul
Nailed in Her embrasce...
He passes on...
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