Peccatum
Lost In Reverie

I greatly appreciate Ihsahn (formerly of Emperor) even in his new solo guise, but every time I listen to this album, I think it’s truly a "peccatum" that he has set aside this project.

The album was released in 2004, after four years of silence, and it presents itself as a decidedly complex and varied work, precious yet difficult to listen to. Following the path already taken by other bands from the Norwegian black metal scene (such as Ulver and Manes), Ihsahn’s Peccatum and his wife Ihriel (Star of Ash) almost completely abandon metal and present us with a broader vision of avant-garde music in this album, transcending genres in the name of experimentation and the richness of the final product.

The album opens with "Desolate Ever After", where delicate, atmospheric keyboard parts, with ethereal melodies sung by Ihriel’s haunting voice, alternate with industrial metal parts led by Ihsahn’s guitars and vocals, developing over a noise rhythm base reminiscent of the sound of robotic factories seen in science fiction films.
"In The Bodiless Heart" opens with acoustic guitar arpeggios and a bass that traces splendid melodies over a trip-jazz rhythm. After a couple of minutes, the acoustic guitar is replaced by an electric one, giving a more rock tone to the piece. This alternation between acoustic and electric parts continues throughout the piece.

"Parasite My Heart" starts like a piece of melodic black metal, led by Ihsahn’s harrowing screaming. But it’s just a little more than a minute before the piece shifts to a composition for piano in a fairly classical style, sung by Ihriel. The husband and his electric guitar return only for the chorus, but in a style very different from what opened the track. The fourth song is titled "Veils Of Blue" and alternates keyboard arrangements that are somewhat '50s with more industrial riffs.

"Black Star" starts slowly, with one of the most catchy melodies on the album and an almost drone-like background, but it immediately hints that something is about to happen. And there it is, after about a minute and a half, it explodes into a black metal fury, with Ihsahn’s inevitable screaming. The track turns out to be the most metal of the album, with powerful and fast guitar riffs dominating much of the song's duration, although the initial slow riff reappears from time to time to break the rhythm.
"Stillness" is the darkest track of the album: excellent guitar arrangements, intelligent use of noise, some aggressive rhythms, and a hint of piano lead the listener towards the end of this hallucinated and hallucinatory mental journey. "The Banks For This River Is Night" is left with the task of closing the album. And what better closure than a splendid piano ballad, melancholic and engaging? Excellent orchestral arrangements lend a touch of drama to the piece, sung entirely by Ihriel.

In summary, an album clearly not for everyone, requiring a good mental openness and numerous listens before being understood and appreciated. But for all those who can appreciate this kind of experimental music, it is a splendid gem that once again reveals the enormous capabilities and the astonishing versatility of a historical figure of the extreme metal scene, Scandinavian and beyond.

To listen to preferably as Ulver teaches us: with headphones and in the dark.