Ihsahn can comfortably be defined as a musical genius, a virtuoso and progenitor of 4 of the finest metal albums ever to appear on the radar of this writer's musical experience. Every Emperor release was a masterclass in technicality, atmosphere, arrangement and inspiration. In the Nightside Eclipse is a cornerstone of my listening evolution, the black metal album that got me into it, as its scope and delivery was just so impressive to me. But what since Emperor's self-inflicted demise? Samoth and Trym went on to form death metal juggernauts Zyklon who also appear to get better with each subsequent release, showing that there was an excellent creative collaboration in Emperor, but Ihsahn's first solo album, The Adversary was met with mixed reactions and disappointment by many as it appeared to be as if Ihsahn was free to reign, but he was almost unwilling to fully release his visions. And yet it was still an excellent album of potent material, which always begged that question: what if it went further? Well thankfully he has returned with his second proper solo work, and what a work it is. Not only has he fully released his incredible talents, but Ihsahn has that uncanny ability to go into all regions of extreme metal, from harsh black to progressive and yet it never feels disjointed. Opener 'Misanthrope' unleashes with a bombastic roar and Ihsahn's instantly recognisable vocal stylings remind you of prime Emperor album openers like Curse You All Men! Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt makes a passionate appearance on Unhealer and adds depth to a melancholic, powerful track that could go down as one of the great collaborations in extreme music. It contains beautiful pastoral clean guitar sections, great death vocal interplay between the two men and comes across as an essential mix in the album, not just a showy collaboration intent on bringing in Opeth fans etc. 'Thredony' possesses a vulnerability in its acousticness, and Ihsahn's progressive streak appears in full force in 'The Alchemist'. His hired hands on bass and drums, Lars Norberg and Asegir Mickelson from Spiral Architects, keep the performance tight and and natural, and play admirably. Its important not to forget that contribution but the star as always is Ihsahn. His performance is nothing short of magnificent, his impassioned vocal work on the verses of Emancipation and his technical, flowing guitarwork that punctuates every song on the album is a delight to behold. Finally we have the kind of work anyone who knows what he can create has expected, and it has been more than worth the wait. Long may the Emperor reign...
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