### Emperor: IX equilibrium

#### 16/09/11 || Smalley

Despite certified madman Altmer trashing later Emperor for their greater emphasis on symphonics (explanation forthcoming), 1999’s “IX Equilibrium” is actually another stellar chapter in a still-spotless discography (not that I’d be completely adverse to another album…), and I actually like it just as much as “Anthems to the welkin at dusk”, if not more so, though that one’s widely considered Emp’s best moment. Well, I say “Equilibrium” is a great entry in Emperor’s legacy as well, so I’m here to let ya know why…

First off, the “symphonics” referred to earlier don’t just refer to the use of synthesized orchestra instruments, although they are integrated well here whenever utilized. Rather, it’s more about the use of more traditional, straightforward keyboard-playing, which helps add this epic, transcendent majesty to the record, increases the songwriting variety through their interaction with the guitars, and their increased usage helped to freshen up Emperor’s sound coming off “Anthems”, as much as the haters futily protest to the contrary.

At any rate, “Equilibrium”‘s songwriting is still just as aggressive as Emperor ever made, and some extra key action doesn’t change that. I actually think the increased keyboard use makes the album easier to get into by taking some of the edge off Emperor’s basically-chaotic soundscapes; what’s so bad about a little more beauty to go along with the beast, nay-sayers? Emperor may use the keys more often on this one, but can you honestly say they put it more up-front than they did at certain points in the past? Can you say the material here has that much more “flair” to it, so to speak, than something like “Towards the pantheon”, or “Thus spake the nightspirit”…? Didn’t think so.

Anyway, as for the songwriting on “Equilibrium”, it’s always catchy and wonderfully epic, has a superb, natural back-and-forth between the furious faster sections and the slower, more melodic ones, and hits that sweet spot in-between repeating too much and throwing in change-ups just for the sake of ‘em, with the riff & tempo changes always coming in at just the right spot, a skill many a metal band has desired to master, but few perfected.

I mean, when you hear those soothing, ethereal keyboards on “Decrystallizing reason”, the soaring, synchronized clean singing on “An elegy of Icaros”, or how well the quietly ominous wind-and-church-bells intro on “The warriors of modern death” transitions into Quorthon-influenced guitar work and a 17-second scream by Ihsahn, as well as just how all-around consistent and compelling this album really is, you just know you’re listening to something real fucken special.

I also dig the increased use of clean, operatic vocal styles here as well, which only adds to the already-formidable amount of variety here (even the shocking use of 3 Inches Of Blood-like falsettos on “The source of icon E” has a campy charm to it), and while “Equilibrium”‘s production is cleaner than the first two albums, I still prefer it to those 2 (especially next to “In the nightside eclipse”, as much as I enjoy that album otherwise). At any rate, the riffing still has that rightfully-hard edge to it, so I have no probs with the production here.

So listen up detractors, because I’ll only write this once; Trym’s skin-bashing is as furious as ever, Ihsahn’s harsh vox are as incomprehensible as ever, Samoth’s churning riffs are as kick-ass as ever, and “IX Equilibrium” is as great an Emperor album as there ever was. It’s intelligent, compelling, kick-ass black metal to the very core, and unlike any other album I’ve heard, and I mean that as a good thing. A very, very fucken good thang.

- Information
- Released: 1999
- Label: Candlelight
- Website: www.emperorhorde.com
- Band
- Ihsahn: vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass
- Samoth: rhythm guitar
- Trym Torson: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Curse You All Men!
- 02. Decrystallizing Reason
- 03. An Elegy Of Icaros
- 04. The Source Of Icon E
- 05. Sworn
- 06. Nonus Aequilibrium
- 07. The Warriors Of Modern Death
- 08. Of Blindness And Subsequent Seers