Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse (1994) Reissue [2008]

 

''In the Nightside Eclipse'' is the first studio album and fourth official release by Norwegian black metal band Emperor, released in 1994 through Candlelight Records. It was their only album to feature drummer Faust and one-time bassist Tchort. Considered a landmark in the black metal scene, the album has been ranked by critics as one of the most influential albums of the genre.

Emperor were known as one of the most infamous Norwegian black metal bands during the early and mid 1990s. Samoth was jailed 16 months for taking part in church burnings with Varg Vikernes (Burzum), along with other members of the Norwegian black metal scene. Drummer Faust was jailed for church burning and for the stabbing and murder of a homosexual man in 1992 (he was never suspected for it until 2 years later when he was arrested in 1994).

Played their first gig on April 13th, 1992, alongside Enslaved, Algol, and Infinite Decay.

The group disbanded in 2001 because they felt they had lived up to everything they wanted to with Emperor. They have received "legendary" status, toured worldwide, have a large catalog of releases, and they didn't want to be known as another group that "never knows when to quit making music" as well as creative incompatibilities (Ihsahn was becoming more inspired by the progressive tendencies he would showcase in his solo work, whereas Samoth was exploring a technical death metal inspiration he would utilize in Zyklon).

The band reunited in 2005 to play at Scream Magazine's anniversary festival and to headline the 2006 editions of Norway's Inferno Festival and Germany's Wacken Open Air. In an interview with UK Magazine Terrorizer, Ihsahn hinted at the possibility of another Emperor album, but stated that Emperor is now a side project.

In 2013, another reunion was announced, with original drummer Faust, to headline Bloodstock Festival in 2014, and the 25th anniversary of the Wacken Open Air festival in the same year. This reunion also marked the 20th anniversary of "In the Nightside Eclipse".

In 2016, another reunion was announced for 2017 in which the band will perform "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" album in its entirety to celebrate the LP's 20th anniversary.

-Tracklist:

Disc 1

Side A:
1. Into the Infinity of Thoughts     08:14
2. The Burning Shadows of Silence     05:36

Side B:
3. Cosmic Keys to My Creations & Times     06:06
4. Beyond the Great Vast Forest     06:01
5. Towards the Pantheon     05:57
         
Disc 2

Side A:
1. The Majesty of the Nightsky     04:54
2. I Am the Black Wizards     06:01
3. Inno a Satana     04:48

Side B:
4. A Fine Day to Die (Bathory cover)     08:30
5. Gypsy (Mercyful Fate cover)     02:56

 

 

-Line up:

• Samoth: Guitars, songwriting, lyrics
• Faust: Drums
• Ihsahn: Vocals, guitars, keyboards, songwriting, lyrics
• Tchort: Bass.

 

 

Ihsahn

Label: Back on Black.

 

 Recorded during the seventh full moon anno 1993 at Grieghallen Studios.
Mixed in winter anno 1994.
Produced by Emperor and Pytten.

 

 "Inno a Satana" is Italian for "Hymn to Satan".

Both "Cosmic Keys to My Creations & Times" and "I Am the Black Wizards" are re-recorded versions of songs that originally appeared on the Emperor EP.
"Beyond the Great Vast Forest" is a re-worked/re-recorded version of the song "My Empire's Doom" from the Wrath of the Tyrant demo with new lyrics.

 

 "A Fine Day to Die" & "Gypsy" are exclusive bonus tracks.
"A Fine Day to Die" recorded in October 1996 at Grieghallen Studios and "Gypsy" recorded in June 1997 at Akkerhaugen Lydstudio.

 

 Front cover by Necrolord.