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Emperor (band)
Encyclopedia
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth
(drums) and Ihsahn
(guitar/vocals).
), Emperor was formed. After a short while together, the band released a demo entitled Wrath of the Tyrant
. It quickly gained popularity in the underground and attracted the attention of the then-start-up label Candlelight. Soon afterwards, a record contract was signed, Samoth moved to rhythm guitar, Ihsahn continued the vocal duties and lead guitars, and Faust
was recruited as a drummer. The band was signed to the infamous first black metal label, Deathlike Silence Productions
, and planned to release their next album soon, though the band never managed to release any material while signed to DSP.
In the summer of 1992, a series of events were set in motion by the black metal inner circle. Samoth, along with various other black metallers, set out to burn down the ancient churches of Norway.http://www.angelfire.com/de3/dragonsofthenorth/Arson.html Also in 1992, Faust lived in Lillehammer
, and in the newly-constructed Olympic park a man named Magne Andreassen approached him and suggested that they take a walk in the nearby forest. Faust agreed, and, once in the forest, Faust claimed the man began to make strong sexual advances towards him. Faust then stabbed the man to death, kicking him in the head afterward to ensure that he was dead.http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/faust.htmhttp://www.angelfire.com/de3/dragonsofthenorth/Arson.html He was not convicted until two years later. The day after Faust committed the murder, he went with Euronymous
of Mayhem
and Varg Vikernes
of Burzum
to burn the Holmenkollen
Church in Oslo. In the summer of 1993, the band began working on their first full-length album. Emperor toured with the then little known British
group Cradle of Filth
, and after this tour the band ceased wearing corpse paint
; they stated that it was becoming a trend and losing its original significance and symbolism. In autumn of that year, the police began to investigate the murder of Euronymous of Mayhem, naming Varg Vikernes
as a suspect; this investigation eventually led to the incarceration of Samoth for arson, and of Faust for the murder of Magne Andreassen.
In 1994, Samoth was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burning the Skjold Church in Vindafjord, together with Varg Vikernes. The arson was committed during a pause in the recording of the Burzum EP Aske (Ashes). In 1994, In the Nightside Eclipse
was released, and earned Emperor widespread acclaim and a large fanbase. The album is considered by many a definitive black metal record, with its epic, evolving song structures, ambient keyboard sounds, and raspy, spewed vocals.
After Samoth's parole, the band was joined by Trym
and Alver on drums and bass respectively, and at the end of 1996, Emperor entered the studio to record Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
. Featuring a much more progressive sound than their earlier works, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk won the 'album of the year' poll in many popular metal magazines around the world, including UK
Terrorizer and US
Metal Maniacs. Bassist Alver soon left.
Now continuing their career as a trio, with Ihsahn handling keyboards
, vocals, guitars and bass, the band recorded their third album IX Equilibrium
and toured Europe
and the United States. It was around 2000 when Samoth and Trym started to gravitate more towards death metal
, while Ihsahn directed his musical exploration towards the more artistic and progressive side of extreme metal
, as shown by his side project, Peccatum
. Thus, in 2001, Emperor decided to disband after releasing one final album, Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
, composed entirely by Ihsahn.
Following the breakup, Samoth and Trym continued playing in the black/death metal outfit Zyklon
, while Ihsahn concentrated on his family project Peccatum
. Later Ihsahn
announced a solo project, much in the vein of Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
and Peccatum
, featuring drummer Asgeir Mickelson of Borknagar
and Vintersorg
. It has generated positive feedback in the black metal
community.
Recently, Ihsahn
announced an Emperor Tablature
Book based on their Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath
compilation album
, containing thirteen Emperor tracks from their back catalogue. It will be transcribed by Ihsahn with a foreword
also by him, and is to be released October 31 via Candlelight Records
. Emperor's albums were also re-issued in a special box version with a bonus poster on Aug. 21, 2007.
Samoth announced on October 23, 2007 that Emperor had begun preparing a second official DVD release. On December 8, 2008 it was revealed that this release will be called Live Inferno and come in the form of a double-disc live album and a live DVD, taken from their appearances at Inferno and Wacken metal festivals during their brief reunion. It was released on April 16, 2009 in Europe and April 21 in North America.
in April and Wacken Open Air
in August. Samoth unfortunately was unable to take part in the US tour dates, as his conviction for the arson he committed in 1992 lengthened the process for his visa application, so Emperor performed without him.
On October 7, 2006, Emperor performed at the under-18 Motstøy-festival in their home town of Notodden. The band had wanted to do an under-18 gig and a gig at their home town, so the festival fit perfectly. It was held at a small venue called StuA, and with only 450 tickets available, the concert quickly sold out.
On October 28, 2006, Emperor returned to the UK to play a gig at London's Astoria venue, where the band was warmly greeted by fans. In 2007, Emperor played a series of one-off shows in the United States and two festival gigs in France and Finland.
Former members
Live and session members
Samoth
Samoth is a prominent musician and multi-instrumentalist in the Norwegian black metal scene. He was well known for his distinct guitar work and drumming in the band Emperor, as well as his formation of the death metal band Zyklon...
(drums) and Ihsahn
Ihsahn
Ihsahn is a Norwegian composer, guitar, bass, keyboard player and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor. He has appeared in Thou Shalt Suffer, up until March 4, 2006, played in Peccatum with his wife Ihriel , and now devotes himself to his solo project,...
(guitar/vocals).
Biography
In their youth, Ihsahn and Samoth met at a rock music seminar. The two young men began playing together under various names; first Dark Device, then Xerasia, then Embryonic. The group soon evolved into the now well-known band Thou Shalt Suffer. Soon, however, Samoth began to write music outside of Thou Shalt Suffer, and together with Ihsahn and a new bass player called Mortiis (later of his own eponymous band MortiisMortiis
Mortiis is a band from Notodden, Norway fronted by Håvard Ellefsen, who is also known as the namesake of the band. The name is a misspelling of the word 'mortis', which is the pronunciation used by the band. However, Mortiis started as the solo project of Ellefsen as a means to convey a story...
), Emperor was formed. After a short while together, the band released a demo entitled Wrath of the Tyrant
Wrath of the Tyrant
Wrath of the Tyrant is an album of demo recordings released in 1992 by the black metal band Emperor. This batch of recordings shows an extreme difference in sound versus later albums, more akin to lo-fi death metal. This was the only time Emperor ever used down-tuned-guitars: the album was recorded...
. It quickly gained popularity in the underground and attracted the attention of the then-start-up label Candlelight. Soon afterwards, a record contract was signed, Samoth moved to rhythm guitar, Ihsahn continued the vocal duties and lead guitars, and Faust
Bård Faust
Bård Guldvik "Faust" Eithun is a Norwegian drummer. He is best known for his work with early black metal band Emperor, especially on the releases As the Shadows Rise and In the Nightside Eclipse...
was recruited as a drummer. The band was signed to the infamous first black metal label, Deathlike Silence Productions
Deathlike Silence Productions
Deathlike Silence Productions was an Oslo, Norway based independent record label founded in the late 1980s that focused primarily on black metal. It was the first independent label to do so. The label was founded by Øystein Aarseth, also known as Euronymous, who operated the label until his murder...
, and planned to release their next album soon, though the band never managed to release any material while signed to DSP.
In the summer of 1992, a series of events were set in motion by the black metal inner circle. Samoth, along with various other black metallers, set out to burn down the ancient churches of Norway.http://www.angelfire.com/de3/dragonsofthenorth/Arson.html Also in 1992, Faust lived in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, and in the newly-constructed Olympic park a man named Magne Andreassen approached him and suggested that they take a walk in the nearby forest. Faust agreed, and, once in the forest, Faust claimed the man began to make strong sexual advances towards him. Faust then stabbed the man to death, kicking him in the head afterward to ensure that he was dead.http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/faust.htmhttp://www.angelfire.com/de3/dragonsofthenorth/Arson.html He was not convicted until two years later. The day after Faust committed the murder, he went with Euronymous
Euronymous
Øystein Aarseth , who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem...
of Mayhem
Mayhem (band)
Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, Norway and regarded as one of the pioneers of the influential Norwegian black metal scene...
and Varg Vikernes
Varg Vikernes
Varg Vikernes is a Norwegian black metal musician, writer, philosopher, religious and political activist, arsonist and convicted murderer.Vikernes was born near Bergen, Norway. In 1991, he founded the one-man music project Burzum, which quickly became popular within the early Norwegian black metal...
of Burzum
Burzum
Burzum is a musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
to burn the Holmenkollen
Holmenkollen
Holmenkollen is a neighborhood in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. In addition to being a residential area, the area has been a ski recreation area since the late 19th century, with its famous, eponymous, ski jump arena hosting competitions since 1892...
Church in Oslo. In the summer of 1993, the band began working on their first full-length album. Emperor toured with the then little known British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
group Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
, and after this tour the band ceased wearing corpse paint
Corpse paint
Corpse paint or corpsepaint is a style of black-and-white makeup, used mainly by black metal bands during live concerts and photo shoots. The makeup is used to intensify the bands' imagery of evil, inhumanity, and corpse-like decay. It is most commonly used just on the face, but also on arms and...
; they stated that it was becoming a trend and losing its original significance and symbolism. In autumn of that year, the police began to investigate the murder of Euronymous of Mayhem, naming Varg Vikernes
Varg Vikernes
Varg Vikernes is a Norwegian black metal musician, writer, philosopher, religious and political activist, arsonist and convicted murderer.Vikernes was born near Bergen, Norway. In 1991, he founded the one-man music project Burzum, which quickly became popular within the early Norwegian black metal...
as a suspect; this investigation eventually led to the incarceration of Samoth for arson, and of Faust for the murder of Magne Andreassen.
In 1994, Samoth was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burning the Skjold Church in Vindafjord, together with Varg Vikernes. The arson was committed during a pause in the recording of the Burzum EP Aske (Ashes). In 1994, In the Nightside Eclipse
In the Nightside Eclipse
In the Nightside Eclipse is the first full-length album and fourth official release by Norwegian black metal band Emperor. It features one of Emperor's best-known songs, "I Am the Black Wizards". It was recorded in July, 1993 at Grieghallen and released in 1994 by Candlelight Records. The cover was...
was released, and earned Emperor widespread acclaim and a large fanbase. The album is considered by many a definitive black metal record, with its epic, evolving song structures, ambient keyboard sounds, and raspy, spewed vocals.
After Samoth's parole, the band was joined by Trym
Trym Torson
Trym Torson , or just Trym, is a Norwegian drummer, formerly with Zyklon. Torson started playing in the Viking metal band Enslaved and was later invited to play in black metal band Emperor. He co-founded Zyklon together with Emperor member Samoth...
and Alver on drums and bass respectively, and at the end of 1996, Emperor entered the studio to record Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is the second full-length album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Emperor. It was released in 1997 . The album was recorded in the Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway...
. Featuring a much more progressive sound than their earlier works, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk won the 'album of the year' poll in many popular metal magazines around the world, including UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Terrorizer and US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Metal Maniacs. Bassist Alver soon left.
Now continuing their career as a trio, with Ihsahn handling keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals, guitars and bass, the band recorded their third album IX Equilibrium
IX Equilibrium
-Credits:*Ihsahn – vocals, lead guitars, synthesizers, bass guitar*Samoth – rhythm guitars*Trym – drums, percussion...
and toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States. It was around 2000 when Samoth and Trym started to gravitate more towards death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, while Ihsahn directed his musical exploration towards the more artistic and progressive side of extreme metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
, as shown by his side project, Peccatum
Peccatum
Peccatum was an avant-garde metal band from Norway. Their influences range from black metal, progressive metal, industrial music, symphonic metal and gothic metal to European classical music and contemporary music.-Biography:...
. Thus, in 2001, Emperor decided to disband after releasing one final album, Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise is the fourth and final studio album by Emperor. Produced by band member Ihsahn, it was released by Candlelight and was the band's final album. Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise differs from Emperor's previous recordings with a focus on a more...
, composed entirely by Ihsahn.
Following the breakup, Samoth and Trym continued playing in the black/death metal outfit Zyklon
Zyklon (band)
Zyklon was a Norwegian blackened death metal band formed in 1998 by Samoth and Trym of Emperor, along with former members of Myrkskog. Their style has been defined as modern death metal with black and industrial undertones...
, while Ihsahn concentrated on his family project Peccatum
Peccatum
Peccatum was an avant-garde metal band from Norway. Their influences range from black metal, progressive metal, industrial music, symphonic metal and gothic metal to European classical music and contemporary music.-Biography:...
. Later Ihsahn
Ihsahn
Ihsahn is a Norwegian composer, guitar, bass, keyboard player and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor. He has appeared in Thou Shalt Suffer, up until March 4, 2006, played in Peccatum with his wife Ihriel , and now devotes himself to his solo project,...
announced a solo project, much in the vein of Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise is the fourth and final studio album by Emperor. Produced by band member Ihsahn, it was released by Candlelight and was the band's final album. Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise differs from Emperor's previous recordings with a focus on a more...
and Peccatum
Peccatum
Peccatum was an avant-garde metal band from Norway. Their influences range from black metal, progressive metal, industrial music, symphonic metal and gothic metal to European classical music and contemporary music.-Biography:...
, featuring drummer Asgeir Mickelson of Borknagar
Borknagar
Borknagar is a progressive black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines folk metal and black metal with progressive and melodic elements...
and Vintersorg
Vintersorg
Vintersorg is a Swedish band from Skellefteå, formed in 1994 under the name Vargatron . Musically, Vintersorg has covered a wide number of heavy metal genres; while the band is mostly rooted in extreme metal styles, particularly black metal and Viking/folk metal, it has also expanded into...
. It has generated positive feedback in the black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
community.
Recently, Ihsahn
Ihsahn
Ihsahn is a Norwegian composer, guitar, bass, keyboard player and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor. He has appeared in Thou Shalt Suffer, up until March 4, 2006, played in Peccatum with his wife Ihriel , and now devotes himself to his solo project,...
announced an Emperor Tablature
Tablature
Tablature is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches....
Book based on their Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath
Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath
Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath is a compilation album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Emperor, released in 2003. It contains 27 songs from ten different releases with a total running time of nearly two and a half hours. Limited pressings of the album came in a purple slipcase...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, containing thirteen Emperor tracks from their back catalogue. It will be transcribed by Ihsahn with a foreword
Foreword
A foreword is a piece of writing sometimes placed at the beginning of a book or other piece of literature. Written by someone other than the primary author of the work, it often tells of some interaction between the writer of the foreword and the book's primary author or the story the book tells...
also by him, and is to be released October 31 via Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
. Emperor's albums were also re-issued in a special box version with a bonus poster on Aug. 21, 2007.
Samoth announced on October 23, 2007 that Emperor had begun preparing a second official DVD release. On December 8, 2008 it was revealed that this release will be called Live Inferno and come in the form of a double-disc live album and a live DVD, taken from their appearances at Inferno and Wacken metal festivals during their brief reunion. It was released on April 16, 2009 in Europe and April 21 in North America.
Live performances
The band played in Mexico city on July 24, 1999. Some years later the band played a surprise three-song show in Oslo on 30 September 2005, at which they announced a series of full concerts to take place in California, New York City, and Europe in 2006. As of February 2006, they were also scheduled to play at the Inferno festivalInferno Metal Festival
Inferno Metal Festival is an annual extreme metal festival in Oslo, Norway. The festival was founded by Borknagar guitarist Jens F. Ryland in cooperation with Radar Booking in 2001 and take place at Rockefeller Music Hall.-2011:...
in April and Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
in August. Samoth unfortunately was unable to take part in the US tour dates, as his conviction for the arson he committed in 1992 lengthened the process for his visa application, so Emperor performed without him.
On October 7, 2006, Emperor performed at the under-18 Motstøy-festival in their home town of Notodden. The band had wanted to do an under-18 gig and a gig at their home town, so the festival fit perfectly. It was held at a small venue called StuA, and with only 450 tickets available, the concert quickly sold out.
On October 28, 2006, Emperor returned to the UK to play a gig at London's Astoria venue, where the band was warmly greeted by fans. In 2007, Emperor played a series of one-off shows in the United States and two festival gigs in France and Finland.
Band members
Final-line up- IhsahnIhsahnIhsahn is a Norwegian composer, guitar, bass, keyboard player and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor. He has appeared in Thou Shalt Suffer, up until March 4, 2006, played in Peccatum with his wife Ihriel , and now devotes himself to his solo project,...
(Vegard Sverre Tveitan) - vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards (1991–2001, 2006, 2007) - SamothSamothSamoth is a prominent musician and multi-instrumentalist in the Norwegian black metal scene. He was well known for his distinct guitar work and drumming in the band Emperor, as well as his formation of the death metal band Zyklon...
(Tomas Haugen) - guitars, bass guitar, drums, vocals (1991–2001, 2006, 2007) - Trym TorsonTrym TorsonTrym Torson , or just Trym, is a Norwegian drummer, formerly with Zyklon. Torson started playing in the Viking metal band Enslaved and was later invited to play in black metal band Emperor. He co-founded Zyklon together with Emperor member Samoth...
(Kai Johnny Mosaker) - drums (1996–2001, 2006, 2007)
Former members
- Alver (Jonas Alver) - bass guitar (1995–1998)
- TchortTchortTerje Vik Schei , better known by his stage name Tchort, is a Norwegian musician. He is known for his time spent playing bass for the black metal band Emperor and for leading the progressive metal band Green Carnation...
(Terje Schei) - bass guitar (1993–1994) - Mortiis (Håvard Ellefsen) - bass guitar (1991–1992)
- FaustBård FaustBård Guldvik "Faust" Eithun is a Norwegian drummer. He is best known for his work with early black metal band Emperor, especially on the releases As the Shadows Rise and In the Nightside Eclipse...
(Bård Eithun) - drums (1992–1993)
Live and session members
- Secthdamon (Odd Tony) - bass guitar (2006, 2007)
- Also involved in ZyklonZyklon (band)Zyklon was a Norwegian blackened death metal band formed in 1998 by Samoth and Trym of Emperor, along with former members of Myrkskog. Their style has been defined as modern death metal with black and industrial undertones...
and MyrkskogMyrkskogMyrkskog is a death metal band formed in 1993 from Drammen, Norway.-Band history:Usually their music consisted of thunderous high speed double-bass with rapid blastbeats and fills. Guitars were made up of harmonic tremolo picking and sometimes powerchords with fast solos composed by Destructhor...
.
- Also involved in Zyklon
- Einar Solberg - keyboards (2006, 2007)
- Also involved in LeprousLeprousLeprous is a Norwegian progressive metal band formed in 2001 in the metal town of Notodden, Norway, home of other bands such as Emperor, Ihsahn, Peccatum.-Biography:...
- Also involved in Leprous
- Charmand Grimloch (Joachim Rygg) - keyboard (1996–1999)
- Also involved in Tartaros and The Thrill
- Tyr (Jan Erik Torgersen) - bass guitar (1998–1999)
- Also involved in BorknagarBorknagarBorknagar is a progressive black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines folk metal and black metal with progressive and melodic elements...
and VintersorgVintersorgVintersorg is a Swedish band from Skellefteå, formed in 1994 under the name Vargatron . Musically, Vintersorg has covered a wide number of heavy metal genres; while the band is mostly rooted in extreme metal styles, particularly black metal and Viking/folk metal, it has also expanded into...
.
- Also involved in Borknagar
- Ildjarn (Vidar Vaaer) - bass guitar (1993)
- Also involved in IldjarnIldjarnIldjarn was a black metal project from Norway that formed in 1991. Ildjarn recorded music until 1997 but did not officially end until 2005. The man behind Ildjarn was Vidar Vaaer, although some releases were collaborations with a musician known as Nidhogg...
and Thou Shalt Suffer.
- Also involved in Ildjarn
- Sverd (Steinar Johnsen)Steinar Sverd JohnsenSteinar Sverd Johnsen is a Norwegian keyboardist and composer, born 1972. Sverd last played keyboards and synthesizers in Arcturus and was also the main composer for the band. He formed the band with Jan Axel Blomberg of Mayhem in 1987, originally under the moniker Mortem...
- keyboards (1994–1995)- Also involved in ArcturusArcturus (band)Arcturus is an avant-garde metal band formed in Norway in 1987. They named it Arcturus , after the Behenian fixed star Arcturus.-Biography:The band has released four official full-length albums...
and The KovenantThe KovenantThe Kovenant is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo/Hamar. The band originally formed as Covenant in 1993, but in 1999 were forced to change their name to The Kovenant due to a dispute with a Swedish electronic band of the same name....
.
- Also involved in Arcturus
Discography
Studio albums- In the Nightside EclipseIn the Nightside EclipseIn the Nightside Eclipse is the first full-length album and fourth official release by Norwegian black metal band Emperor. It features one of Emperor's best-known songs, "I Am the Black Wizards". It was recorded in July, 1993 at Grieghallen and released in 1994 by Candlelight Records. The cover was...
(1994) - Anthems to the Welkin at DuskAnthems to the Welkin at DuskAnthems to the Welkin at Dusk is the second full-length album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Emperor. It was released in 1997 . The album was recorded in the Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway...
(1997) - Thorns vs. EmperorThorns vs. EmperorThorns vs. Emperor is a split album by the Norwegian black metal bands Thorns and Emperor. The album features a mixture of covers and originals, as well as re-recorded versions of older tracks....
(1999) - IX EquilibriumIX Equilibrium-Credits:*Ihsahn – vocals, lead guitars, synthesizers, bass guitar*Samoth – rhythm guitars*Trym – drums, percussion...
(1999) - Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise (2001)
Videography
- The Loss and Curse of Reverence – promo video
- Emperial Live CeremonyEmperial Live Ceremony-Track listing:#"Curse You All Men!" – 5:43#"Thus Spake The Nightspirit" – 4:25#"I Am the Black Wizards" – 5:34#"An Elegy Of Icaros" – 6:11#"With Strength I Burn" – 7:48...
(2000) – VHS/DVD - Empty (2001) – promo video
- Live InfernoLive InfernoLive Inferno is the final release from the Symphonic Black Metal band Emperor. It was filmed during the band’s sold out 2005-2007 reunion performances. It was released in Europe on the 20th of April with several editions available...
(2009) - Live at Wacken Open Air 2006 'A Night of Emperial Wrath' (2009)