Ihsahn - angL (Candlelight, 2008)

Ihsahn is the front man of Emperor, the black metal band. So this is his black metal side project. Granted this is one of those progressive, probably pretty jazzy, black metal projects. All I know is that a fuckton of critics love this album. And Emperor is pretty cool so this should be all right. Also, how the fuck am I supposed to pronounce his name? E-sah-n?

Commentary:

•  Decapitation is anything but subtle.
• Totally feel like I'm in the Norwegian tundra and shit.
• Is tundra accurate? I have no idea.
• That must be really awkward for your voice to do.
• Oh, black metal lyrics.
• Always so dramatic.
• Wonder if he left that breath in on purpose.
• Nice vocal syncopation.
• Oh sup pianos
• And clean vocals
• Solar balls? What?
• Fuck yes, Mikael Akerfeldt guest vocals.
• That was some beautiful growling.
• Can't have a black metal album without mentioning a mountain.
• Sometimes I wonder how Scandinavians in metal bands go about learning English.
• Superman? Is he an alchemist? I missed that comic.
• I have to say, this album has had my head bobbing for the majority of it.
• Whoa. Your presence can break someone's neck?
• That must lead to a lot of lawsuits.

Okay, so I was wrong about the whole jazz thing. But that was still pretty fucking good. Kind of like early Opeth with more black metal tendencies. I always find that when I finish these things I can't find the right words. It's just "well, that was good, later". But hey, it's accurate so fuck it.

Krom approves.

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