Review Summary: Emperor wasn't the first black metal band. They were the difinitive one.
The album starts out with an apropriate intro of creepy atmospheric sounds and after a minute or so starts into the first and longest track of the album, "Into the Infinaty of Thoughts. Depending on what version of the album you have the intro and the first track may or may not be combined into one. This song sums up the sound and atmosphere present on the entire album. The sound on this album is not about hearing every instrument perfectly but instead all about atmosphere. Epic sounding synths soar above blistering riffs and blastbeats with Ihsahns cold and powerful vocals shriking alongside. If you don't like this the first time give it (probably more than) a few rotations, this can be hard to get into, but worth it. But hey if you just don't like it what can you do? The second track "The Burning Shadows of Silence" is one of the albums more chaotic moments and is a good fit as a second track helping the album flow along nicely into a personal favorite off this disk, the third track "Cosmic Keys to My Creations and Times". This is the atmosphere i mentioned before and that Emperor is so well known for in full tilt. Excellent.
The fourth track on the album "Beyond the Great Vast Forest" is another track in the same vein as the rest of the album but in a good way. The melodys on this album are memorable and some of the songs like this fall into the rest of the album seemlessly. The fifth track "Towards the Pantheon" is one of the most driving tracks on the album and when the keyboards really come in man are they good. This is a classic Emperor track. The sixth song "The Majesty of the Night Sky" is the albums most chaotic and least melodic moment. Until about half way though where it does a complete 180 degree turn and becomes the most calming and still moment on the record. Good track, but now lets talk classics.
"I Am the Black Wizards" what can i say? This is probably one of the most well known black metal songs ever and even sums up the genre in ways that have earned it's place as a classic. And it deserves to be this song is beautiful complex and chaotic summing up everything that Emperor should be. The eighth and final track from the album "Inno A Satana" ends the album on a high note because of the epicness of the instrumentals and a particularly evil one because of the chanting at the end. All-in-all awesome album that should be experienced if you like extreme music.
