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Emperor - IX Equilibrium review



Reviewer:
10

578 users:
8.32
Band: Emperor
Album: IX Equilibrium
Release date: November 1999


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 & Subsequent Seers
09. Outro

After the 1997's metal monster "Anthems to the Welkin at dusk", the norwegian bloodhounds Emperor recorded what i call, the perfect follow up. Although "Anthems..." is a practically impossible album to be equaled, "IX Equilibrium" transforms the ideas of the last work in an excellent way, and takes them to a different level; The structure is quite more technical, and more brutal, but the intensity remains. The band's natural virtuosity acts by itself, and here we confirmate the thing that makes Emperor the best: Unity.

Emperor was able to articulate the thematics of the album uniformly, and gave the term "Concept album" a different view. The theatricality of Emperor is better reflected in the emotions of the album. Here it gives us a landscape of human nature, that, from everyone's view is quite exagerated, but from Emperor's view is essential.

Emperor is the only band that has suffered these kinds of changes over the years, and the only band that has accepted them, and made beautiful music with them. What else can i say? it's just Perfect.

Written by Operalia | 21.11.2003




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 10   Visited by: 182 users
17.06.2007 - 14:02
Rating: 9
Warman
Erotic Stains
One of my favourite albums, their second best after Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk. Very nice Symphonic stuff...
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17.06.2007 - 16:46
Baz Anderson

probably my second favourite also..
I have it on right now.. hahaha - it is an utterly fantastic album
people who only like badly produced black metal and all that lot probably wont appriciate it - but people who do appreciate a wider range of music quite rightly love this album
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04.08.2007 - 08:08
bluemobiusx
Account deleted
I think this album is underated by a lot of Emperor fans. I agree with your review. I think this album is a great progression from Anthems.
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23.02.2008 - 00:47
erctus-seth
Account deleted
good work... it deserves 9... "curse you all men!" and "sworn" ... Oh i hate them so much! (so lovely)
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15.05.2009 - 11:16
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
Althou I almost completly disagree with some points in the review, I don't think this is a bad album. Definetly the worst of all their releases, but still good in general view.
All in all, another decent emperial album.
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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15.05.2009 - 12:27
Smurfophagist

Way overrated IMO.
If any of their albums deserve a rating this high than it would be 'In The Nightside Eclipse'.
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Having a signature is an absolute must.
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20.07.2009 - 06:11
Rating: 9
LeChron James
Helvetesfossen
Another crazy emperor album. goddamn
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Kick Ass, Die Young

Less is More
Stay Pure
Stay Poor

Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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20.10.2009 - 21:57
Reaper02

Full metal intensity from start to finish,blasted my speakers lol, record is made to quake the earth.

Long live the Emperor !!!!
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13.02.2011 - 10:54
Luneth
Account deleted
Anthems is superior in my opinion, more symphonic and less intense. In some ways I don't like their 'brutal' side. 10 is far too high a score...more like 8-8.5
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15.06.2016 - 19:39
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
I agree its techiqualm I think Ihsna is to intellectual to be 100% stereo generic Blackist, he needs avant-garde somehow, to heavy intellect and they did not play matchies game to, they was silent while hates did burn
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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