Emperors Return

It's possible, but perhaps not a good idea

goose wrote: MikeEnRegalia wrote: I don't like Black Metal bands who take the negativity seriously. I don't understand this..?

There are a couple of bands that engage in burning churches, killing people ... that sort of thing. I'm not sure, but I think I read somewhere that Emperor used to do those things (or at least they were sympathetic to people who do that).

 

^do they do charity gigs??

MikeEnRegalia wrote: goose wrote: MikeEnRegalia wrote: I don't like Black Metal bands who take the negativity seriously. I don't understand this..? There are a couple of bands that engage in burning churches, killing people ... that sort of thing. I'm not sure, but I think I read somewhere that Emperor used to do those things (or at least they were sympathetic to people who do that).

Emperor's guitarist Samoth was involved in such things, yes.  Even more nutoriously, their ex-drummer Faust murdered a homosexual acquaintance.  Their ex-bassist Tchort (who has since gone on to form Green Carnation) was also in prison at some point during his membership with the band, though I can't remember why.

However, to dismiss them because of what some of them were involved with away from their musical career would be a massive mistake.  I'm by no means a fan of black metal, but Emperor was a brilliant band.  Their guitarist/vocalist/main songwriter Ihsahn has formed an incredible avant-garde prog band with his wife called Peccatum which really exposes his genius.  You should seriously give Emperor's final two albums a listen though.  IX Equilibrium is despised in black metal circles, but presents a powerful symphonic black metal sound (sort of like Dimmu Borgir without the unbearable cheesiness) with some absolutely fantastic riffs.  Prometheus (their swansong) is essentially an Ihsahn solo album, and is by far their most complex and (dare I say it?) progressive album.  By that point the black metal aspect of their music had pretty much entirely faded out, which could be viewed as either a good thing or a bad thing.  If you can withstand pure black metal, it doesn't get much better than In the Nightside Eclipse and Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk.  And don't worry about ridiculous satanic lyrics or anything of the sort, they abandoned that approach pretty early on.