Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk

Infobox Album | Name = Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
Type = studio
Artist = Emperor


Released = July 8 1997
Recorded = October 1996 – December 1996
Genre = Symphonic black metal
Length = 43:55
Label = Candlelight Records Century Black
Producer = Eirik Hundvin, Ihsahn, Samoth
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:ojq67ue080jd link]
Last album = "Reverence"
(1996)
This album = "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk"
(1997)
Next album = "Thorns vs. Emperor"
(1999)

"Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk" is the second full-length album by Norwegian black metal band Emperor. It was released in 1997 (see 1997 in music). The album was recorded in the Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway, where many other black metal bands have recorded. The style presented on the album eschews much of the symphonic nature of the previous album, In the Nightside Eclipse in favor of guitar-heavy crushing speed, show-casing blistering riffs and tempos, and the power and unadulterated speed of new drummer Trym. It was heralded as "the black metal album of 1997".

In 1996, the EP "Reverence", which included the track "The Loss and Curse of Reverence", was released as a teaser for the album. In 1998, the album was remastered and re-released in with the three non-album tracks from "Reverence". The band made a promotional video for "The Loss and Curse of Reverence."

The first two tracks are notably linked both aurally and compositionally; the ending strains of "Alsvartr (The Oath)" lead directly into the opening of "Ye Entrancemperium." This is in stark contrast to the rest of the record, where each song is treated as its own separate entity. However, when Emperor performed "Ye Entrancemperium" live, they would often leave out "Alsvartr," possibly because of the lack of energy present in the latter in comparison to their other live material. This is evident on the band's DVD "Emperial Live Ceremony".

The opening guitar riff to "Ye Entrancemperium" is taken from an unnamed Mayhem song. As such, Mayhem guitarist, Euronymous, is credited in the album liner notes even though he died two years before the album was written and recorded. A recording of this unfinished track can be found on the Mayhem bootleg "Ha Elm Zalag".

At the time of its release, the album reached #28 on Finnish album charts. [http://yle.fi/lista/listat/tuote.php?id=481]

Track listing

# "Alsvartr (The Oath)" – Ihsahn – 4:18
# "Ye Entrancemperium" – Ihsahn, Samoth, Euronymous – 5:14
# "Thus Spake the Nightspirit" – Ihsahn – 4:30
# "Ensorcelled by Khaos" – Ihsahn, Samoth – 6:39
# "The Loss and Curse of Reverence" – Ihsahn, Samoth – 6:09
# "The Acclamation of Bonds" – Ihsahn, Samoth – 5:54
# "With Strength I Burn" – Ihsahn, Samoth – 8:17
# "The Wanderer" – Samoth – 2:54

;2004 edition only:

# "In Longing Spirit" - 5:55
# "Opus a Satana" - 4:18
# "Loss and Curse of Reverence - Live" - 6:24

Credits

*Ihsahn – vocals, guitar, synthesizer, arranger, producer, mastering
*Samoth – guitar, arranger, mastering, producer
*Alver – bass
*Trym – drums, percussion
*Pytten – engineer, producer
*Yens – photography
*Stephen O'Malley – design
*David Palser – photography
*Cristophe Szpajdel – illustrations/logo
*N.A.P. – design
*Euronymous - opening riff on "Ye Entrancemperium"