Emperor - IX Equilibrium


Original Version Digipack Version Picture LP Version
1. Curse you all men! 4:41 1. Curse you all men! 4:41 1. Curse you all men! 4:41
2. Decrystallizing reason 6:23 2. Decrystallizing reason 6:23 2. Decrystallizing reason 6:23
3. An elegy of icaros 6:39 3. An elegy of icaros 6:39 3. An elegy of icaros 6:39
4. The source of icon E 3:43 4. The source of icon E 3:43 4. The source of icon E 3:43
5. Sworn 4:30 5. Sworn 4:30 5. Sworn 4:30
6. Nonus aequilibrium 5:49 6. Nonus aequilibrium 5:49 6. Nonus aequilibrium 5:49
7. The warriors of modern death 5:00 7. The warriors of modern death 5:00 7. The warriors of modern death 5:00
8. Of blindness & subsequent seers 6:48 8. Of blindness & subsequent seers 6:48 8. Of blindness & subsequent seers 6:48
9. ... 0:28 9. ... 0:28
10. Curse you all men (live at the Astoria - London July 1999) 4:34
11. Sworn (revamped by Ulver at Endless Studios) 5:39
total time 44:01 total time 54:09 total time 43:33
Box set Version Picture LP Rerelease Version
1. Curse you all men! 4:41 1. Curse you all men! 4:41
2. Decrystallizing reason 6:23 2. Decrystallizing reason 6:23
3. An elegy of icaros 6:39 3. An elegy of icaros 6:39
4. The source of icon E 3:43 4. The source of icon E 3:43
5. Sworn 4:30 5. Sworn 4:30
6. Nonus aequilibrium 5:49 6. Nonus aequilibrium 5:49
7. The warriors of modern death 5:00 7. The warriors of modern death 5:00
8. Of blindness & subsequent seers 6:48 8. Of blindness & subsequent seers 6:48
9. ... 0:28
10. Curse you all men (live at the Astoria - London July 1999) 4:34
11. Sworn (revamped by Ulver at Endless Studios) 5:39
12. Live performances from No Mercy, American tour and Mystic Festival (video) 10:30
total time 64:39 total time 43:33


Curse You All Men!
(Music: Ihsahn, Samoth, lyrics: Ihsahn)

Curse you all men
whose coil is strong
I recognise the sparrow's heart beneath the theatre of misery
Disbelievers shalt by dawn be forced to forever mourn

Curse you all men
that resent my empire
Cause I have risen again, at war this time
The truth I speak is your decease
My word is your defeat

And thou shalt not be able to hide anymore
The prophecy will conquer at last
your sense of reality
with mission to kill the theatre of misery

He has risen again, armed with the source of sin
And as humans shalt fade he shalt inherit their strength
Men of the damned; you will reluctantly secure his eternal victory



Decrystallizing Reason
(Music: Ihsahn, Samoth, lyrics: Ihsahn)

Reason, this demigod unto which you cluster
Sacrilege
You sacrifice the purity of the air beneath your wings
A slow and painful ritual to burn the youth you lost

Demigod
Blasphemers walk among your flock

Despite your blindfold
Proudly you carry the stone on your back
Disillusioned
You plant your feet safely to the ground

Demigod
Blasphemers walk among your flock

As the stone you have become

Not once did you cry for the lost ones of your world
Your care is limited
To this demigod unto which you cluster

Reason
Decrystallize me
Demigod
I do blaspheme

The fallen you condemn
Your heart even free of hate
Yet, scared to death by their disbelief
To ordinary common sense

And with autumn closing in
Forcing life away
No mercy will impale your sin
Dead are your tears



An Elegy Of Icaros
(Music: Ihsahn, lyrics: Ihsahn)

Icaros, I dare you
For I possess the wings of faith
Though, heavy on my shoulders
(No measurement can prove their weight)
Still, a burden they are not to me
I am the challenger of gravity

The fear is not the fate I seek
My destiny will build upon the mighty turbulence beyond
If I fall, I will rise again

Some of envy
Some of fear
Admonish by the graves of those who fell
Praise the fool that pure of heart leaps off your finger
Into grace

Icaros, your voice once melted
Into the choir of the fallen ones
I have heard, I have seen the purity of their song

Icaros
Your fate embrace
A manifold of angels
I summon thee from shattered graves
And call upon the wind
Receive my bow of reverence
Then spread your wings and fly into oblivion



The Source Of Icon E
(Music: Ihsahn, Samoth, lyrics: Ihsahn)

The land was created
In the name of the chosen
And the waves thrown for men to see
The one who made men
To be
Prevailed from the source of Icon E

The waves of fury
Prevailed from the source of Icon E
Were mine to be
Ordered to destroy and bury
No remorse!

The destiny of the wave was not to be found
Nor was I travelling the deadly sea alone
The sun never rose
And my rose was not to be

For what purpose I gave my return
Is still standing alone
And as the raven dropped a feather on me
I was again to be the chosen one...



Sworn
(Music: Ihsahn, Samoth, lyrics: Ihsahn)

Four eyes as two in one
The forward circular view that never ends
An orbital voyage throughout this endless sphere of all
Where time is lost and everything transcends

A graceful presence
At stolen time

As ghosts to the world
Ghosts to the world

For ice, outside, are we apart
As cold and eerie mist to the hand
Ever floating on its coarse towards the heights of shadowland

Thus appear the truly sworn

To be seen
To be feared
Yet, not to be reached

Four eyes as two in one
(Thus appear the truly sworn)
As ghosts to the world
(Thus appear the truly sworn)
For ice, outside, are we apart
(Thus appear the truly sworn)
Cold and eerie mist, burning
(Thus appear the truly sworn)

A graceful presence
At stolen time

Thus appear the truly sworn



Nonus Aequilibrium
(Music: Ihsahn, lyrics: Ihsahn)

Hark
For I speak of purity

I am unconquerable in my worship
I am invincible on my crusade
However hard the strikes may be
However deep the wounds
This blood immortal bleeds for Thee

Blessed was I with the consecration to indomitable dedication

In every breath I hear the silent whisper of Your name
In every harmony, in every thought
You make my water into wine
Remember
I am ever Thine

Blessed was I with the consecration to indomitable dedication

Two bound as one
In a trinity where I comprise infinite forms of unity

In unity reborn
To a state where all past burdens no longer shall be worn

I pledge to perfection
No compromise can touch my woe
Nor questions reach my faith in immortality

In the name of Nonus Aequilibrium
I am Thine
IX times IX...



The Warriors Of Modern Death
(Music: Ihsahn, lyrics: Ihsahn)

All raised to be men
Given image and path
Supreme
Idolised warriors
Bright steel, burning rage
Never too late to try
Stand tall
Never plead
Live and let die

I see the spirit of these ancestors
And reconsider the faith
A primitive sword can not win my war
Could fury
Flaring eyes
Calculated verbal gun
My pride, justified
Spiritual steel shines bright beyond the sun

The pride of the warrior
Is far from dead
The colours of Death are still black and red
Though modernised
Blood will be shed



Of Blindness & Subsequent Seers
(Music: Ihsahn, Samoth, lyrics: Ihsahn)

Ever behind me
Rise a shadow
Taller than I
Yet, with a certain resemblance

How many times do I have to contemplate my own reflection
And say: I have been blind?

I have been blind
Yet, I saw the search and dreams of my rejection walking behind me

Every time I am bound to have been granted the gift of better sight

But my anxiety built one more brick
Fearing again to choose the wrong step

Vaguely I remember
The blurred eyes of someone small
These strangers often come as blind
A troubled mind I left behind

Yet, was it I or my shadow
Walking in the past?


Lyrics in plain text format





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