Original Version Picture LP Version Rerelease Version 1. Al svartr (the oath) 4:18 1. Al svartr (the oath) 4:18 1. Al svartr (the oath) 4:18 2. Ye entrancemperium 5:15 2. Ye entrancemperium 5:15 2. Ye entrancemperium 5:15 3. Thus spake the nightspirit 4:30 3. Thus spake the nightspirit 4:30 3. Thus spake the nightspirit 4:30 4. Ensorcelled by khaos 6:39 4. Ensorcelled by khaos 6:39 4. Ensorcelled by khaos 6:39 5. The loss and curse of reverence 6:09 5. The loss and curse of reverence 6:09 5. The loss and curse of reverence 6:09 6. The acclamation of bonds 5:54 6. The acclamation of bonds 5:54 6. The acclamation of bonds 5:54 7. With strength I burn 8:18 7. With strength I burn 8:18 7. With strength I burn 8:18 8. The wanderer 2:54 8. The wanderer 2:54 8. The wanderer 2:54 9. The loss and curse of reverence (video) 6:06 total time 43:58 total time 43:58 total time 60:34 Remastered Version Box set Version 1. Al svartr (the oath) 4:18 1. Al svartr (the oath) 4:18 2. Ye entrancemperium 5:15 2. Ye entrancemperium 5:15 3. Thus spake the nightspirit 4:30 3. Thus spake the nightspirit 4:30 4. Ensorcelled by khaos 6:39 4. Ensorcelled by khaos 6:39 5. The loss and curse of reverence 6:09 5. The loss and curse of reverence 6:09 6. The acclamation of bonds 5:54 6. The acclamation of bonds 5:54 7. With strength I burn 8:18 7. With strength I burn 8:18 8. The wanderer 2:54 8. The wanderer 2:54 9. In longing spirit 5:55 9. In longing spirit 5:55 10. Opus satana 4:18 10. Opus satana 4:18 11. The loss and curse of reverence (live) 6:24 11. The loss and curse of reverence (live) 6:24 12. Band interview on Finnish TV + live clips from 1997-98 10:30 total time 71:04 total time 71:04
ALSVARTR (THE OATH) (Words, music & arrangements: Ihsahn) Hark, O'Nightspirit Father of my dark self From within this realm, wherein Thou dwelleth By this lake of blood, from which we feed to breed I call silently for Thy presence, as I lay this oath May this night carry my will And may these old mountains forever remember this night May the forest whisper my name And may the storm bring these words to the end of all worlds May the wise moon be my witness As I swear on my honour In respect of my pride and darkness itself That I shall rule by the blackest wisdom O'Nightspirit I am one with thee I am the eternal power I am the Emperor Winds and storms, embrace us now Lay waste the light of day Open gates to darker lands We spread our wings and fly away YE ENTRANCEMPERIUM (Words: Ihsahn / Music: Samoth & Ihsahn [opening theme originally composed by Euronymous] / Arrangements: Samoth & Ihsahn) Drawn towards these lands again Seeking death and sacred soil I ride the longing winds of my blackened soul Growing stronger once I enter my empire beyond Emperium Behold my coming The fullmoon rise above me Enlightening my realm in a silvery glow Yet the shadows crawl beneath my storming sky Guarding treasures from forbidden light I still remember, though ages ago it seems The first time I entered the gates The revelation of ritual death By which I became divine Sacrifice of the life I had among the flesh of the light And now I enter again Even stronger, yet amazed by what I see In ecstasy I mock the world Suddenly I memorize Asking what I left behind Nothing Can I ever comprehend? Will my longing ever end? Never Drawn towards these lands again Seeking death and sacred soil I ride the longing winds of my blackened soul Eternally THUS SPAKE THE NIGHTSPIRIT (Words, music & arrangements: Ihsahn) Close your eyes And gaze into this realm That I reveal See where eternities are born Close your eyes Behold the powers of the broken seal See the liars bound in thorns Fear And you shall fall Weakness suffocates your will Dare Yet never fail Wisdom guides the one The strong who can defy Death So I speak Though, am I heard...? Wasting visions on a world of blinded fools Still I scorn The vacant contradiction of life If only to bewilder The final truth shall speak my name Thus spake the nightspirit Nightspirit Spirit Embrace my soul ENSORCELLED BY KHAOS (Words: Ihsahn / Music & arrangements: Samoth & Ihsahn) In an endless maze begotten To dead ends led by fools I sought a plague For those who smiled at walls In humble fear Yet, belligerent ways came to an end No war could ease my hunger By craving death I was To darkness reborn No sacrifice too great Caught in another maze Truly endless Still This maze is mine No peace for me No peace I seek My quest goes far beyond No sacrifice too great Caught in another maze Truly endless Still This maze is mine I hail the greatest fall Dark is the spirit of my token Dark is my call Still craving Still torn Hear me master Of this realm to which I was reborn "Bearer of my stigma. Thou art of me. Yet, claim no gift, but guidance. For I am the giver of temptation. Thou art the executor of Thy rewards" The cosmic forces driving me More noble, more free Love and hate and all in between I greet them all in ecstasy Take Me Venus Seduce me Mars Possess me Tear my soul from sanity No sacrifice too great Caught in another maze Truly endless Still this maze is mine And I am thine THE LOSS AND CURSE OF REVERENCE (Words: Ihsahn / Music: Ihsahn & Samoth / Arrangements: Samoth & Ihsahn) Memories of torment strikes me Attemps were made to suffocate me at birth Fools I was already ancient Thou can not kill what breeds within Thee Alas, this agony The emptiness of earthborn pride Hath stirred my faithful heart Which guided me to darker paths Far away from their pestilent ways Cleansed was I from deceitful grace Yet, put so scorn was I By those unclean Enslaved by ignorance They blindly spat upon the deity of hate Awake is the darkest fiend By the fallen one I shall arise Upon bewildered masses To whom the indulgence of my soul Portray as sin made god I shall revile and quell the source Whence mockery of my kind derive This I know Facile shalt my quest not come to pass Deathwish be my gift to all at last Honour Commended no longer as virtue Yet, shalt be extolled by light's demise By the fallen one I shall arise Believer Speak not to me of justice For none have I ever seen By God, I shall give as I receive Betrayer Speak not to me at all You and this world ripped my fucking heart out Again... and again... and again... THE ACCLAMATION OF BONDS (Words: Ihsahn / Music: Ihsahn & Samoth / Arrangements: Ihsahn) Vide Ravens caw in reverence Anthems to the Welkin at dusk In celebration of the few The kin Beyond flesh Beyond words Those of the core Beyond gods As gods received I float among them On wings once broken Now gleaming black I share their song Of words unspoken Cries of the past In times of fiendish tempest Bloodlust turns against the coil Hungry for the fall I greet the pit Blind Savage Cursing Life Yet, at the moment of my final step The hands and golden chains are given Bidding me that which can not be deprived The bonds of trust and unity Till the end Brethren and sisters of my circle I acclaim thee all When guiding stars are clouded and deranged Fear not to take my hand The bonds of trust and unity As gods received Till the end WITH STRENGTH I BURN (Music: Samoth & Ihsahn / Lyrical concept: Ihsahn & Samoth Words: Ihsahn / Arrangements: Samoth & Ihsahn) Deep Green Dark Chaos Blinded I run down these paths By heart I know them They lead to the searing cliffs Stout they stand above the water's edge Lifeless And this is my foundation Cold stone Formed only by winds and time How invulnerable Lifeless Ahh... I have longed to be at one with this Yet, the waters call my name For once I wish to see The entity behind the voice The face of this seduction The beauty of my pain Am I blessed or am I cursed by thy presence What is my crime... What is my deed... Is this life my redemption Shall I repent or proceed I hate my flesh It's dimension poisoned my soul with doubt It made me question the essence of... The "I" Slaves are those of this world Given freedom to lay chains upon The Master The wolf is no longer free Release the chains and come for me The Elder: "Suddenly, his mournful cries were stunned. Out of the cold mist came three enthralling ships. Sails torn by many a storm, and the bows adorned by the most fierce gargoyles he'd ever laid eyes upon. Yet, the crew they bore... Three times twelve in numbers. They stood motionless, wrapped in grey, worn gowns. And from behind their shadowed faces the seductive chanting. Bidding him on board. Without hesitation, he accepted. And away they sailed..." Upon these seas Wherein I drowned so many times I scatter the ashes of dignity Still my flame is in hunger With fire in my heart Shall I greet the shores ahead Though, I know not what will burn Desire... Ahh... In the distance I hear the waves wash over solid ground And in this moment I am struck blind Grant me sight so I can see That which lies ahead of me Cursed be my mortal eyes For dying in the realm of death Hear my call... I return to the soaring cliffs They truly shine of strenght Even though, I nothing learned With strenght I burn... THE WANDERER (Music & arrangements: Samoth) (instrumental) Lyrics in plain text format	Line up Ihsahn - Main lead gutiars, all vocals, synth Alver - Bass guitar Samoth - Lead & rhythm guitars Trym - Drums & percussion Artwork Info Recorded in the memorial hall of Grieg between October & December anno 1996 C.E. Mixed & mastered between January & February anno 1997 C.E. Engineered by Pytten & Jørgen, Produced by Ihsahn, Samoth & Pytten Mastered at Strype Audio by Vargnatt Inc. & The Emperors In longing spirit, Opus satana & The loss and curse of reverence (live) remastered at Turan Audio by Tim Turan & The Emperors The loss and curse of reverence recorded live at Halford, Berlin during the "Emperial Anthems" tour, October 1997 Cover concept & design by Stephen O'Malley & N.A.P./Emperor Logo by Christophe Szpajdel. Photos by David Palser & Tens. Emperor Management: Nocturnal Art Productions Fax +47 35012108 Emperor performs Sophisticated Black Metal Art exclusively! Review Emperor of course is a legendary Black Metal band, and I think they just keep getting better. Anthems is a great album, from the impressive intro to the great Loss and Curse of Reverence until the cool bonus tracks on my cd. Anthems contains brutally fast black metal with keyboards and very melodic parts. Maybe the clean vocals parts are not attractive for the black metal purists, but I think it just adds to the brilliance and everyone should immediately buy this album! Rating: 8 out of 10