Words by Jenna Flood
Pix by Charlyn Cameron
Emperor concluded the Australian leg of their current tour with yet another outstanding performance!
Having already seen the Black Wizards in Melbourne and Sydney on this tour, I knew Brisbane was in for the show of a lifetime. The Brisbane date had come as a late addition to the tour first announced in December and Eatons Hill Ballroom provided the perfect venue, size and sound wise, for the magic that is Emperor.
Sydney’s The Amenta have been the single support band for the Australian dates of the tour. Their undeniable sound blurs a lot of lines between genres but the industrial fused-with-many-other-metal-genres style – an extreme noise metal collective if you like, demanding your attention.
Masked singer Cain started the show with a furious energy in a dark suit and red tie, while his eerily stationary band members glared down at the crowd from behind their skin masks, dressed in white shirts and black ties. The Amenta created a situation where you just couldn’t look away, particularly then from the contorted expressions of Cain since ditching the mask. Heavy and in your face, these guys are serious and they sound fantastic.
Playing tracks from 2021’s highly acclaimed Revelator, as well as older tracks from Flesh, is Heir (2013), Chokehold – Vo1d (2012) and Non (2008) The Amenta played a hard and sharp show. Cain would appear above the crowd on the barrier, screaming lyrics and getting up close and personal to the many that are familiar with their music. After being on a hiatus for a number of years before Revelator was released, The Amenta are right on their A-game and were a great choice in support of Emperor.
Enter the mighty Emperor.
Touring 1994’s album In The Nightside Eclipse this time around after 2019’s sold-out tour of Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk was about to be a surreal experience for the hordes who, as the Intro started to play, began roaring…and continued as the band members appeared on stage, then with every word, every beat and every note from every track. The obvious gratitude from the pioneers of symphonic black metal having the undivided attention of a crowd in awe was clear as the band interacted with their fans throughout the show and Ihsahn, commanding authority from centre stage (because he can), smiled in appreciation.
Despite not having produced any new material for many years, Emperor’s diverse fan base continues to grow – gathering the hordes if you will – and the band responds with everything they’ve got. Emperor opened their set with the theatrical atmosphere of Into The Infinty of Thoughts, which pulls you deep in to another world for the journey that is In the Nightside Eclipse.
The tracks are delivered tonight in the order that they appear on the album which I believe is the only natural progression through this album that must be experienced, not just listened to. The emotion continued to build with each composed piece of wizardry that touched everyone in the room, so when it became time to conclude the first part of the show with the participation encouraged, Inno A Satana, Ihsahn led the crowd to give a bellowed response and the Brisbane hordes gave it everything they had.
Emperor took a short break as Opus a Satana played overhead. They then returned on stage to another massive reception from the crowd to play some classic tracks – wait, they’re all classic tracks – a selection of classic tracks from their three other incredible studio albums.
The Black Wizards open their second set with the raw aggression of Curse You All Men! from IX Equilibrium (1999), followed by Thus Spake the Night Spirit, The Loss, Curse of Reverence and With Strength I Burn from Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997) which demonstrate all of the elements of Emperor from the speed and aggression to symphonic and melodic progressions.
Next, the intensity and desperate vocals of In the Wordless Chamber, from Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise (2001) builds and builds and comes to a halt, it’s almost a relief when the double kicks suddenly return to put everything back where it’s meant to be.
While nobody wanted it to – or realised – we were almost at the end, this magnificent collective of skill and intelligence and musicianship stood before us one more time to close with the thundering Ye Entrancemperium from Anthems. This is a track that basically sums up the journey that the mighty Emperor has just taken us on…it welcomes you in, drives you head first into battle enduring constant changes of calm and unrest, and concludes on a distinct set of notes that say The End.
The pioneers of symphonic black metal played and sounded as tight as ever, with Ihsahn’s malevolent screams resonating to every corner of the venue. The sheer energy from Jorgen Munkeby behind the keyboards, such an integral part of Emperor’s sound, is inspirational in setting the mood for a brilliant and entertaining show. Samoth’s heavy darkness blended with Ihsahn’s distinct melodies on guitars creates the unique sound and partnership that they have developed and perfected. It’s quite awesome to see live, these two friends and legends stand and play side by side at times through the show, and when the more reserved Samoth comes to the front of the stage with his horns up to pump up the crowd.
While it’s quite hard to spot him behind that incredible kit, Trym’s meticulous drumming is second to none. The complexity of the combination of blast beats and double bass drumming played with speed and precision is something that Trym makes look effortless, yet the intensity heard throughout the show would suggest otherwise! Secthdamon, while super heavy and solid on the bass, windmilled up a storm! He did not miss a beat while upside down in consistent and impressive spins, sometimes only taking a break to provide backing vocals with Jorgen.
Witnessing these five incredible musicians playing live and imagining what it takes to produce a show of such a high caliber and flawless combination of sound, it’s admirable how the music we have heard tonight has been able to stand the test of time.
In The Nightside Eclipse is nearly 30 years old, yet this album commands as much respect today as it did the day it was released.
Hail Emperor! \m/
