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25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful (in a dark and ugly sort of way)., June 10, 2003
This is the album that took Black metal to another level. What I dig about this album is that it comes off as being progressive, but not pompous . This is really the last album Emperor put out before Ihsahn's technical ambitions, operatic vocals, and overblown experimentation with keyboards ruined the experience. In my opinion, this is their creative and artistic peak in which they were able to tell when enough was enough. The drumming is great, the bass is inaudible, but I'm confident that it's good, and the guitar work is magnificent. There is also a light, concious dash of keyboards thrown into the mix. Many people have complained about the production of this album. Who cares? Why do people gripe so much about the production of certain albums? Besides, the production isn't THAT bad. Go listen to a Darkthrone album. THAT'S bad (not that I'm knocking Darkthrone. I like them for different reasons). I have another thought that I'd like to get off my chest: Iv'e heard some people call this band "Wimperor". Wimperor? Give me a break. If being creative, original and talented is wimpy, then these guys are some of the biggest wimps in Black metal. Black metal enthusiasts revel in this album because it stands out as being original in a subgenre polluted with countless Darkthrone ripoffs who think that putting out albums made up of bargain basement production and blindingly fast, inexcusably sloppy material makes them "true". The highlights of this album include "Into the infinity of thoughts", "The burning shadows of silence", "Beyond the great vast forest", and "I am the black wizards". The covers of Bathory's "A fine day to die" and Mercyful fate's "Gypsy" are very well done (even though Ihsahn sounds absurd trying to imitate King Diamond. Stick with screaming man! Let the King handle the falsetto voals!). Also, I encourage everyone to read these lyrics. Yes, they are Satanic, but they're written like poems which makes them more interesting. Overall, this is a very solid album with no filler and I would recommend it to anyone who is new to Black metal. STAY TRUE TO METAL AND STAY TRUE TO YOURSELVES!
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Definitive Norwegian Black Metal Album, September 22, 2004
When i first purchased "In the Nightside Eclipse", i was not all that familar with the genre of "Black Metal". I really had no idea what to expect. The first time i listened to it, i was a bit dissapointed, mostly on account of the production. But as i got more familar with the songs, i started to realize how amazing this album really is. The booming drums, the fast guitar, and the harsh vocals are very cool, but what actually brings out the true black, icy atmophere of this album IS the production. Just the way everything blends together, and creates this GIANT sound makes this whole album seem like an epic, dark journey. Every song has this type of feeling, but are all unique in their tempo, drum beats, and guitar riffs. What else makes the atmosphere so vast and epic is the choir and strings in the background of the metal. They are perfectly in tune with the blaring guitar, and add so much affect to the feel of the album that you can't get out of anything else. Although this was the first, and the least complex out of any of Emperor's albums, the pure icy, black, and epic atmosphere of this album cannot be matched. True black metal fans know that Emperor's "In The Nightside Eclipse" is the definitive black metal album.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A dark and epic black metal release! Hail the almighty Emperor!, September 23, 2007
Before I go any further it should be known that is probably my favorite metal album, or at the very least, my favorite black metal album, by a band who, in my opinion, are very important to the genre. Emperor's career, like In the Nightside Eclipse, always seemed so brief to me. While others like Motörhead (30+), Mayhem (20+), and Satyricon (15+) continue to record and perform live, Emperor were only around for ten years, and not all of them were spent releasing material or playing live. When they did create an album, it was serious work, and this is no exception. It should also be remembered that most of the musicians were still in their teens at the time of recording, adding to the belief by some that "real" black metal can only be made by pissed off teenagers, but also that a certain level of experience is not necessary for good music. Whether either is true, this never ends up sounding immature or juvenile for even a second. As Emperor progressed in sound, style, and even musicianship, they grew up a little, utilizing more clean vocals, and dropping the use of corpsepaint. Though highly regarded, their work here would never be repeated, and is what some consider the last of "old" Emperor, but easily the best of them as well. One of the most common complaints about this album is the quality of its production (or lack thereof), but this has also been frequently touted as a redeeming characteristic. Frontman Ihsahn has stated that they would probably never rerecord it to get better sound because the album owes much of its appeal to the production, which adds to the atmosphere and overall dark mood. Though better production could improve the quality of the sound, it could also very likely take away from its feeling, and the spirit of those involved in its creation. It is better than much of their fellow countrymen at the time, and is a considerable improvement from Wrath of the Tyrant + Emperor. Regardless, I find it is best played at a loud volume, where it can more easily flow from the speakers, creating its own dark sonic environment. Many outside extreme metal will probably never understand In the Nightside Eclipse. Along with its production, the album has few clean vocals, and those present are different from the group's later work. Vocals are frequently harsh, not so much sung as they are screamed, and lyrics are caught in this maelstrom, rendering them close to indecipherable. This is also not a musical love letter to Satan or Death, though both subjects are addressed, albeit creatively and somewhat symbolically. This is simply Emperor, and above all this is black metal: aggressive, fierce, and very dark, and at many times quite beautiful. Essential Emperor and essential black metal!
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