Emperor

Emperor is a Norwegian black metal band from Notodden, active since 1991. The group is associated with black metal, metal, symphonic black metal and symphonic metal, and is linked to Candlelight Records.

History and line-up

The band includes Håvard Ellefsen, Samoth, Ihsahn, Faust, Tchort, Alver and Trym Torson. In the early and mid-1990s, Emperor becomes one of the best-known Norwegian black metal bands. Samoth is jailed for 16 months after taking part in church burnings with Varg Vikernes of Burzum and others from the Norwegian black metal scene. Drummer Faust is jailed for church burning and for the stabbing and murder of a homosexual man in 1992; he is not suspected until his arrest in 1994.

Releases, status and reunions

The band disbands in 2001, with the members saying they feel they have achieved what they wanted with Emperor. Creative differences also play a part, with Ihsahn moving towards the progressive direction he later develops in solo work, while Samoth explores a more technical death metal approach that he later uses in Zyklon. Emperor later gains a reputation as a legendary band with a large catalogue of releases and worldwide touring.

Later activity

Emperor reunites in 2005 to play Scream Magazine's anniversary festival and headlines the 2006 editions of Norway's Inferno Festival and Germany's Wacken Open Air. Ihsahn later says that another Emperor album is possible, while also describing Emperor as a side project. In 2013, another reunion is announced for 2014 appearances at Bloodstock Festival and the 25th anniversary of Wacken Open Air, marking the 20th anniversary of In the Nightside Eclipse. In 2016, the band announces another reunion for 2017, performing Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk in full to mark that album's 20th anniversary.

Related release

Candlelight Records releases Scattered Ashes - A Decade of Emperial Wrath in 2006, a guitar and bass tablature book featuring 13 Emperor classics transcribed by Ihsahn and including a free CD drawn from the 2003 compilation of the same name.