Ihsahn - Eremita
Rating
RIYL
Devin TownsendOpeth
Enslaved
Release Date
06/19/2012
Label
Candlelight RecordsTracklist
1. Arrival2. The Paranoid
3. Introspection
4. The Eagle and the Snake
5. Catharsis
6. Something Out There
7. Grief
8. The Grave
9. Departure
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I walked through the dark gates of Ihsahn’s latest mind trip, Eremita, with no expectations, yet I still encountered something I did not expect. The opening notes of Eremita present a very different mood than is found on its predecessor, After, but in a similar way as After, this is no casual listen; Eremita is an album which will require your full, undivided attention. The various soundscapes Ihsahn presents within the confines of Eremita will toy with your emotions. Each song reaches for a feeling of hope, but alas, this feeling is never quite achieved as it is consistently overshadowed by the themes of desperation and isolation found throughout, thanks to the dissonant saxophone performance provided once again by Jorgen Munkeby of Shining, a deceiving yet tasteful drum performance by Leprous drummer Tobias Ørnes Andersen, and of course, the black-magic guitar wizardry and haunting vocal performance by Ihsahn himself.
Ihsahn appears to have a gift of conveying different emotions through the use of instruments, and this is one of the great strengths of Eremita. Epic pieces such as “Catharsis” and “Something Out There” are driven by dark melodies which are hard to swallow but not easily forgotten. The eerie guitar and saxophone heard on “The Eagle and the Snake” form a musical metaphor; the way the instruments weave in and out of each other’s clutches can be visualized as an eagle and a snake on the hunt for one another in the desert, and the song climaxes with a groovy break, complete with a virtuosic shred-fest compliments of Jeff Loomis. “The Grave” casts the listener into a claustrophobic mind prison where the spastic drums sound like the hands of someone desperately trying to escape, and the melancholy saxophone sounds like the torturous pleas of someone who is eternally trapped.
Many of the sounds found on Eremita are symphonic in nature, utilizing strings and orchestral sounds to accent and emphasize certain passages. In this way and in several others, Ihsahn’s blackened style of progressive metal is extremely reminiscent to his (slightly) zanier contemporary Devin Townsend, who consequently returns the favor from Ihsahn’s guest performance on last year’s Deconstruction and provides guest vocals on the introspective “Introspection.” However, Ihsahn is a musical mastermind in his own right, and he is in no way trying to impersonate Mr. Townsend by including these musical flourishes; rather, he’s paying homage to him and his work. This is perhaps most evident within the off-beat groove of “The Paranoid” and the schizophrenic prog metal piece which closes the album, “Departure.”
Ihsahn has crafted an astounding work of progressive metal in the form of Eremita. This is an album which demands multiple listens in order to fully grasp what Ihsahn is trying to accomplish. For those interested in black metal and progressive metal, this is bound to be one of your favorites of 2012. For everyone else, give it a shot; I wasn’t terribly familiar with Ihsahn before I began listening to Eremita, but reviewing this album inspired me to revisit After, and since then both albums have been in consistent rotation, not only on my iPod, but also in my head.
--Aaron Lambert
Comments
Porland, OR
After was a great album. I definitely need to check this out. Also, I love that Ihsahn and Devin Townsend are collaborating these days. What I would really love to hear now is a combined effort with Dan Swano...
www.inwiththeawesome.blogspot.com
Minnesota
I can't believe adjective hasn't commented on this yet.......
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Salt Lake City, UT
I've been at work all day. YES. YES. YES. Metal album of 2012 hands down. Album is incredible. [Insert x1000 hyperbole here to further express my love for this album].
http://www.sonnambulanaut.com/
^ Blogthing.
Columbus, OH
I'm glad you enjoyed it, adjective. For some reason, it didn't overly impress me after one listen. I may have to revisit it later, but it didn't wow me like everyone made it out to do.
Currently Listening To:
Lo!- Monstrorum Historia
HeavyArms- Burning Crowds
Shining- One One One
Salt Lake City, UT
I hope you end up digging it more, I think you and I are a lot a like musical taste wise, or maybe I'm making this all up in my head.
http://www.sonnambulanaut.com/
^ Blogthing.
It'll most likely take the remainder of the year for me to fully absorb this album. Needless to say, I will be paying much closer attention to Ihsahn in the future. :) And bfarrell, I concur. It's so great to see two of the current prog masterminds working together to create amazing music. The involvement of Dan Swano would only make things amazinger. :)
Columbus, OH
I think we like the same genres; we just have different preferences. The only albums I can remember we really agreed on were Skyharbor and Junius.
Also, you're now fully OK in my book for quoting Ron Swanson.
Currently Listening To:
Lo!- Monstrorum Historia
HeavyArms- Burning Crowds
Shining- One One One
Salt Lake City, UT
Ron Swanson is my role model, I want to be just as jaded as him when I get old.
http://www.sonnambulanaut.com/
^ Blogthing.
Columbus, OH
I'm not as asocial as Ron, but he is the fucking man.
Currently Listening To:
Lo!- Monstrorum Historia
HeavyArms- Burning Crowds
Shining- One One One
London, UK
I think Ihsahn is getting better with each release. I rated After pretty highly but find this one growing on me more and more. Probably my second favourite full on Prog Metal album of the year after Ne Obliviscaris. It feels more comfortable in it's own skin than After, more confident in the moods and ideas its trying to develop. Plus it has some sexy Sax so really it can't be bad.
Currently listening to:
Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part 2)
Leprous - Coal
Dillinger Escape Plan - One Of Us Is The Killer
Amorphis - Circle
Hope For The Dying - Aletheia
Best Of 2012 - Best Of 2013
Salt Lake City, UT
You consider this full on prog? What is Dream Theater then? Super Max Ultra Full-on Prog?
http://www.sonnambulanaut.com/
^ Blogthing.
Columbus, OH
Dream Theather is full-on wank, with a touch of prog.
Currently Listening To:
Lo!- Monstrorum Historia
HeavyArms- Burning Crowds
Shining- One One One
London, UK
Full on Prog Metal. I never really liked Dream Theater all that much. Like Nick says, too much wank
Currently listening to:
Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part 2)
Leprous - Coal
Dillinger Escape Plan - One Of Us Is The Killer
Amorphis - Circle
Hope For The Dying - Aletheia
Best Of 2012 - Best Of 2013
Salt Lake City, UT
That isn't what I was talking about though, I didn't ask what anyone personally thought about them. They are progressive metal, regardless how you feel about them.
http://www.sonnambulanaut.com/
^ Blogthing.
London, UK
I know, and I don't want to get into a pointless debate on genres. I just meant for me that Ihsahn are prog METAL whilst Dream Theater are PROG metal. If you get what I meant. Either way this album is superb.
Currently listening to:
Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part 2)
Leprous - Coal
Dillinger Escape Plan - One Of Us Is The Killer
Amorphis - Circle
Hope For The Dying - Aletheia
Best Of 2012 - Best Of 2013
Salt Lake City, UT
I get you, brah.
http://www.sonnambulanaut.com/
^ Blogthing.