Emperor

is a Norwegian black metal band symphonic formed in 1991 by vocalist and guitarist Ihsahn Samoth and drummer in Notodden, Telemark in Norway. Along with Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone and other bands, the Emperor was part of the inner circle. During its first years, the band has undergone several changes in its formation, with Ihsahn and Samoth as the only constant members. But after the arrival of drummer Trym Torson in 1996, the formation remained stable until the band split in 2001. In 2006, the band reunited for a series of shows until the end of 2007, when they again separate. Throughout his career, the band has released four studio albums and sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. Early years [edit] The Emperor was founded in 1991 by Samoth and Ihsahn. The musicians met at a convention teenage rock. The two began playing together under various names: first Dark Device, then Xerasia Embryonic and last until founding the known band Thou Shalt Suffer. After that, Samoth began to write songs to parallel Thou Shalt Suffer and together with Ihsahn and Mortiis bassist, formed a new band. The union of these three musicians, led the first formation of the Emperor, Ihsahn as a guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist, Samoth on drums and Mortiis as bassist. After a short time together, the band released a demo Wrath of the Tyrant, which combines a raw Black Metal with the inclusion of keyboard and got a very positive feedback on the Norwegian Black Metal scene. The demo soon attracted the attention of some labels and then Wrath of the Tyrant was released on cassette with a new cover. Was the Candlelight Records who signed the first contract the Emperor. Concurrently, Bård Faust joined the band as drummer and Samoth was to the guitar. In summer 1992, a series of events occurred in the Norwegian Black Metal scene. Samoth, along with several other members of the inner circle, burned several old churches in Noruega.1 Also in 1992, Bård Faust was Lillehammer, and the newly built Olympic Park, a gay man named Magne Andreassen approached and invited to take a walk in forest. Faust agreed, and once in the forest, the man began to make strong sexual advances towards him. Faust stabbed to death and kicked his head after making sure I was morto.1 2 On the same day of the murder, was Faust with Euronymous of Mayhem and Varg Vikernes of Burzum to burn a church in Holmenkollen in Oslo. In May 1993, the band released the EP Emperor, which was re-released next month as a split EP with the Hordanes Land of the Enslaved. Mortiis left the band shortly after recording the EP to form his solo project. After the departure of Mortiis, the band recruited bassist Ildjarn for some shows together with the British band Cradle of Filth, and after this tour, the band left the Corpse paint, stating that he was becoming a trend and losing its original meaning and symbolism. In July 1993, the Emperor began the recording of their first studio album in Grieghallen in Bergen. In The Nightside Eclipse and imprisonment of members [edit] In 1994, Samoth was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burning churches along with Varg Vikernes. The burning of Skjold Church in Vindafjord was committed during a break in the recording of the EP Aske Burzum. Faust was also arrested for burning churches and killing committed in Lillehammer in 1992 and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Tchort bassist who entered in 1993, was also arrested and sentenced to six months in prison for assault and assaulting several people. In the same year these turbulent events, In The Nightside Eclipse was released, giving the Emperor widespread acclaim and a large fan base. The back [edit] After a short downtime, the band returns after probation achieved by Samoth. The bassist Alver, the Dødheimsgard, joined the band in 1995 and Trym Torson, the Enslaved, assumes the battery in 1996. With both, the band released the EP in 1996 Reverence. In late 1996, the band entered the studio again to record Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk. Featuring a much more progressive sound than the previous albums, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk won best album of the year in several metal magazines around the world, as the British Terrorizer and U.S. Metal Maniacs. As trio [edit] Logo With the departure of Alver in 1998, the band continued their work as a trio, with Ihsahn now accumulating function bassist. The band recorded their third album, IX Equilibrium and toured Europe and the United States. It was around 2000 Samoth and Trym Torson began to steer more to the Death Metal, while Ihsahn poured musically aside more artistic and progressive metal, as demonstrated in his side project, Peccatum. Thus, in 2001, with the very obvious musical differences, the Emperor decided to split after the release of their latest album, Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise, composed entirely Ihsahn. In a statement on the group's demise, they said they had done everything they wanted with the Emperor and did not want the title of the band that does not know when to stop. Upon completion, was released a compilation album called Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath, double CD with covers of other bands, and their music more important. Samoth and Trym continued playing together in the band of black / death metal Zyklon, while Ihsahn is beside his wife Ihriel, focused on design Peccatum, plus a solo project called The Adversary CD which was released in 2006. Meeting [edit] In 2005, the band reunited to tour, saying he wanted to do shows for the fans, since there was a farewell tour for your order. For these concerts the band has the participation of Secthdaemon on bass and Einar on keyboards. Played at the anniversary festival of the magazine and were Scream headline the 2006 edition of the Inferno Festival, Norway, and the Wacken Open Air.3 Training [edit] Last training Name Surname Period Instrument Vegard Sverre Tveitan Ihsahn 1991-2001, 2005-2007 Vocal, Guitar, Keyboard, Bass Tomas Haugen Samoth Thormodsaeter 1991-2001, 2005-2007 Guitar and Drums Kai Johnny Mosaker Trym Torson 1996-2001, 2005-2007 Battery Former members Håvard Ellefsen Mortiis 1991-1992 Low Bård G. Eithun Bård Faust 1992-1994 Battery Terje Vik Schei Tchort 1993-1994 Low Jonas Alver Alver 1995-1998 Low Guest musicians (live) Jan Axel Blomberg Hellhammer 1992 Battery Vidar Vaaer Ildjarn 1993 Low Steinar Johnsen Sverd Sverd 1994-1995 Keyboard Jan Erik Tiwaz Tyr 1998-2001 Low Joachim Rygg Charmand Grimloch 1998-2001 Keyboard Odd Tony Secthdaemon 2005-2007 Low Einar Solberg 2005-2007 Keyboard Discography [edit] Release Date Title Label 1992 Wrath of the Tyrant (Demo) Independent 1993 Emperor (EP) Candlelight Records 1993 Emperor / Hordanes Land (Split) Candlelight Records 1994 In the Nightside Eclipse (Album) Candlelight Records 1994 As the Shadows Rise (EP) Nocturnal Art Productions 1996 Reverence (EP) Candlelight Records 1997 Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (Album) Candlelight Records 1998 Emperor / Wrath of the Tyrant (Compilation) Candlelight Records Thorns vs 1999. Emperor (Split) Moonfog Records IX Equilibrium 1999 (Album) Candlelight Records 2000 True Kings of Norway (Split) Spikefarm Records 2000 Emperial Live Ceremony (Live) Candlelight Records 2001 The Emperial Vinyl Presentation (Box) Candlelight Records 2001 Prometheus - The Discipline of Fire & Demise (Album) Candlelight Records 2003 Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath (Compilation) Candlelight Records 2009 Thus Spake the Nightspirit / Inno a Satana (Single) Back on Black 2009 Live Inferno (Box) Candlelight Records 2004 Live Inferno / Live at Wacken Open Air 2006 (Box) Candlelight Records Videography [edit] Release Date Title Label Emperial Live Ceremony 2000 Candlelight Records 2009 Live at Wacken Open Air 2006 Candlelight Records