Emperor at Tsutaya O-East, November 14th 2019

In his book Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult -essential read for fans of the genre- Dayal Patterson opens the chapter about Emperor stating that “if black metal should ever get a hall of fame, there’s a pretty good chance they will be the first inducted”. I couldn’t agree more, they definitely tick all the required boxes. Norwegian origins, antisocial -at times criminal- background, dark spiritual leanings. Above all, they set the bar musically in terms of what the second wave bands were capable of. 

Their first album In the Nightside Eclipse is one of the genre’s milestones. There’s hardly a moment as exhilarating in black metal as the transition from the untitled introduction to the relentless assault of Into the Infinity of Thoughts. With a thunderstorm in the background, an ascending chord progression and a blast beat drum pattern that culminates with the introduction of the quintessential black metal vocals. Ihsahn’s shrieks are, in my opinion, the best of the genre. The line he sings couldn’t be more prophetic and eloquent. “As the darkness creeps in the Northern mountains of Norway…” It signals a radical reinvention that they will embody. Unlike some of the other bands from the second wave of black metal, Emperor moved on from the orthodox aspects of the genre and embraced a need for experimentation that guided its four-album trajectory. 

Their second album is arguably their landmark. Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk is quite possibly the culmination of the genre. Not exactly a concept album, but with a linear path from beginning to end that feels like the black metal manifesto. From shrieks to growls to clean vocals, it’s an inward trip that embodies the idea of metal as a style in the fringes of society whose purpose is to give voice to those deemed as outcasts. It accomplishes this not by stating it directly, but by representing it metaphorically. There are no politics involved, just a sense of emotional euphoria manifested throughout the sinuous structure of the album. Peaks and valleys that mirror the aforementioned Norwegian landscape are portrayed musically in this epic record that gathers influences from death, doom and heavy metal.

That album was played in its entirety this evening. For me the show started right after the doors opened. As I walked inside this relatively large venue in Shibuya, I noticed that someone was playing a keyboard on a small stage on the side. This piano improvisation leaned closer to Classical or Jazz and it was the perfect choice for setting the mood to what came next. It was a truly original and unusual choice that worked perfectly. Unfortunately I don’t know the name of the person behind that keyboard.

The opening band was Deafheaven, quite a treat for us concertgoers. Too bad they were relegated to a 40-minute slot. They could have easily played at least six songs, it all went down to promoter politics, I guess. Those 40 minutes, nonetheless, were pure sonic bliss. In terms of sound it was as pristine as it could be. In terms of music, each song was a monumental epic endeavor that left lots of jaws hanging wide open. By the end of Honeycomb, from their latest album Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, I was in awe with the effectiveness of the shoegaze-black metal mix (to me the black metal elements are a lot more prominent, though). Their criticism directed towards this band seems to be based almost completely on their look and on a very conservative contempt for styles outside the metal realm. I think that their songwriting skills and ability to mold an atmosphere of both desperation and hope, puts them among the best in the game these days. 4 songs in 40 minutes felt really short.

Iron Maiden’s Fear of the Dark, the last album of the first Bruce Dickinson area, played through the venue’s sound system right until the lights were dimmed and a stagehand approached the mic and just like Mr. Danny Ray used to do at the beginning of the James Brown’s shows, introduced the band; another first for me at a metal concert. Alsvartr (The Oath) played from a tape as the band members walked onto the stage and joined the procedures during the transition to Ye Entrancemperium. With all the intricate changes and more death metal vocal approach, this song is a prime example of a mood setter. I missed the double clean vocals in the original, but Ihsahn did a compelling job with this one on his own. That constant shifting of atmosphere within this single song encapsulates the spirit of the whole album and how it incorporates several aspects of the metal experience.

By the time we got to Ensorcelled by Khaos we reached the apex of sublimity with those symphonic keyboard riffs and pace shifts throughout the song. It was impossible not to feel goosebumps with the desperate cry of “and again!” at the end of The Loss and Curse of Reverence. Listened as a whole, in its entirety, it’s more clear than the album is sort of a journey that culminates in the amazing With Strength I Burn. It’s not easy to explain, but it feels like there’s a constant juxtaposition of the staccato nature of the blast beats and the more legato sensuality present in the keyboards and the vocal lines. Those clean vocals tat constitute the majority of the aforementioned With Strength I Burn are the climax I’m referring to and the point in which, within the metal framework, the two apparent contradictions of staccato and legato become one. That moment is truly enthralling and moving. “With fire in my heart shall I greet the shores ahead though, I know not what will burn…” The double vocal harmony in this part transitions to a guitar solo, later joined by blast beats and the return of the shriek vocals that lead the song to the end, combining the melody line with the aggressive accompaniment of the rhythm section and the return of the guitar solo. A majestic moment that was delivered masterfully in this live rendition.

As the last notes of With Strength I Burn faded I knew that the bar was raised for metal shows for me. And to think they were barely into their twenties when they conceived this complex artifact. But that was not all. They returned for a blistering rendition of Curse you all Men! the opening track of their third album IX Equilibrium. We then were treated to the whole second half of their debut In the Nightside Eclipse, this time with images of the Norwegian tundra and thick ominous forests projected on the screen behind them. The more traditional elements of another masterpiece of the genre contained within those four songs were the perfect closing to a show that eventually finished with Anthem’s coda The Wanderer blasting through the speakers as the band said their farewells to the still in shock audience that just witnessed possibly one of the best metal shows that ever hit Tokyo. Emperor. Truly. Spectacular.
  
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