Ihasahn is known for pushing metals outer boundaries, whether it was black metal with Emperor or going beyond with his solo efforts, bringing saxophones into metal on After, or the exposed vulnerability and improvisation on Das Seelbrechen. Hearing Ihsahn instead step back into familiar territory on his 7th solo album 'AMR' is a surprise in itself, though what we have now is a much more refined effort but no less interesting.
'Lend Me The Eyes Of Millenia' starts the album with grandiose electronics that repeat through the songs blastbeats and symphonics, and the addictive time signatures continue into the next song and lead single 'Arcana Imperii'. With it's skittering drumming, progressive transitions and it's melancholic undertones, it sounds uniquely Ihshan. The rest of the album sounds like a mix between the brooding atmospheres of 'Das Seelbrechen' with the accessible sensibilities of his previous album 'Arktis'. 'Samr' and 'Twin Black Angels' sit very comfortably here being performed with finesse, with 'Where You Are Lost And I Belong' and 'Marble Soul' belonging on the broodier side of this spectrum and the electronics returning on the song 'In Rites Of Passage'. There is one very fun moment on the album however; 'One Less Enemy' has a huge sweeping riff that compels heads to roll with a theremin of all instruments coming through on the latter half without sounding even slightly out of place!
The album ends on an upbeat note with 'Wake' complete with the biggest chorus of the album, perhaps of his entire career. On repeated listens I find this the most streamlined Ihsahn album at the cost of some depth, but even Ihsahn at his most comfortable is still a highly engaging listen and has potential to widen his audience further.
8/10 - Michael Randall
You can buy the album from Candlelight records here
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