Review IHSAHN ‘Ihshan’

Vegard Sverre Tveitan, better known as Ihsahn, has once again excelled himself with his newest solo album. With ‘Ihsahn’, the musician, composer and producer has created an album that is so much more. It starts with the fact that the album is being released in two versions.

On the one hand, there is the ‘Metal Version’ and on the other, ‘Ihsahn’ is also being released in an ‘Orchestral Version’. The track listing is identical, but the arrangements and musical style are different, making both albums together an irresistible package.

As we all know, Ihsahn has always been a major influence on the metal of his time. The self-educated musician celebrated his first successes with Emperor and became the figurehead of an increasingly popular scene. Originality and creativity were already decisive driving forces for Ihsahn back then, which is also reflected in his solo works.

Photo Credit: Andy Ford

Since his solo debut ‘The Adversary’ in 2006, no two Ihsahn albums have been the same, and this is precisely where the continuity is found that extends to the present day. With his new, self-titled album, Ihsahn has created a musical masterpiece that bursts boundaries. Held together by the Norwegian’s expressive voice, among other things, ‘Ihsahn’ takes you on a journey through complex worlds of sound. In the process, you constantly come across twists and turns and new aspects that enrich this musical journey.

The orchestra is also omnipresent on the ‘metal version’ of Ihsahn. On the one hand, there are the delicate and colorful sounds of the intro ‘Cervus Venator’ and the interlude ‘Anima Extranease’, which are a treat for the ears because of their cinematic radiance. These quiet moments are contrasted by pieces such as ‘A Taste of Ambosia’, which also begins rather quietly but builds up. As the track progresses, the black metal roots become increasingly apparent and towards the end you are confronted with a diabolical grin that can hardly be topped in terms of intensity.

The two epic tracks on the album are ‘Hubris and Blue Devils’ and ‘At the Heart of All Things Broken’. ‘Hubris and Blue Devils’ is a restless, frenzied masterpiece that reminds me of the early Mekong Delta in its complexity. But here, too, it is the twists, such as melodic elements with clean vocals, that form an exciting counterpoint.

The longest song, the 9-minute ‘At the Heart of All Things Broken’, illustrates again the Norwegian’s compositional talent. What began simply on a piano has developed into a monstrous epic in which the listener has to work their way from arc of tension to arc of tension. Nothing is predictable and yet everything seems to have been cast from a single mold.

‘Ihsahn’ is a masterpiece. This album contains not songs biut compositions. It lives from exquisite and sophisticated compositions bursting with creativity and emotion. ‘Ihsahn’ is timeless and Vegard Sverre Tveitan has created a musical landmark with this album.