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"Forsaking the Black Metal aspects of "Telemark", Ihsahn offers us with "pharos" a pop aside and shows us the full extent of his artistic gifts."
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4/5
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The need to clear new trails is the motivation of Vegard Sverre Tveitan aka Ihsahn. It is in this spirit that he considered releasing two EPs a few months apart before starting work on a new album.
"Telemark" and "Pharos" are clearly a ground of great freedom for Ihsahn with three original compositions and two covers in each of the EPs. "Telemark", named after the county where Ihsahn grew up, has something authentic with few arrangements except for the omnipresent brass, and very introspective as Ihsahn sings there for the first time in Norwegian and approaches his musical roots with a certain classicism. This is embodied in the three creations of raw and icy Black Metal music ('Nord' and 'Stridig') or more progressive ('Telemark') and the two covers of a very direct rock with Lenny Kravitz's 'Rock'n'Roll Is Dead' and Iron Maiden's 'Wrathchild'.
"Pharos" is the antithesis of "Telemark" with mid-tempo compositions sung in English with clear voices and a very arranged pop-rock style. If 'Losing Attitude' and 'Pharos' still retain some elements that take them out of the strict pop field with a hammered rhythmic, some severe saturations and of intimidating incantations, 'Spectre At The Feast' is a pop-rock track without concession. And what a success! This track is a nugget of melody and finesse that should, in a perfect world, flood the airwaves.
The two covers are once again surprising with Portishead's 'Roads' and especially A-Ha's 'Manhattan Skyline'. 'Roads' is interesting because Ihsahn modulates his voice like rarely before, demonstrating once again his progress in clear vocal. 'Manhattan Skyline' is perfectly sung by Einar Solberg of Leprous with a disturbing resemblance to the original but we can finally regret that Ihsahn did not try to sing on this title.
These two EPs illustrate the great complexity of the artist Ihsahn and the extent of his musical gifts. Everything that the Norwegian approaches turns out to be right without failing to preserve all the prints of his personal signature. "Telemark" and "Pharos" explore two of the many facets of the artist and constitute a high quality interlude before a next album. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Losing Altitude
02. Spectre At The Feast
03. Pharos
04. Roads (PORTISHEAD cover)
05. Manhattan Skyline (A-HA cover)
LINEUP:
Ihsahn: Chant / Guitares / Claviers
Einar Solberg: Chant / Invité
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READERS
3/5 (1 view(s))
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STAFF:
3.7/5 (3 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH IHSAHN
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