Review by Adam M on July 1, 2012.

The new Ihsahn greatly progresses in a direction that might have been expected following "After". More progressive and aggressive in nature, it’s the perfect fit for the present time Ihsahn. There are guest vocalists and more varied song structures and instrumentation than the last album. I also think "Eremita" is more consistent than its predecessor with no major weak moments to be found.

There aren’t songs of the ballad nature of 'Undercurrent' to be found here, however. Instead, there are some cracking up-tempo pieces like the opener 'Arrival' that give the album a generally more excited feel. The song 'The Grave' is a lumbering doomy exception to this mood. The progressive nature of many of the songs recalls the likes of later Emperor, such as the album "Prometheus". There is still that jazzy element present as well that sometimes makes use of saxophones, but it’s not as present as on the album. Regardless, Ihsahn has certainly found his niche within Progressive Black Metal genre as a solo artist. His albums are actually more similar to what a group might perform than what a typical solo artist would. He’s quite developed in the song-writing department now and able to craft a number of interesting moments with little effort. The only minor complaint I have with the album is that the beginning portions are stronger than the ending, which becomes slightly too strange for its own good.

Still, there are many standout moments to become enraptured with on this newest opus from Ihsahn and it will certainly be a contender for album of the year. For fans of Ihsahn’s previous material with either Emperor or as a solo artist, "Eremita" is a no-brainer as a purchase.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 9.5
Originality: 9
Overall: 9.5

Rating: 9.3 out of 10

Review by Tomek on March 7, 2016.

With all the music promos going through my hands sometimes there is this moment when I hear something good, something that strikes all the right chords - but even though I want to go back to it and give it more time, it simply doesn’t happen for one reason or another. Such was the case with Spaniards from Neter. I’ve listened to the first album a time or two, liked it, but never got around to find out more about those guys. It seems things spun in full circle because I’m holding their second album in my hands right now, this time around although, I’m giving those guys all the attention they deserve.

After quite a few initial spins, taking a break to check out their first album and then going back to it, I hear that they decided to stick to their formula of crushing sound reinforced with mechanical thumping and omnipresent groove. Don’t fix something if it ain’t broke recipe says and it really works in this case I must say. Not sure how that combination will do for the rest of the population but it does the trick for me. All instruments have their time to shine and all components are delivered with passion and skill but it’s the rhythm section that (even though may not be the most exciting you’ve ever heard) has this almost trance like pulse that captures one attention and keeps it occupied all the way to the end. I’ve always liked bands that know how to use heaviness and melody without leaning to one side or the other, but to complete that punch without straying from groove is something only few have achieved. This whole combination is wrapped up very nicely with a clear sound, roaring vocal delivery and tireless rhythm section that I’ve mentioned above.

Crushingly pulsating rhythm is a good thing and Neter are masters of their domain obviously but for next release they may need to think a little more about adding some extra components to their songs that would help differentiate and spice them up a little more. Even though I kept waiting for some unusual and maybe a little more inventive things to happen in those songs, except for a few solos scattered throughout the release there isn’t much to tell one song from another. If they’ll figure that one out they’ll be the band to watch out for.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10