Review by Felix on October 3, 2023.

No, “As the Shadows Rise” is certainly not as perfect as Emperor’s magnificent debut. Moreover, it gives me a strange feeling that it features a song which does not reach the two minutes border. Finally, the tracks do not pick up the pretty turbulent approach of “In the Nightside Eclipse”. Instead, at least “The Ancient Queen” could have been taken from an album like “Stormblåst”. But that’s no wonder, because all tracks were already originally released in 1992. Thus, one cannot count on a logical continuation of the legendary debut. Not to mention the fact that one could never expect more of the same during the career of Emperor.

Anyhow, “The Ancient Queen” is atmospherically dense with hovering Gehenna-like keyboards (“First Spell” times) and easily accessible. It’s a good and coherent song, but it also lives from the fact that it was released in the very early days of Norwegian black metal. Behind the smoke of burned down stave churches, there was this magical spirit that brought black metal on the next level. A doubtlessly inspiring time, even though I do not agree with the criminal acts of some protagonists. “Witches Sabbath” is closer to the material of “At the Nightside Eclipse”, more twisty and a bit challenging.

One cannot say that the sound fulfils high expectations, but it conveys the mysterious feeling of something evil coming nearer. I regret that “Lord of the Storms” comes quickly to its end, because it is the rawest track here and equipped with a drilling riff. No doubt, Emperor did not set new standards in terms of apocalyptic noise and they were not yet the virtuosos they soon became. Back in 1992, individualism was not their highest aim and this is exactly what I like here. Before you vary a style, you have to establish it. Surely, “As the Shadows Rise” was not the biggest contribution in terms of defining the second wave of black metal, but today it is a good document that brings the listener back to the wildest times of Norwegian metal. It’s a pity that they are already 20 years ago.

Rating: 8 out of 10