History & Biography Norway's Emancer has its roots in the year 1996 when three friends banded together in western Norway - the town of Luster to be precise - to create music. The fun band called Utumno, nevertheless, recorded a demo in 1997 called Mørkets Rike (meaning The Empire Of Darkness). The year after brought the Syn Av Ei Ukjend Tid (Visions From An Unknown Time) demo. The band began rehearsing for an album in 1999. The album was recorded in 2000 and the band, now called Emancer, managed to get it released through the American label Extremist in 2001. This album was originally intended for the Soulreaper label. Guitarist X soon departed. Album number two was released in late 2002 through Black Owl Records. A number of shows were undertaken as a six-piece featuring guest musicians.
The band, now a duo, signed to Scotland's Golden Lake Promotions next and Invisible was made visible to the masses in late 2004. The Norwegian duo used live musicians for concerts. The band utilized live drummer Tomas Myklebust of Kampfar, etc. The band released a video for a new song called Pallid Eyes in the summer of 2004. Having re-signed to Golden Lake Productions the band recorded (although it was partly already taped in 2003) its fourth album at Hartvix Facilities. The Menace Within was issued in the summer of 2005.
Twilight And Randomness appeared in April of 2008 through Naga Productions. The album was recorded between 2005 and 2007 and was mastered by Tom Kvålsvoll (Windir, Emperor, etc.) at Strype Audio. The cover art and booklet were designed by Per Christian Grov (Vreid, etc.). Emancer, Belphegor and Vreid toured Europe in 2010. The act was heard on a Pete Steele cover version album in 2011 and went dark.
Reviews EMANCER - INVISIBLE - GOLDEN LAKE
Invisible is a good title for Emancer's new album given how this is the band's not first, not second, but third album. Why do bands sign to so-called labels which manage to give them less publicity than a wretched demo band?
Emancer is a respectable band. This, despite everything the act has stacked against itself. First, the cover artwork and colours are of questionable value. Getting past whatever that is on the cover, and more importantly, this is a band that uses keyboards. Now every real metal fan knows that keyboards and metal are like George W Bush and philanthropy. Then why is it that Emancer is still respectable? Well, when this Norwegian duo leaves the keyboards and the clean vocals out things sharpen up exponentially. The harsh and raw screaming and the furiously assaulting riffs are intense. In passages like the mid-section of Smashed Mirror World Emancer reaches heights normally reserved for the better moments of Mayhem and Satyricon. Gotta love the abrasive distortion. The metal songs on Invisible, coupled with suitably misanthropic lyrics make this of value. Too bad about the concessions to wimpdom though. - Ali "The Metallian"
EMANCER - THE MENACE WITHIN - GOLDEN LAKE
Norway's Emancer is back with a new album, recorded partially in 2003 and 2004, which sees the duo continuing on the blackened path of the past. The band's core is comprised of Emperor-influenced black metal. With keyboards and electronics present and some clean or spoken vocals scattered across the album the band is not deviating from its past. What is comforting is that certain individual songs are completely devoid of commercial influences, in contrast to the cleaner and more lightweight songs, Reclamation Of Merciless January or Bloodwhore. Admittedly, the copious lyrics are extreme regardless. Fans of Emperor, Enslaved, early Cradle Of Filth, Hecate Enthroned et al may now have more selection with The Menace Within. - Ali "The Metallian"
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