Emperor - With Strength I Burn | REACTION

Cooling reacts to Emperor - With Strength I Burn. If they could just stay in those melodic pockets.
I do not own the rights to any of the music in this video.
Link to the original video: • Emperor - With Strengt...
Let me know in the comments what you would like me to react to in the future. Intro song is by TrackTribe - Riffs for Days

[@bensahar215]

The production is mind blowing. Like that whole masterpiece of the album

[@anthonyh1067]

The production is just fine, that is the way Emperor wants their music to sound. This was recorded in mighty Grieghallen. :) As for the album, this is an absolute classic in Black Metal. The speed and precision of the songs is unreal!

[@TheMetalJunkie]

Yeah I understand black metal isn't supposed to sound polished

[@hellcorpses]

Good reaction bro

[@opponoastos]

The 24 bits version makes the album sound way better.

[@annodomini1991]

Yup production is disastrous really even if the composition is great for people who are not used to black metal they pretty much only gonna hear the drums on this one even if on black metal the guitars should be higher in the mix. Emperor plays symphonic black metal but i prefer other bands of the same genre like odium, obtained enslavement or limbonic art.

[@AkumaAPN]

Reacting to, and dissecting, album versions of Emperor's music is an exercise in Futility. Almost all of it, with very few exceptions, borders on the unlistenable. It's very frustrating, to be sure.
A lot of their musical genius is lost in the mix.
But there is good news. Their live stuff is incredible and unrivaled.
Their Wacken 2006 live album is perfect. That version of "With Strength I Burn" is unimaginably great. Perfectly mixed, clear as day, emotionally riveting, heart pumping, fire burning your soul.
The other big reason not to bother with album versions is because the band got better. Over the years, they found better ways to play everything. Ihsahn found better ways to sing. Everything has come together so much better.
Between "Wacken 2006," "Wacken 2014," "Hellfest 2014," "Imperial Live Ceremony 2000 (1999)," and "Night of Imperial Wrath 2021," the vast majority of their catalog is brought forth into a digestible and pleasurable format.
One of the notable exceptions, in my opinion, is "Towards the Pantheon" from their first album, where the mixing fits the feel of a blistering blizzard very well. And its perfect companion piece is their rendition from Hellfest 2014. Check out the audience video uploaded by Vlad Tepes. It'll make your day!