Take a guitar lesson with Ihsahn and Samoth of Emperor: http://blogs.guitarworld.com/metalkult/videos/exclusive-emperor-guitar-lesson/

Global Domination reviews Hardingrock, the folk project from Ihsahn of Emperor: http://www.globaldomination.se/reviews/hardingrock-grimen

Head to MetalKult for a video interview with Emperor frontman Ihsahn as well as live footage from their recent NYC performance: http://blogs.guitarworld.com/metalkult/

MIC Norway talks to Hardingrock, the new project of Ihsahn from Emperor along with Heidi Solberg Tveitan from Starofash and Hardanger fiddle-master Knut Buen: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2007061313022019408560

Hardingrock, the new collaboration between Ihsahn (Emperor, Peccatum), Starofash (aka Heidi S. Tveitan) and folk artist Knut Buen, is now on myspace with samples: http://www.myspace.com/hardingrock

Ihsahn (Emperor, Peccatum), Starofash (aka Heidi S. Tveitan) and folk artist Knut Buen are teaming up in a new project under the name Hardingrock and will be releasing their debut album "Grimen" on June 11 via Mnemosyne Productions.

Ex-Emperor/Peccatum frontman Ihsahn has posted a couple samples from his debut solo album on his website: http://www.ihsahn.com/
The track "Called by fire" features guest vocals from Garm of Ulver. Sounds a bit like Ulver, too (on that particular track).

Peccatum, the duo of husband/wife Ihsahn (ex-Emperor) and Ihriel, is no more: http://www.digitalmetal.com/news.asp?cid=7164
I haven't heard their more recent work, but the first album (and live show) was perfectly awful, so I am not at all disappointed.

DigitalMetal has reprinted the press release for ex-Emperor frontman Ihsahn's new solo album: http://www.digitalmetal.com/news.asp?cid=7066

"The adversary" has been confirmed for the title of the debut solo album from Ihsahn (Emperor). Final recordings are still underway at Symphonique Studios in Norway with the expectation of an early 2006 release via Candlelight Records and Ihsahn's own Mnemosyne Productions. The record is entirely the work of Ihsahn both lyrically and musically with the exception of the drums which were handled by Asgeir Mickelson (Borknagar, Spiral Architect).

Newly reunited black-metal legends Emperor have announced two US shows:

07/14 - BB Kings Blues Club, New York, NY
07/16 - Key Club, Los Angeles, CA

I guess this is good news to people who never got to see them the first time around, but I must warn you not to get too excited: despite the band's greatness on record, they never were all that hot live. When I saw them and openers Witchery blew them away. And the less said about Ihsahn's other band Peccatum in a live setting (they were the other openers), the better.

In related news, Emperor guitarist Samoth and drummer Trym's other band Zyklon will record their third album in November and vocalist/guitarist Ihsahn has a solo album due early next year.

Today's Friday classic comes from Norwegian black-metal masterminds Emperor. If you're in any way familiar with the BM genre, this band requires no introduction as they were undeniably one of the scene's most preeminent acts. Their full-length debut album "In the nightside eclipse" is one of my favorite metal records, but that's not where today's song comes from. Instead, I've chosen a b-side from the "Reverence" MCD, the disc that preceded the release of the much-anticipated follow-up record "Anthems to the welkin at dusk". This release marked a huge change in my opinion of Emperor, as it was the first time I considered them to be a real band and not some dark, unknowable force of nature. When I listened to "Nightside eclipse", I never could picture musicians in a room conjuring up such noise together, but the recording of the new material was much cleaner and emphasized the individual performances rather than washing them together in a huge whoosh of reverb. Then there was the video for "The loss and curse of reverence" included on the CD. That was definitely the final nail in the coffin. Once I saw Ihsahn in all his mustached, armored glory, there was no going back. The music was still amazing, but I could never regard them the same way again. But, like I said, the music remains - so here's "In longing spirit", a reworking of a much older song and probably one of the band's slowest and most doomy pieces. Hail the Emperor!

Check out a sample of the new Peccatum EP "The moribund people": http://media.theendrecords.com/Peccatum_MoribundPeople_TheMoribundPeople_sample.mp3
In case you were unaware, Peccatum is the musical project of Ihsahn (ex-Emperor) and his wife Ihriel. The new disc comes out July 12 via The End Records.

Peccatum, the band of ex-Emperor mastermind Ihsahn and his wife Ihriel, have confirmed that their new album "Lost In Reverie" will be released on April 19 through Mnemosyne Productions/Voices Music and Entertainment. The End Records will handle the US release on May 25. Tracklist and soundclips:

01. Desolate Ever After
02. In The Bodiless Heart
03. Parasite My Heart
04. Veils Of Blue
05. Black Star
06. Stillness
07. The Banks Of This River Is Night