Born in the town of Notodden, Norway, Tveitan began playing piano at seven and guitar at ten and began recording songs shortly thereafter. His influences range from heavy metal, classical, ambient and techno. He grew up on a large farm in rural Norway.
Tveitan first met his partner in numerous musical projects, Tomas Thormodsæter Haugen (a.k.a. Samoth) at the age of thirteen at a music seminar. Tveitan gained Haugen's attention with his Iron Maiden patches. In 1991 they formed Thou Shalt Suffer together, a death/black metal band where Tveitan was guitarist and keyboardist. They produced several releases before Haugen left the band. Tveitan was left as the only member of the band and continues it to this day as a side-project. Unlike his solo work under his own name, Ihsahn's latest compositions for Thou Shalt Suffer are predominately keyboard-based and more classical in nature and influence.
After Haugen's departure from Thou Shalt suffer, the two formed Emperor where Tveitan again played guitar and provided vocals and keyboards. Emperor had a much more refined black metal sound which showcased Tveitan's developing keyboard sound, a distinct feature that would appear in his later releases. The band at this time received much support and encouragement from black metal pioneer Euronymous (member of the black metal band Mayhem) and after several demos, In the Nightside Eclipse was released to much acclaim.
Shortly thereafter, bandmates Haugen and Bård Eithun (a.k.a. Faust) were arrested and imprisoned leaving Tveitan to his own devices. He retreated to a property owned by his family to compose much of what would later become Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk, which was recorded after the parole of Haugen.
In 1995 the cult album Blood Must Be Shed from Zyklon-B was released featuring members of Emperor and Satyricon, with Tveitan on synth. In 1998 Tveitan formed, along with his wife Heidi Tveitan (a.k.a. Ihriel), the highly experimental project Peccatum. In 1999 Emperor released IX Equilibrium.
Peccatum would feature his trademark synth sound as well as clean and black vocals. Over the years Peccatum has released five albums and EPs and was Tveitan's main project until the project was ended in early March 2006.
In 2001, the final Emperor album was realesed. A studio album, Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise was entirely composed by Tveitan and featured much more complex melodies than previous works. It had significantly less synth than before. It was at this time Emperor mutually decided to dissolve, leaving the band with more time to focus on side projects.
On September 30th 2005, Emperor made a surprise return at Scream's 15-year anniversary party in Oslo at the Rockefeller. The move was kept top secret, was only known by a handful of people, and they played three songs only. This was to announce the reuniting of the band for a few shows around Europe and America in 2006, namely at the Wacken Open Air festival and Inferno Festival.
His first solo album The Adversary was released in April 2006. All work was done by him with the exception of percussion, which was done by Asgeir Mickelson (Borknagar, Vintersorg and others). It showcases his progressive influences as well as heavy metal, black metal and classical music. The album was recorded at Symphonique Studios in Norway and is to be released on his label Mnemosyne Productions, which was formed in 2003 with Ihriel. A video accompanies the track Invocation.
As well as being a talented musician, Tveitan is also a capable artist and once considered doing the artwork for a Thou Shalt Suffer album. He presently lives in Notodden, Norway with his wife and one dog, an Akita Inu. He also teaches music at the local school.
From Official Myspace:
Just thirty years of age, Ihsahn has traveled far beyond his rural beginnings. In little more than a decade, the largely self-taught musician has amassed a resume that when combined exceeds more than three quarters of a million worldwide album sales. His cumulative professional accolades include a 2001 Spelleman (Norwegian Grammy) Award nomination, 2003 Notodden City Cultural Award, and countless "Best of" class honors in internationally respected metal and rock magazines including Terrorizer, Metal Maniacs, Revolver, Kerrang!, Guitar World and many more. Now with The Adversary, the former Emperor vocalist/guitarist steps outside the comforts of an ensemble or collaboration and commands for the first time his most challenging project - a solo album.
He also contributed vocals on Devin Townsend Project's album, Deconstruction.
Discography:
Thou Shalt Suffer:
1991 - Into the Woods of Belial (Demo)
1991 - Open the Mysteries of Your Creation (Demo)
1997 - Into the Woods of Belial (Compilation), (Re-issued 2004)
2000 - Somnium
Emperor:
Full Length:
1994 - In the Nightside Eclipse
1997 - Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
1999 - IX Equilibrium
2001 - Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
Live Albums:
2000 - Emperial Live Ceremony
Compilation Albums:
1998 - Wrath of the Tyrant
2001 - Emperial Vinyl Presentation
2003 - Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath
Split Albums:
1993 - Emperor / Hordanes Land - Split with Enslaved
1999 - Thorns vs. Emperor - Split with Thorns
2000 - True Kings of Norway - Split with Immortal, Dimmu Borgir, Ancient and Arcturus
Singles/EPs:
1993 - Emperor
1994 - As the Shadows Rise
1996 - Reverence
Demos/Promos:
1992 - Wrath of the Tyrant
Bootlegs:
1995 - A Midsummer Night's Dream
1997 - Conquering Europe
1999 - Live in Frostland
Videography:
1997 - The Loss and Curse of Reverence (Promo Video)
2000 - Emperial Live Ceremony (VHS/DVD)
2001 - Empty (Promo Video)
Peccatum:
1999 - Strangling from Within
2000 - Oh, My Regrets (EP)
2001 - Amor Fati
2004 - Lost in Reverie
2005 - The Moribund People (EP)
Ihsahn: (Solo-albums)
2006 - The Adversary
2008 - Angl
2010 - After
2012 - Eremita
2013 - Das Seelnbrechen
2016 - Arktis
2018 - ÀMR
Hardingrock:
2007 - Grimen
Guest appearances and session:
1995 - Ildjarn - Det Frysende Nordariket (Session vocals on various tracks)
1995 - Wongraven - Fjelltronen (Session synth)
1995 - Zyklon-B - Blood Must Be Shed (Session synth and guitar)
1998 - Ulver - Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven & Hell (Guest vocals on A Song of Liberty)
2002 - Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors (Guest vocals on Radical Cut)
2002 - Star of Ash - Iter.Viator. (Various roles including guitar and bass duties)
2011 - Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction (Guest vocals on Juular)
2012 - Jeff Loomis - Plains Of Oblivion (Guest vocals on Surrender)
Invocation
Ihsahn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Release the fires of Hell
I call upon destruction and despair
Here the days of slumber end
I beckon the night
to live and overcome the fear
Come sin, come shame
I bid you welcome to the pyre
Will our objective truths
withstand this affliction?
I venture
Let it all come down!
The deafening sound of trumpets roar
in celebration of impending chaos
This is not terror, this is not war
Beyond repentance
this is the call of the abyss
As deep cuts of truth
as a fire that closes the wound
so is my redemption
Beyond repentance
this is the ordeal of fire
Come suffering, Apocalypse
Release the fires of Hell
I call upon destruction and despair
Not for vengeance
Not for power
Beneath the ashes I walk
The song "Invocation" by Ihsahn is a powerful and intense piece that invokes the forces of destruction and despair. The first verse "Come suffering, Apocalypse, Release the fires of Hell" sets the tone for the rest of the song and draws the listener into a world of chaos and darkness. The singer calls upon destruction and despair to bring an end to the days of slumber and beckons the night to live and overcome the fear. The second verse "Come sin, come shame, congregation of contempt, I bid you welcome to the pyre" further emphasizes this image of destruction, inviting sin and shame to join in the fire of reckoning.
The chorus "Let it all come down!" reinforces the idea of destruction and chaos, urging listeners to embrace the forces of the abyss. The bridge "As deep cuts of truth, as a fire that closes the wound, so is my redemption" suggests that through this ordeal of fire, the singer finds redemption and meaning. The final lines "Not for vengeance, not for power, beneath the ashes I walk" speak to a deeper purpose, one that is not rooted in revenge or domination, but in a more profound sense of acceptance and transcendence.
Overall, the song is a powerful and cathartic experience for listeners, confronting them with the darker aspects of existence and challenging them to find meaning and redemption in the face of chaos and destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Come suffering, Apocalypse
I am invoking the end of the world, a time of great suffering
Release the fires of Hell
Let destruction reign and let chaos consume everything
I call upon destruction and despair
I am summoning the forces of destruction and the feeling of utter hopelessness
Here the days of slumber end
This is the awakening, the time of reckoning
I beckon the night
I am calling forth darkness, fear, and uncertainty
to live and overcome the fear
only by embracing fear can we overcome it and emerge stronger
Come sin, come shame
I welcome all that is deemed immoral and unacceptable by society
congregation of contempt
all those who are despised and rejected are invited to join me
I bid you welcome to the pyre
I urge you to join me in burning down the old ways and creating something new
Will our objective truths
Are our essential truths strong enough to withstand this test
withstand this affliction?
Can we survive and emerge stronger
I venture
I am willing to take the risk and find out
Let it all come down!
Let everything we know crumble and fall so something new can be built in its place
The deafening sound of trumpets roar
The noise of the world as we know it ending is overwhelming and all-encompassing
in celebration of impending chaos
This is not mourned, it is celebrated
This is not terror, this is not war
This is not a fight or conflict, it is more profound and spiritual
Beyond repentance
This is beyond seeking forgiveness, it is something that must be done and cannot be undone
this is the call of the abyss
This is the summoning of the unknown, the dangerous and the uncharted
As deep cuts of truth
It will be harsh and painful, like a deep cut from a sharp knife
as a fire that closes the wound
The healing will also be painful, like a burn that seals the wound shut
so is my redemption
Only through embracing pain and destruction can true redemption and growth be achieved
Beyond repentance
This is not about asking for forgiveness but forging a new path
this is the ordeal of fire
This is a journey of pain and purification
Not for vengeance
This is not motivated by retribution or anger
Not for power
This is not a quest for power or control
Beneath the ashes I walk
Only by burning down the old can something new emerge, and I will be there to walk the new path
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Azerai1313
I can never get tired of this man and his incredible music.
KungFuKuya
I feel like Ihsahn reflects (hence Invocation) his strong link to Emperor and a will to break free from preconceived notions that he is "only a black metal artist" (referring to the flashing images of himself in Emperor). While a lot of the DNA permeates in this song, I feel how he wants to set off on his own with more melodic progressive style and clean vocals, with his integrity intact when Emperor was arguably becoming the super star symphonic black metal band we all love so much. Ihsahn is still one of the few artists that I genuinely look up to, enjoying his album after album. In his own words, "the way I see black metal is that it is a mindset not necessarily a style". Stay true to yourself folks, Ihsahn has certainly done this since the inception of his solo project.
רוברט ויינגר
This song is closer to the emperor stuff, i love all his solo stuff, ihsahn has great ideas in his music, his music always interesting because he's always on the move, he's on a musical journey, one can see it when listening to his last album from 2018 and the last ep's from 2020, hail ihsahn, hail emperor, and thanks to candlelight records for sharing.
Slash Design Group
this song is so underrated.. it still rocks in 2022
MrVermin999
Masterpiece in every sound.
יונה פרידמן
absolute masterpiece
Verticals00
Great post-Emperor work.
2022 and still powerful thing.
FEAR The Pointman
Amazing song, exhilarating video! Ihsahn \m/
Tom Andre Tidemann
Amazing song!!!
willian michel de faria
Deus esteja a abençoar nossas vidas amigo !!! ❤🙏🎸