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)
Malediction
Ihsahn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Profanity
Rabid convulsion
Of blasphemy
Thus appear my venomous cries
To your ears
Were they truths or were they lies
Eternal
Tyranny
Of denial
I would surely burn myself at the stake
Were my demons the spawn
Of your lusts and perversions
Parasite
Mundane creed
Dispassionate
Betrayal
In times of moral crisis
The darkest places in hell
Are reserved for the neutral
And so you earn
My contempt
My enmity
Malediction
Though my path be that of thorns
The way of my affliction
Is the way to myself
The devil will not let me go
Though I do not mind
Through fiery lakes to where cold rivers flow
I honour the contract I signed
Sacrilege
Profanity
Rabid convulsion
Of blasphemy
Thus appear my venomous cries
To your ears
Were they truths or were they lies
Rejection
Eternal
Tyranny
Of denial
I would surely burn myself at the stake
Were my demons the spawn
Of your lusts and perversions
No - the devil will not let me go
And I never did mind
Through fiery lakes to where cold rivers flow
With pleasure I honour the contract I signed
In the song "Malediction" by Ihsahn, the lyrics delve into themes of rejection, morality, and ultimately, the devil. The opening lines of the song - "sacrilege, profanity, rabid convulsion of blasphemy" - set the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which are venomous and filled with anger. Ihsahn's cries come from a place of deep-seated emotion, challenging the listener to consider whether they're hearing the truth or lies. As the song continues, the lyrics describe a sense of betrayal by those who claim to be neutral in times of moral crisis - in other words, those who sit idly by and do nothing.
The final lines of the song suggest that Ihsahn has made a deal with the devil, and that he takes pleasure in honoring the contract he signed. Despite the fiery lakes and cold rivers he must travel through, he has chosen the path of his affliction, which ultimately leads him to himself. Through the confrontational lyrics and vivid imagery, "Malediction" leaves the listener with a sense of darkness and unease, exploring topics that are uncomfortable, yet deeply human.
Line by Line Meaning
Sacrilege
A violation or infringement of something that is considered sacred or holy.
Profanity
Blasphemous language or behavior that shows disrespect towards something that is considered sacred or holy.
Rabid convulsion
An uncontrollable fit, frenzy or outburst of intense emotions.
Of blasphemy
Showing disrespect or contempt towards something that is considered sacred or holy.
Thus appear my venomous cries
My extreme expressions of emotion and anger are directed towards you.
To your ears
As you hear my words.
Were they truths or were they lies
Whether my words were honest and genuine or deceptive and untrue.
Rejection
The act of refusing to accept or acknowledge something.
Eternal
Lasting or existing forever; without end or beginning.
Tyranny
Cruel and oppressive rule or behavior.
Of denial
The act of refusing to acknowledge, accept or believe in something.
I would surely burn myself at the stake
I would rather sacrifice myself than allow my own demons to be associated with your immoral desires.
Were my demons the spawn
If my negative traits and behavior were a direct result of your influence.
Of your lusts and perversions
Caused by your immoral and deviant desires.
Parasite
An organism that lives on or within another organism and benefits at the host's expense.
Mundane creed
An ordinary or commonplace set of beliefs.
Dispassionate
Not influenced by strong emotion, and so able to be rational and impartial.
Betrayal
The act of breaking trust or going against expectations.
In times of moral crisis
During periods when ethical values and principles are questioned or challenged.
The darkest places in hell
The worst levels of suffering and punishment in the afterlife.
Are reserved for the neutral
Those who refuse to take action or choose a side in a moral conflict are just as guilty as those who actively do wrong.
And so you earn
You deserve or have gained.
My contempt
My disrespect or disdain for you.
My enmity
My hostility or hatred towards you.
Malediction
A curse or expression of ill-will towards someone.
Though my path be that of thorns
Even though I may face difficult challenges or hardships.
The way of my affliction
The path that leads to my suffering or pain.
Is the way to myself
Is the path that I need to take in order to understand and confront my own issues.
The devil will not let me go
I am committed to my own darkness and negative emotions.
Though I do not mind
Even though I am aware of the risks and consequences of my actions.
Through fiery lakes to where cold rivers flow
No matter the danger and pain I face, I will continue on my path.
I honour the contract I signed
I choose to commit to my own negativity and suffering.
Contributed by Connor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.