More than thirty years after the formation of Emperor, frontman Ihsahn — born Vegard Sverre Tveitan — remains surprised and grateful that his black metal band continues to resonate in today’s musical landscape. But as he shared in a recent interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal’s Metal Global, the path that brought Emperor to prominence doesn’t exist in the same way for today’s younger acts.
“Yeah, totally. I’m always surprised. I’m also very grateful for that fact. But I think it’s also a matter of the times we live in,” Ihsahn said when asked if the band’s longevity astonishes him (transcribed by Blabbermouth).
He elaborated by contrasting today’s music discovery model with the more intimate artist relationships fans developed in the past. “We came in a time where there was time spent where you got to develop a relationship with a band or an artist,” he said. Recalling his own youth, he continued: “I’m sure you’re probably younger than me, but I’m sure you can appreciate the feeling of when you’re a kid and you save up money to buy that album on vinyl. And sometimes you don’t know. You only had the money for that album and not the second one, and you had to choose.”
It was this limitation, Ihsahn argued, that gave fans a deeper connection to albums and the artists behind them. “At least I would read all the lyrics, all the liner notes. And we didn’t have any information about who these people were, so you tried to grab on to… There was a big part of imagination involved.”
Today, that kind of immersive experience has been replaced by ephemeral interactions, often driven by algorithmic playlists. “There are so many people who don’t have a relationship to artists; they have their relationship with playlists, whatever. It’s just whatever is popular music at the time,” he observed, adding, “perhaps within the metal community, rock and metal people are still more dedicated to that. But it changes so fast, it’s really hard for younger bands to have the time to develop that relationship.”
According to Ihsahn, the streaming era, while full of possibilities, has created an oversaturated market that hinders discovery. “It’s very unfortunate because, of course, there’s amazing music made still, but most of it will probably never be heard or reach the people who might like it,” he said.
That paradox is not lost on him: the same digital ecosystem that erodes mystique also brings with it a level of access that artists in previous generations could only dream of. “I love having access to all the music digitally — I can find all the stuff that I don’t have on physical anymore, and getting recommendations and new music that I probably would never have heard in the first place,” he acknowledged.
However, this democratization of distribution has its drawbacks. “Earlier on, there was a record company that would be like a gateway, where people couldn’t release just anything. But, of course, now it takes nothing, and everybody can release… You could spend an hour tapping your belly, and you could release it on Spotify, or on all streaming platforms for, like, $19 or something. So it’s very saturated.”
For Ihsahn, the modern music era resembles the pre-record industry days, where the value lay in live performance. “All of music history before was live music,” he pointed out. “So, instead of being too frustrated about, ‘Oh, things were so much better in the past,’ I think, okay, we had this amazing period where we attached ourselves to records and everything. And now we’re kind of back to a place where it’s the live experience and that connection, which is the exclusive thing. And hopefully it’ll be a long time until AI takes over that, too. [Laughs]”
Another casualty of the digital age is mystique. Ihsahn recalled the awe of his first Iron Maiden show—an experience he says would be hard to replicate now. “I couldn’t believe I was breathing the same air as the actual people in Iron Maiden, because we didn’t have social media. We didn’t know what they had for lunch before they came on stage.”
That air of mystery, he says, has played a key role in the success of bands that lean into anonymity. “Much of the success for bands like Ghost or Sleep Token, or Slipknot, is because you have the masks and everything. And, of course, they haven’t all managed to keep the anonymity, but people want that sense of theater and excitement.”
Referencing Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Ihsahn noted how fans don’t necessarily want familiarity on stage — they want transformation. “He’s the sweetest, most humble human being. But when he gets up on stage, he’s the Metal God. You don’t want humble — on stage, you want the Metal God.”
His point is clear: mystique is not just spectacle—it’s a ritualistic permission for release. “The band on stage gives you and the audience permission to let all inhibitions go and let the music drive you to that experience. So, I think with all these kinds of private interconnections, yeah, you lose a bit of that.”
In February 2024, Ihsahn released his latest self-titled album via Candlelight. The record features contributions from Tobias Ørnes Andersen and Tobias Solbakk on drums and percussion, with additional percussion by Ihsahn’s son, Angell Solberg Tveitan, and violin parts by Chris Baum. The album’s artwork was created by Ritxi Ostariz, with promotional photography by Andy Ford.
1 Comment
Brilliant analysis. He’s spot on with his description of saving money to buy and album and reading all the liner notes and lyrics and how that establishes a relationship with the band.