According to consequense.net, artist Ihsahn has announced his new self-titled solo album will be released on February 16 and the black metal legend has also shared two different versions of the lead single “Pilgrimage to Oblivion.” The metal version is amazing by how the music  immediately falls in the of  mind Celtic Frost’s album Into the Pandemonium with its mix of black metal and wild orchestral arrangement. Ihsahn’s vocals remain bold and starkly, which brings a prog-metal stance in this composition.

As for “Pilgrimage to Oblivion,” it is a fast introduction to the musical and conceptual aspects of the album and the lyrics go  into the whole story and the video is the first in a sequel of videos that portrays the whole thing. The music does capture how passionate Ihsahn is as an artist.

In the following statement the artist shares his thoughts about the upcoming album:”I approached the writing with the intent to present the material in its full-blown metal expression, but also to arrange the orchestral parts in such a way that they would work independently. Somehow an attempt to write a soundtrack within the structures of the full production, allowing me to explore different, and sometimes contrasting, variations of essentially the same music. In the end I wrote all the music as a piano short-score and arranged it for a typical band ensemble and orchestra, accordingly, making sure everything interlocked.”

Ihsahn Track List

1. Cervus Venator
2. The Promethean Spark
3. Pilgrimage To Oblivion
4. Twice Born
5. A Taste Of The Ambrosia
6. Anima Extraneae
7. Blood Trails To Love
8. Hubris And Blue Devils
9. The Distance Between Us
10. At The Heart Of All Things Broken
11. Sonata Profana