### Pantheon I: Worlds I create

#### 26/11/09 || cadenz

How many of you remember a band called Emperor? Isn’t it a shame they only released four albums? Well, rejoice, Ihsahn-ites – Pantheon I brings something with a touch of the same spirit as the mighty E to the table. The Norwegians’ second full-length is a feast of entropic dissonances and epic harmonies, entrenched in a thick black-and-gray atmosphere of ill-will. When as skilled musicians as PI possess actually put their chops to good use, good things are bound to happen. Let’s just say that the only thing about “Worlds I Create” that isn’t good is the black aura surrounding the music – which is impenetrably evil.

The foundation of this album has five cornerstones – or points of the pentagram, if you will: The north-west point gives us blastbeats and grim tremolo riffs that break the minds of the feeble with sheer malice. North-east brings harmonic chord structures with beautiful melody lines and mid-tempo beats with double kicks, soothing even the darkest of spirits. In south-west we have harsh growls and screams that conjure demons from within, and in south-east somber but proud clean male vocals as well as lots of progressive arrangements and odd-time riffs that bring huge diversity to the music. Finally, the southern point possesses the most unique and beautiful of all the parts in Pantheon I’s puzzle – the cello. This in itself fantastic instrument with a timbre of solid gold (in the right hands, of course) carries the aforementioned atmosphere over the top with its overpoweringly emotional touch.

As you may have noticed, there are lots of things boiling in the pot Pantheon I are stirring, and that can be a problem. Four things are essential for this type of majestic, intricate and divergent music to function well – immaculate musicianship, well-balanced, clear and distinct arrangements, production that is both organic and clear at the same time, and of course strong musical ideas and themes. Well, whaddayaknow – check, check, check and fucken quadruple check. It’s been a while since I last heard a black metal record that was this diverse and still so easily comprehensible yet lost nothing in atmosphere. The last time that happened was probably when I heard “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” (by you-know-who) for the first time in 1997; and me comparing “Worlds I Create” to it – one of the best, if not the best, BM albums of all time – speaks volumes. One of the best releases of 2009, for sure.

- Information
- Released: 2009
- Label: Candlelight Records
- Website: www.pantheon-i.com
- Band
- Andrè Kvebek: guitars, vocals
- John Espen Sagstad: guitars
- Tor Risdal Stavenes: bass
- Mads Guldbekkhei: drums
- Live Julianne Kostøl: cello

- Tracklist
- 01. Myself Above All
- 02. Defile the Trinity
- 03. Serpent Christ
- 04. Ascending
- 05. Burn the Cross
- 06. Bannlyst
- 07. The Last Stand
- 08. Written in Sand