I think the new album is a bit beyond the terms of Black Metal. We have used a more "all over" Metal influence, ranging from strict Heavy to Trash/Death Metal. After finishing an album, there are always things one could have wished to do differently, but I feel we have achieved more of what we wanted, production-wise, with the new studio situation and the pre-work we did for this album. Also, I think we have developed as musicians and both music and lyrics are more mature and of greater variety this time.
Ihsahn / Emperor interview, The Lodge, 1999
EMPEROR released their third album, IX Equilibrium, on this day in 1999 through Candlelight.
Concerning the album, IX is used for different symbolic reasons of greater and lesser importance, as well as simpler reasons like the fact that the album is released in 1999, was mastered on the 9th of January 1999, in 9 hours and, coincidentally, has 9 tracks. Other aspects are revealed by different numbers in combination in the lyrics; it can be linked to many theories, I suppose. In general, the title reflects much of the contents on the album - both musically and lyrically - and the search for the highest balance. And even if 9 is the highest number in our numerical system, we mustn't forget that to every theory there's a paradox, so that's why we use the Roman IX.
Ihsahn / Emperor interview, The Lodge, 1999
My personal favourite on the album is An Elegy of Icaros, as I am very satisfied with the song structure and also the dynamic range.
Ihsahn / Emperor interview, The Lodge, 1999
We have always had the same foundation, but we always made an effort to do something different with each disc. We wanted to add new dimensions and to better ourselves. I think the biggest step we ever took as a band was with _IX Equilibrium_, especially when you look at it from a production point of view.
Ihsahn / Emperor interview, Chronicle of Chaos, 2001