Review by Adam M on July 1, 2012.

The new Ihsahn greatly progresses in a direction that might have been expected following "After". More progressive and aggressive in nature, it’s the perfect fit for the present time Ihsahn. There are guest vocalists and more varied song structures and instrumentation than the last album. I also think "Eremita" is more consistent than its predecessor with no major weak moments to be found.

There aren’t songs of the ballad nature of 'Undercurrent' to be found here, however. Instead, there are some cracking up-tempo pieces like the opener 'Arrival' that give the album a generally more excited feel. The song 'The Grave' is a lumbering doomy exception to this mood. The progressive nature of many of the songs recalls the likes of later Emperor, such as the album "Prometheus". There is still that jazzy element present as well that sometimes makes use of saxophones, but it’s not as present as on the album. Regardless, Ihsahn has certainly found his niche within Progressive Black Metal genre as a solo artist. His albums are actually more similar to what a group might perform than what a typical solo artist would. He’s quite developed in the song-writing department now and able to craft a number of interesting moments with little effort. The only minor complaint I have with the album is that the beginning portions are stronger than the ending, which becomes slightly too strange for its own good.

Still, there are many standout moments to become enraptured with on this newest opus from Ihsahn and it will certainly be a contender for album of the year. For fans of Ihsahn’s previous material with either Emperor or as a solo artist, "Eremita" is a no-brainer as a purchase.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 9.5
Originality: 9
Overall: 9.5

Rating: 9.3 out of 10

Review by Adam M on February 28, 2018.

Usurpress performs a mishmash of genres to excellent effect. There is a decidedly Swedish death flavor to the songs, but the variety of styles makes this more interesting than your standard effort from that genre. There are moments where the music slows down and takes a more atmospheric vibe which are nice and add variety to the mix. Surely the variation is a nice element that gives the band a great deal of credibility.

They are able to rock out when necessary, but make sure that the album has a changeable mood to it. The Swedish death portions themselves are strong and surpass the old Entomed comparison time and time again. This leads to a very compelling listen. There is a post aspect to the band brought on by noisy elements seen specifically in the highlight In Boos Without Pages.  Otherwise, black metal and other genres like gothic metal seep into the mix and bring this album to a more greatly elevated level.  The effect of the variation is delightful and poignant, but the album still isn’t perfect. Some parts of the mix bog down the overall sound of the band and lead to a slight bit of inconsistency such as the latter portions of Late in the 11^th Hour. The experimentation doesn’t always work, but it leads to a freshness that is a complete wonder.

This is an album that many different metal lovers will enjoy and it only requires a moderate effort to create an effective listening experience from the listener. This is an experience that needs to be heard in its entirety to fully appreciate. Those interested in Swedish death will be the most likely to like the material here, but there is so much diversity that fans of a number of genres will find something to cling to. Usurpress have crafted a truly interesting release with Interregnum.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10