Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk

The fact is, you can't talk about extreme metal without talking at least a little about this seminal album, which first raised black metal to the platform of grand, pseudo-operatic, beautiful excess. Emperor's predecessors had only imagined the possibilities that Anthems fully realizes. Keyboards render the album only 88% pure, but they also kick ass, and a solid asskicking plays rock to purity's scissors on any given Sunday.