I’m sure there are a few people in metal circles who are unfamiliar with the name, Ihshan, famed frontman/guitarist for Norway’s black metal innovators, Emperor. Whomever those unfortunate few are, "After" is definitely not targeted towards you, but then again, there aren’t hordes of Emperor faithful who will be chuffed with the eight tunes within.

Having assembled a noteworthy cast: drummer Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect), bassist Lars K. Norberg (Spiral Architect), & saxophonist Jorgen Munkeby (Shining), this experimental music, with a capital E (shouldn’t be surprised with Spiral Architect members in its midst). It’s not Emperor, utilizing clean vocals, progressive stylings (the acoustic title track) and even the odd saxophone (dissonant ‘A Grave Inversed’, a ten minute ‘Undercurrent’, ‘Heaven’s Black Sea’, droning introduction to ‘On The Shores’). That’s not to say the guitarist doesn’t let loose an instrumental barrage or torturous screamed vocals, of course he does, but there’s also the downtrodden Alice In Chains moments in ‘Frozen Lakes On Mars’.

Tough to get your head around the (lack of?) melodies, although the acoustic, cleanly sung and aptly entitled ballad "Austere" (lengthy voiceless section) is more conventional, even with a smattering of Hammond organ.