Shapeshifting progressive metal pioneer, Ihsahn, has once again pushed the boundaries of unconstrained creation - this time with the release of his striking single/video tribute to Norwegian pop pioneers, a-ha.

He has shared the video for his cover of the band's "Manhattan Skyline," which appears on his new EP, Pharos, out September 11 via Candlelight Records. The version features the phenomenal vocal talents of Einar Solberg of Leprous. Watch the video below.

"Manhattan Skyline" was originally released by a-ha in 1986 and reached #13 in the UK Singles Chart. With a refresh for 2020, Ihsahn has produced a delicate but true-to-the-original tribute, combining a soft, ballad-like verse that explodes into a bombastic rock chorus featuring all the melodramatic grandeur of the original.

Directed and filmed by Troll Toftenes, the video sees Ihsahn at his most passionate. With the breathtaking landscape of Norway as the backdrop, Ihsahn plays his Aristides T/0 Lilac Pearl Satin Guitar atop Gaustatoppen, the highest mountain in Norway, at sunset while Solberg's earnest and emotional vocals soar to otherworldly levels of brilliance.

Ihsahn admits that his love of a-ha is not new, saying, "There are some hints of a-ha even on the second Emperor album!"

This revelation may frustrate followers of the orthodoxy present within extreme music. But for Ihsahn, he has never worried about being confined to certain expectations.

"I never wanted to be as one-dimensional [with] this black metal image," the artist explains. "When I turned 40, I stopped caring. But if you start out playing black metal when you're 16, it's hardly because you want to be everybody's favorite."

Pharos is another triumph for Ihsahn, a polymathic composer who has already leant his iconoclastic spirit to rule-breaking bands and projects. He has yet again woven intricate, sonic landscapes that cement his status as a true musical alchemist. Recorded at his home studio, with additional drums by Tobias Solbakk at Jukes Joint Studio, Pharos is musically and conceptually a reverse image of Telemark — the first of the two linked EPs, released back in February of this year.

The light to Telemark's dark, Pharos features three original compositions and another cover, which is the haunting "Roads," which was originally done by British trip-hop collective Portishead.  

Pre-orders for Pharos, including t-shirts, hoodie, and limited-edition vinyl bundles, are available here.

Pharos EP tracklisting:

"Losing Altitude"
"Spectre At The Feast"
"Pharos"
"Roads" (Portishead)
"Manhattan Skyline" (a-ha) featuring Einar Solberg of Leprous

"Spectre At The Feast" video: