I know this question wasn't directed at me but I'm joining in anyway....
For me personally, Wrath of the Tyrant is perhaps the better album.
That said, In the Nightside Eclipse still remains quite the incredible achievement of young musicians and should always be considered a landmark of the genre. It reflects the geographical isolation appropriately and when listened to as whole work the cohesiveness unveils pure musical poetry.
Whilst actively absent Mortiis' lyrics are at least still on offer and considerably his most potent spells at the time conceived, though bass guitar is all but inaudible (exception would be a passage found within The Majesty of the Night Sky).
I believe the mastering is what elevates the albums power and I have never heard a Synth sound that f**king great on a black metal release (sure other bands have better playing or more varied tones whatever, i'm taking the sound) but Judas Iscariot - heaven in flames (1998) certainly comes freakishly f**king close.
Ultimately, Wrath of the Tyrant does (for me) obtain the Raw Essence of Black Metal. The sloppy yet passionate performances of the unique compositions on offer encapsulates it's Era purposefully. A group of youths channelling the past darkness of early Bathory, Hellhammer etc, embedded alongside the 'I don't give a f**k about you' attitude of Punk Rock.
A few albums like this come to mind, obviously A Blaze in the Northern Sky, also Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism. Each of these now reminiscent of the scenes original ideology but a far cry and departure from the paths these bands eventually undertook respectively.
'He is the wind, He is the storm
He is the woods, He is the roots...'
