IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT

When I think of black metal, I never really picture cities as a visage point. Usually I imagine dark, gloomy forests, snowy mountain tops, maybe even the occasional medieval weaponry. But New York? Now that's something different in the black metal sphere I never thought of, though a city could theoretically work. A concrete forest oftentimes can hide the cruelties of man just as well as a forest can. In a way, that's where Imperial Triumphant's newest release of Goldstar comes into play.

I knew of Imperial Triumphant from their 2022 release of Spirit of Ecstasy. I liked that album, but not enough for me to revisit it over and over again. However, I was pleasantly surprised the moment I heard Goldstar, as not only was it really good comparatively, it made me more interested in checking this band out more in the future.

I've never been the most huge on dissonant black metal, but I have always been quite in favor towards avant-garde metal, and hearing them combined is always quite a treat admittedly. Imperial Triumphant creates a storm of chaos through each of their chords and percussion-lines that range from Gorguts-like technicalities, to old school Ulver blackness. It is honestly really enjoyable for what it's worth, and adds a lot of weight to a pretty short album.

I also really enjoy the concept here, being an album based around the quote unquote 'sounds of New York as we hear them'. They take the ideas of metropolitan United States, and mashes the commercialism and constant ads of the city's skyline as a sort of occult-like nature. In an offshoot way, this album did release at a perfect time when you consider American politics. I know, I know, we're all tired of political nonsense, but hear me out. With America politics becoming more and more in favor towards the rich and wealthy, especially when we have a bumbling rich idiot in office, with a fascist wealthy brat who cannot make a car for God knows what right by his side, viewing these aspects of American greed and consumerism as a sort of cult wouldn't be too far off. I mean, what's too different from a Satanic cult in comparison to the diehard bigots who support our current president's every move?

I do think sometimes the execution of this concept can be a bit too hamfisty, like with the 'hail satan my child' part, and the entirety of the title track. Kind of wish they did more subtlety within the lyrical aspects. It's a really good concept, again, but I don't think the lyrics are the best aspect here. In fact I do think they're kinda the worst aspect on the record. Great concept musically and conceptually, but written on paper'it could use some work.

Safe to say, Goldstar is a gold star of a black metal record. It has a lot of things one can love from a good ol' bm album, and many more. I definitely say check it out, cause it's not only a really fun time, but certainly an album for a modern day America happening right now.

Best tracks: Eye of Mars, Gomorrah Nouveaux, NEWYORKCITY, Industry of Misery

Worst track: Goldstar

Ominous Art Deco Sound

The architects of elegant and brutal chaos return with 'Goldstar', a work directly inspired by the vast monstrosity of their hometown New York. In just under 39 minutes, the trio builds a wall of sound that feels like Manhattan beneath skyscrapers warped by madness.

The album proves that avant-garde can be accessible without losing its edge, deploying their signature extreme metal with jazz elements and dissonant sections efficiently and concisely. The production is raw, one thanks the controlled maelstrom that so characterizes their style. The atmospheres are built with precision, and harsh textures and arrangements are integrated to enrich the final result. Furthermore, contributions from figures such as Dave Lombardo and Tomas Haake add interest to the album.

Despite its dense layers and evident complexity of execution, 'Goldstar' feels direct. Part of this is due to its length, which is long enough for the band to develop their approach without overwhelming the listener, something many of their contemporaries fail to grasp. Shorter pieces, such as "NEWYORKCITY" and "Goldstar" (for some reason, the latter giving me a mental image of the video game 'Fallout',) serve as effective transitions, ensuring a steady flow. In "Gomorrah Nouveaux", the phrase "High class, low life" encapsulates the band's critique of the decadence they find in their surroundings; they translate the combination of superficial luxury with deteriorating morality into music that is precise but, at times, could take more risks.

In the end, this album stands as a new sonic cathedral, built upon the crumbling foundations of the city that so inspires them. IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT remains consistent in its form, but too comfortable within its own limits. The execution and the idea are impeccable, but the lack of creative boldness leaves the feeling that they fell short of their own potential. It's a good album, although one that leaves the impression that they could have gone further if they had dared to challenge their own rules.

Music: 3 stars

Lyrics: 3 stars

Execution: 4 stars

Emotion: 2 stars

Production: 3 stars

Artwork: 3 stars

Average: 3

Hard to believe that once upon a time metal music, then simply existing as heavy metal was considered immature and deemed just an adolescent phase that gullible minds fell victim to. Of course it was a plot by ole Satan himself to lead us away from a good Christian ethos. Fast forward some four decades and there is no denying that metal music has conquered the world and like a sordid slut with rampaging hormones has spread its libertine legs open wide for virtually every other musical genre to impregnate its contemptible corruption of the rock music paradigm. And here we are in the early 2020's where it seems there is no end in sight with new strains of avant-garde metal usurping the world of prog, jazz, ethnic folk and just about every other musical expression throughout history.

As metal has become more extreme it has also become more confident with the knowing that no musical expression must go unconquered and on the top of the list for unfathomable musical colonization strategies is the New York City based IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT which has declared with a thundering decree that metal music is your master now so bow down and smell the glove! Formed as far back as 2005 by mastermind lead vocalist / guitarist and avant-garde connoisseur Zachary Ezrin, IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT started out as a somewhat typical black metal act albeit with a propensity for adding technical death metal chops and unhealthy doses of dissonance. The 2012 debut album "Abominamentvm" showcased a restless unsettling mix of the technically adept in the midst of swarming angsty chaos and ominous dissonance.

The following "Abyssal Gods" followed suit only the creative pangs were churning and the addition of piano, cello, trumpet and choir seeped into the mix. The floodgates were opened but with 2018's "Vile Luxury" the dam truly burst and the true IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT reared its ugly head as a bizarre brutal chimera of blackened dissonant death metal with New York City jazz club sophistication. The world would never be the same. Fast forward to the following year in 2019 and Colin Marston of Behold?The Arctopus / Dysrhythmia / Krallice / Gorguts fame entered the scene. And then so too did Trey Spruance of Mr Bungle / Secret Chiefs 3 / Faxed Head prestige. Yep, things were about to get weird and i when i say weird i mean sky's the limit weird where fertile creative bat [&*!#] crazy weird meets the world of technical complexity. The real IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT was born!

Back for the attack in 2022, IT releases its fifth installment of musical terror SPIRIT OF ECSTASY with a star-studded cast of musical freaks. While still very much the baby of Zachary Ezrin who handles guitars, vocals and orchestrations along with partners in crime drummer Kenny Grohowski better known for jazz-fusion bands like Abraxas as well as bassist Steve Blanco, this one features an impressive guest roster of Colin Marston on drums, guest lead guitarists Max Gorelick, Testament's Alex Skolnick and Trey Spruance. Add a few guest vocalists, a choir, trombone and trumpet and we're ready for a riot in the Big Apple. If that's not weird enough the album also finds a cameo appearance by, um, are you ready for this??. Kenny G! Yeah, for those not familiar with smooth jazz from the 80s, this guy was the heartthrob of post-menopausal housewives all across the USA with his smooth inoffensive elevator jazz musical style. Told ya this was a weird one!

OK get to the friggin music already! SPIRIT OF ECSTASY is a brutal bestial affair of disso-death metal cranked up to the max but set to the compositional flair of avant-garde jazz. Add some spoken word samples and unorthodox, well everything and you are guaranteed to experience something that could only find avant-garde masters like Marston and Spruance on board! With a total of eight tracks that just miss 55 minutes, this one is a wild ride and a grand declaration that screams disdain for any pesky conventional labeling systems and while jazz-infused extreme metal is hardly anything new under the sun, this chimeric hybridization has never really been carried out to its logical conclusion with such finesse and equanimity.

As this thundering stampede of blackened disso-death ferociously delivers an avant-exodus from the status quo, IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT delivers a veritable bizarre pendulum swing from the darkest and most inaccessible extremes of modern metal to the unexpected swanky club action of jazz-fusion savoir-faire. What sounds like a train wreck in Grand Central Station in reality unleashes some of the most competent musicianship forging new unifying forces between hitherto totally separate opposing musical forces. Through the album's run we experience not only unrestrained metal mayhem but also superb excursions into jazz-fusion plenteousness but also eerie off road journeys into dark ambient episodes of mind-fuc.kery that would sit well in the golden years of Krautrock but metalheads don't fret!? the cacophonous din of distortion and adrenaline fueled percussive outbursts are never too far in the distance.

In many ways SPIRIT OF ECSTASY sums up the world we find ourselves in at this point of the 21st century. Cacophonous din from every direction laced with tangible moments of short-attention span motifs that fluctuate like a kaleidoscope for the ears as angsty riffs and metal bombast pummel the senses. Metal dressing for an otherwise atmospheric avant-jazz album is what SPIRTY OF ECSTASY inculcates and the spirt of valiant vanguard is in full display here. I mean where else in the universe could you truly find the crazed intractability of Colin Marston sitting side by side with the mainstream as it gets 80s vanilla smooth jazz king Kenny G? This is a true work of art on so many levels showcasing the fact that extreme metal truly is the new prog of the modern era. Definitely not for the feint at heart. This is difficult listening music at its finest as it will take many years to wrap their head around this one. All i can say is this one is quite TRIUMPHANT in its unorthodox approach and doesn't hold back one iota.

Imperial Triumphant is a New York-based technical death metal band with strong avant-garde elements. This album made the top list of 2020 albums of YouTube music reviewer Anthony Fantano and therefor got my attention. The band has also released three very intense and though-provoking video clips I can highly recommend watching (start with 'City Swine'). Basically this is very odd and chaotic sounding death metal with some noticeable influences of King Crimson, though that's mainly on the opening track 'Rotted Futures'. The band is celebrated for its attempts to find a way to really do something new in the metal genre and I would agree. Especially the late night jazz influenced high- speed death metal track 'Transmission to Mercury' sounds very original. The very intense 'Atomic Age' offers some very interesting ideas on structure and how a song is supposed to work. Love the melancholy part in the middle. The title track 'Alphaville' opens with some vile shrieking guitar parts and riffage that reminds me a bit of Voivod. Like on many extreme metal productions the sound is so intense that the whole band sounds a bit blurred and obscured. The vinyl offers some great packaging with posters, lyric sheets and stunning artwork. Music like this is however extremely hard to read for lower to mid-level turntables. The band has a stage performance with black robes and golden masks (a bit like in Kubrick's 'Eyes Wide Shut') and sounds very competent in performing this very technical type of avant- metal. This album of Imperial Triumphant offers a very complete work of art, combining music and imagery in very interesting ways. I love the way this band is progressing a crowded genre, though I hope their next productions will have some of that sonic transparency and tightness of - for instance - later era Death. A mandatory listen for fans of the technical progressive metal genres.