Imperium Dekadenz - Into Sorrow Evermore

The sprawling peaks of the Black Forest, Germany’s heavily poplar populated mountain range, serve as an inspiration for Imperium Dekadenz’s growing catalogue of atmospheric black metal.  Formed in 2004 by multi-instrumentalists Christian ‘Horaz’ Jakob and Pascal ‘Vespasian’ Vannier, Imperium Decadenz have chonked out a regular stream of well-received albums and Into Sorrow Evermore is their seventh overall; their second since joining Napalm Records in 2018. Their sound has its roots in the Norwegian-led second wave of black metal, but with the added benefit of not being explicitly racist or homophobic…huzzah.  Lyrical themes are instead aimed towards ruminations on death, hatred and mourning - with the band stating that they wish to distance politics and religion from their art.

The titular opening track sets the tone.  An atmospheric, undulating intro is shattered as a swell of blast beats kick in.  And they don’t let up. A wave of tremolo guitar carry most of the heft before they breakdown to a thumping chorus which offers the briefest of respite. Songs like this and November Monument sonically envelop you, sucking you into the world Imperium Dekadenz have painted.  In the case of the latter, as the tumult cuts out to just chugging bass, it permits you the smallest gasp of air before you are plunged back into its bleak soundscape.  Certainly, these moments are key in preventing the relentless fervour from becoming too cloying. In the band’s own words; “November is a monument to death and darkness and yet it also represents the beginning of a new cycle. Travel with us into the dark wings of melancholy and through this season, full of reflection and relinquishment.”

Aurora starts with a sparse, glacial piano melody that bursts into a driving wall of sonance; the snap of drums contrasting well with the heavy fuzz of guitars. The chorus features a welcome trade-off between spoken lyrics and Amenra-esque pained screams, although the former is delivered a little too earnestly for my tastes. The most immediate song, Forests in Gale, is placed centrally in the track listing and is resoundingly bright in comparison to its companions. The repeated riff is simple but will almost certainly worm its way into your cranial crevices.

Overall, this another solid release from the seasoned black metallers without toying too much with the tried and trusted formula.