ALBUM REVIEW: Goldstar – Imperial Triumphant
New York’s IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT have been the purveyors of some of the most decadent music in recent years and on their latest album Goldstar, that fact doesn’t change one iota. The band’s jazz fuelled, avant garde black metal sonic assault is always a pleasure to listen to and this album is certainly no exception.
Opening track, Eye Of Mars gets things off to a typically impressive start, both chaotically grandiose and brutal in equal measures and is a perfect aural encapsulation of the name IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT, with its swirling dervish rhythms hypnotising every moment until they are gone.
Gomorrah Noveaux follows and unapologetically adds some percussive treats amid a punishing groove before the calculating menace of Lexington Delerium (which features Tomas Haake of MESHUGGAH doing what he does best) adds a devastating change of pace which adds to the eclecticism that propels the music of IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT.
Hotel Sphinx has a big Wendy Carlos vibe going on with her iconic scores for A Clockwork Orange and The Shining an influence here, and the with the band being big fans of those Stanley Kubrick films, this definitely makes sense and adds a palpable sense of dread to proceedings. While the dizzying and discordant NEWYORKCITY which follows, features Yoshiko Ohara from funeral doom masters BLOODY PANDA and her vocals alongside the unstoppable grooves of the band is a match made in heaven.
The album’s title track and as an interlude that sounds like a radio jangle before the following track Rot Morderne builds and builds in a malevolent nature until it reaches a satisfyingly crescendo whilst Pleasuredome starts with an ominous bell ringing and the sounds of sirens piercing amongst the New York streets. Then, a powerful riff segues in amongst Zachary Ezrin‘s growling vocals and a percussive frenzy erupts, courtesy of SLAYER legend Dave Lombardo and a returning Tomas Haake, erupts and becomes the centrepiece of the track, and hearing these two drumming masters unleash on the track is a true joy indeed.
The closing track on Goldstar, Industry Of Misery, ends things on a high note with its mixture of swirling riffs and the decadently heavy vibe that sums up this album and IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT as a whole, with the suitably creepy intro setting the tone that prevails throughout its duration, with the songs ending closing the album off in perfectly spectacular fashion.
The concise nature of Goldstar is evidence of where the music of IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT is at present but just adds an even more razor sharp precision to their music, without losing any of the or grand power.
Goldstar is the next dizzying instalment in what the band do best and is akin to reaching the next floor of the bands intoxicating and opulent aural hotel where the beauty lies right next to the horror and once again, it all sounds and feels utterly glorious. This is extreme music reinvented as high art and is what IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT do better than any band on the planet. Long may they continue to deliver this decadence in their own inimitable fashion.
Rating: 8/10
Goldstar is out now via Century Media Records.
Like IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT on Facebook.