Imperial Triumphant - Goldstar (2025)

Goldstar from Imperial Triumphant is another progressive and slightly fusion jazz flavoured black metal retro-futuristic tribute to New York grandeur and decadence. Their song keeps on surprising you, but what was expected is getting another awesome album from Imperial Triumphant, and, as always, they don't disappoint. No need to say it's a highly recommended listen!

 

The BC page. 

 

 

Imperial Triumphant - Spirit of Ecstasy (2022)

Let's start with what I feel is wrong in this new Imperial Triumphant album. The first two tracks (and they are long ones) are not especially memorable and could have been B sides tracks. fortunately the rest is better, even if I think Spirit of Ecstasy is not as good as were Vile Luxury and Alphaville. OK, that been said the black metal infused with free/jazz-rock (reminding John Zorn maybe even more than previously) of Imperial Triumphant is still among the best and most interesting music around and the best songs on Spirit of Ecstasy are enough to make the album totally worthy of your time. Even if Spirit of Ecstasy isn't the best Imperial Triumphant album, it's still an excellent one.

Their website

 

Best of 2020 : Death, black, hardcore & sludge

 Here are my 10 favourite death metal, black metal, hardcore and sludge albums released in 2020. Alphabetical order. Click on the name to go to the review.

Cytotoxin - Nuklearth

 

Dephosphorus - Sublimation

 

Dropdead - Dropdead 

Eye Flys - Tub of Lard

Fange - Pudeur

Ils - Curse

 

Imperial Triumphant- Alphaville

Khthoniik Cerviiks - Æquiizoiikum

Oranssi Pazuzu - Mestarin Kynsi

Skeletal Remains - The Entombment of Chaos

 

 

 

Imperial Triumphant - Alphaville (2020)

 

On Alphaville like on their previous fantastic album Vile Luxury the black metal origin of Imperial Triumphant sounds very distant, but that's for the best since they're now a much more interesting beast. They're now closer to what their drummer Kenny Grohowski is doing when he's playing on one of John Zorn's album. There's also a strong dose of progressive rock in a king crimsonian vein (their more recent more abstract dissonant and darker albums), and the featuring of Meshuggah's drummer (percussions on one track) and Colin Marston sounds totally natural. The more abstract and dissonant works of Blut Aus Nord can come to mind as well. But, while it's evolving from release to release, the band really found a unique formula, so comparison's to other bands or only meant to give an idea of the global feel of the music. Compared to Vile Luxury there's less brass instruments parts and the overall feel is colder and more futuristic, less chaotic and violent. A different nuance but the same very high musical quality.

Their website