All the usual elements of an Imperial Triumphant release can be found on Spirit of Ecstasy. The band still aren’t hammering down a concrete formula. But this new release sees them putting their death metal foot forward. While one could cynically call this album Jazzbyssal Gods this deliberate choice shows how much the band have developed since their sophomore album. It makes me tempted to call it Imperial Triumphant‘s most accessible album but there is definitely some murk and chaos on here that makes the avant-garde tag appropriate.
Where I think this album shines is in its old elements used in new ways. There’s a continued inspiration from old film score sentimentality that’s increasingly mixed with samples and a psychedelic atmosphere. A stretch of almost two jazzy instrumental tracks that devolve into nightmare soundscapes are sure to challenge regular fans of death metal. These atmospheres permeate songs like “Tower of Glory, City of Shame” and culminates in the weirdness of a track that is “Bezumnaya”. In between and around are surprisingly riffy songs that include guest appearances by Voivod‘s vocalist Snake and by Kenny G. The Jazz musician’s cheery saxophone playing fits Imperial Triumphant’s grand yet terrible style surprisingly well, ironic or not.
I come away from Spirit of Ecstasy thinking that if you liked Abyssal Gods you will love this album. While it may not reach the heights of Alphaville or especially Vile Luxury, it’s still a great album that’s destined to end up on year-end-lists. The gradient between the Abyssal Gods death and the Vile Luxury murk present here reminds me how lucky we are to have this band. They continue pushing boundaries like it’s second nature. HAIL THE FUTURE.
