Imperialist - Cipher
Imperialist, a California based heavy black metal band, has produced a fabulous mega-star record with "Cipher" this year (2018).
I mean, this is a powerful album – worthy of listen after listen!
I write this for several reasons...
I usually associate rhythm changes with black metal, but this band does something extra with their use of rhythm. They use downward picked style, fully tremolo picked moments and then powerfully placed slow chord rings (with all-out distortion present).
Their effort in these rhythm variations starts with the opening track of course - ‘Continuum.’ The start is a rolling driving rhythm of keyboards (reminiscent of Cradle Of Filth in the most abstract sense) but with an acoustic picked guitar added. This feature adds tension without adding repetitious heaviness to the start. This acoustic section then morphs into track 2, ‘The Singularity,’ which is nearly perfect as a launch of the full power in the album to the end.
This transition track 2 is also interesting because it exhibits a diversity of guitar style one does not normally hear in classic black metal – the band pulls styles from other genres of metal in the mix as well – which then come back throughout all of ‘Cipher.’
In addition to the black metal overtones, the album also has some death metal or brutal death moments (even though the vocals are straight up black metal in execution). I think I even heard some allusions to Decapitated. The album is black metal – but it is heavier than most. The sound carries substance.
"Cipher"’s energy does not relent – their epic space warfare imagery is not disappointed by weak sound that fails to follow through. "Cipher" is a see-it-through-to-the-end album indeed.
Their Bandcamp page lists 2 special edition vinyl versions – if they are still available.
I look forward to future releases.
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I mean, this is a powerful album – worthy of listen after listen!
I write this for several reasons...
I usually associate rhythm changes with black metal, but this band does something extra with their use of rhythm. They use downward picked style, fully tremolo picked moments and then powerfully placed slow chord rings (with all-out distortion present).
Their effort in these rhythm variations starts with the opening track of course - ‘Continuum.’ The start is a rolling driving rhythm of keyboards (reminiscent of Cradle Of Filth in the most abstract sense) but with an acoustic picked guitar added. This feature adds tension without adding repetitious heaviness to the start. This acoustic section then morphs into track 2, ‘The Singularity,’ which is nearly perfect as a launch of the full power in the album to the end.
This transition track 2 is also interesting because it exhibits a diversity of guitar style one does not normally hear in classic black metal – the band pulls styles from other genres of metal in the mix as well – which then come back throughout all of ‘Cipher.’
In addition to the black metal overtones, the album also has some death metal or brutal death moments (even though the vocals are straight up black metal in execution). I think I even heard some allusions to Decapitated. The album is black metal – but it is heavier than most. The sound carries substance.
"Cipher"’s energy does not relent – their epic space warfare imagery is not disappointed by weak sound that fails to follow through. "Cipher" is a see-it-through-to-the-end album indeed.
Their Bandcamp page lists 2 special edition vinyl versions – if they are still available.
I look forward to future releases.
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1. Continuum
2. The Singularity
3. Advent Anathema
4. Splendor Beneath an Ancient Permafrost
5. Umbra Tempest
6. Chronochasm
7. Binary Coalescence
8. The Dark Below
9. Mercurian Dusk
2. The Singularity
3. Advent Anathema
4. Splendor Beneath an Ancient Permafrost
5. Umbra Tempest
6. Chronochasm
7. Binary Coalescence
8. The Dark Below
9. Mercurian Dusk
