Imperial Demonic - Beneath the Crimson Eclipse

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There are times when dealing with a release makes the writer asks ‘why in the blazes is this just a side project, and not a full-time band?’ due the quality shown on the release. And it’s a recurrent fact, it happens more frequently than some can think. And it’s precisely the case of IMPERIAL DEMONIC (a five-piece band of UK), as shown on “Beneath the Crimson Eclipse”. The band is a side project of the drummer Cameron Ahslund-Glass (known for his playing with DARKEST ERA, OVEROTH, CELTACHOR and others), here presenting a technical and aggressive form of classic Melodic Black Metal, or in other words, an extreme fast and nasty way of playing Black Metal bringing back influences of DISSECTION, MARDUK, MAYHEM, old EMPEROR and others, but plenty of darkened and excellent melodies.

Some traces of Old School German Thrash Metal are heard in many points (pay attention to “Ways of the Secular Flesh” to check this aspect) in their musical blend, along other influences. It’s brutal, melodic and impacting, but yet melodic and catchy, bleeding with energy and vitality in a form that’s hard to resist to. Kacper Lewandowski and James Reeve are sharing the duties of sound engineering and producing this EP. Their main goal was to create something that makes reference to the past (with the organic and crude sensation that permeates the songs), but allowing the understanding of what the band is playing as well. It can be said that’s a mix between some of the best features of the 90’s with the modern technologies of the present. These five songs are enough for extreme Metal fans to become addicted on the band’s music, and to wish more of them.

“The Furnace” is an impacting and piledriving song, with fast tempos (and some slow parts as well) and charming guitar parts (and with a good technical level of the drums). The same fast appeal appears again on “Ways of the Secular Flesh”, where the darkened melodies weaved by the guitars resembles Swedish Melodic Black Metal School of the 90’s, along with some Thrash Metal-like riffs. “The Path of Night” is the longest song, and it’s where the melodic side of the band’s music is truly in evidence, and many rhythmic contrasts can be heard (what means that bass guitar and drums are working in a coherent way). The fast speed is again the focus on “Dawn of the Infernal Age”, with excellent melodies creating the right ambience for the vocals showing its very good shrieks. And again with melodies entangling perfectly with the aggressiveness is “Beneath the Crimson Eclipse”, a catchy and darkened song, indeed. All of them are really great songs!

All that’s left to say: “Beneath the Crimson Eclipse” is that kind of EP that every Black Metal fan must have at home, and IMPERIAL DEMONIC must come with a full album as soon as possible.

Songwriting: 10
Musicianship: 9
Memorability: 9
Production: 8