Those who love the sound of Imperium Dekadenz will not be disappointed. The German band remains true to its sound without making major changes: a granitic and majestic black metal with evocative and at the same time very obscure atmospheres and predominantly slow tempos. Even the production is typical of the German band, i.e. an expertly production, with the aim of thickening the gloomy atmosphere of the album. A downside is that Meadows of Nostalgia is not always as engaging as Imperium Dekadenz used to be; from this point of view Procella Vadens still remains superior. Meadows of Nostalgia shows no innovation compared to the previous album, but still there are amazing songs in this album. For example “Ave Danuvi”, the fourth song, has a very dramatic tension, and the refrain is a dreamy and epic chorus. The best songs are towards the end of the album; the highlights are “Striga”, number eight, and “Tränen des Bacchus”, number nine, but it is very hard to pick out the best songs.
The album includes nine songs, two of which are instrumental; of the remaining seven only two are in English, the other being in the mother tongue of the band. The texts reflect the dreamy atmosphere created by the music; the lyrics are often about descriptions of nature and landscapes surrounded by a mythical aura. Not surprisingly, the Gallic goddess Abnoba and the Latin god Bacchus are mentioned. “Ave Danuvi” is dedicated to the Danube, while “Striga” is a eulogy of the figure of the witch, seen as anti-Christian emblem (striga is the Latin for ‘witch’): “You knew the ways of old / You could see beyond the barriers / You always followed the moon / You acknowledged the truth / Eradication and Misery / Judged in a religious ecstasy / Malevolent enemy of the church / Burn in autumnal fires” .
A final remark goes to the wonderful cover.
Ultimately, Meadows of Nostalgia is true to the sound of Imperium Dekadenz and will not disappoint the fans of the band.
Notes:
Meadows of Nostalgia was released on March 15, 2013 on Season of Mist.
Tracklist: 1. Durch das Tor... 2. Brigobannis 3. Aue der Nostalgie 4. Ave Danuvi 5. Memoria 6. Aura Silvae 7. Der Unweg 8. Striga 9. Tränen des Bacchus | 02:24 05:32 10:05 06:18 02:11 05:23 07:33 09:35 07:09 56:10 |
Vespasian - Guitars, Bass, Drums, Keyboards, Lyrics (tracks 4, 8)
Horaz - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Lyrics (tracks 2, 3, 6, 7, 9)
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