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"From Sweden with love" is a phrase that has become embedded in the minds of everyone actively following the modern metalcore world in Europe. Of course, I am talking about Imminence, whose motto has been an inseparable part of the scene for a decade now but has grown increasingly powerful in the last few years. Their rapid raise to fame post-2020 coincided with that of Arising Empire and simultaneously benefited from, and further strenghtened the label's popularity and key role in the contemporary heavy world in the continent. Now, fully indipendent once again for the first time since their 2014 debut, Imminence deliver their most complete, honest, and mature album to date in The Black.
Their departure from Arising Empire hasn't been much publicised and appered to be an amicable affair, which ultimately doesn't matter considering both parties seem to be going stronger than ever. Last year, Imminence completed their contractual three-album cycle with style, spanning over This Is Goodbye (2017) and Turn The Light On (2019), and ending with the extraordinary Heaven In Hiding (2021) and its Deluxe Edition (2023), before jumping right back into releasing new music. During the last ten months, the Swedes have shared six beautiful singles, all marked with their iconic Northern sensibility, emotive approach and symphonic atmosphere, paving the way for a fifth album that is undoubtedly the best they have ever released and instant modern classic for the history books.
First and foremost, The Black is an album befitting its name - noticeably darker and bolder, relevant and introspective, an authentic reflection of the band's past, present and future as seen through the eyes of Eddie Berg (vocals, strings) and Harald Barrett (lead guitar) working in perfect harmony once again. Classical music and symphonic influences in heavy music aren't new, and neither is the blend between Scandinavian melodeath traditions and modern metalcore sound, and yet Imminence continue to make their take on it as fresh and mesmerising. Now, on their fifth opus, they push it to a whole new level, more epic and monumental than ever, and although themes of inner struggle and anxiety are hardly a novelty for them, they have never tackled them on such depth and with such passion.
There is definitely gloom and despair, but there is also light and hope, intertwined in each song and pulling you to the surface as you dive deeper and deeper into Imminence's ethereal soundscapes. The band has always been about letting the extreme opposites blend in their music and lyrics, but The Black lets them clash much more freely and than before. Strings, chants and melodies are as delicate and gentle as growls, riffs and breakdowns are brutal and intense, and between those poles lies an album perfectly balanced and harmonious. There was a point in Heaven and Hiding when one might have wondered if Imminence can ever reach that band synergy and drive, but here we are with The Black seamlessly raising the bar for their contemporaries worldwide with ease.
The Black reveals some of the most emotionally intense tracks heard in years, both musically and lyrically. The delicate intro 'Come Hell or Hight Water' unfolds gently and leads towards the pure annihilation that is the fiery single pair in 'Desolation' and 'Heaven Shall Burn', in all their grandeur and gravitas. A brilliant addition, the new track 'Beyond The Pale' scales up to them and completes the picture with a well-round modern metal anthem that leaves you breathless and eager to get a welcome break in the more timid 'Death by a Thousand Cuts'. At this point, The Black is already a solid AOTY contender with its second half just as powerful and sealing the deal with trademark elegance right until the last chords of its ceremonial self-titled finale and its instrumental counterpart 'Le Noir'.
In a social media post, shared just before the album's hugely anticipated premiere last Friday, Imminence shared the following few lines that hold the essence of what this album really is and why it is an instant and exemplary modern metal classic: "The writing process for The Black was amazingly liberating and unhinged. We could freely devote ourselves completely to making new music and diving into The Black. What we discovered was a perfect manifestation of a sound and emotional spectra that is ours, and only ours."
Earlier I singled out Berg and Barret as Imminence's driving force, but for all their creativity, vision and direction, The Black is clearly a collective effort, reflecting a band at its best form and cohesion. Alex Arnoldsson (guitar), Peter Hanström (drums), and Christian Höijer (bass) don't just show up as usual, but put on the performance of a lifetime, undoubtedly their best as a collective. Everyone who has had a chance to meet or simply see these guys live, knows just how amazing these guys really are and in person, and The Black is another reflection of that honest "From Sweden with love", stronger than ever.
Imminence - 'The Black'
Country: Sweden
Released: 12 April 2024
Label: Self
Tracklisting:
1. 'Come Hell or High Water'
2. 'Desolation'
3. 'Heaven Shall Burn'
4. 'Beyond the Pale'
5. 'Death By a Thousand Cuts'
6. 'Come What May'
7. 'Cul-de-Sac'
8. 'The Call of the Void'
9. 'Continuum'
10. 'L'appel du Vide'
11. 'The Black'
12. 'Le Noir'
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