Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar

Enough procrastinating! It’s time to finish what we started a few days ago by giving our “expert” opinion on Imperial Triumphant’s Goldstar. We even made a top to celebrate this occasion. If that doesn’t tell you how pumped I am for this release, then I don’t know what else to do for you. No need for long intros—we all know Imperial Triumphant is one of the most Avant-Garde bands of the last ten years. Not many can compete with the level of urban horror these guys conjure up, but as a huge fan, I’m nervous! Can you blame me?

This is going to sound strange, but Goldstar is probably the least Jazz the band has felt in years. Don’t get me wrong, you’re still going to get all the randomness and dissonance you either love or hate, but there’s clearly a major focus on traditional riffing and Meshuggah-like polyrhythms this time around. Maybe it’s the collaboration with Tomas Haake, Dave Lombardo, or Yoshiko Ohara, but Imperial Triumphant has never felt this direct in its writing. Yet, the narrative is as solid as always, with all the retro-futurism going on here. It’s nothing short of charming and refreshing, I must say.

Goldstar shows great musicianship, as usual—there’s nothing lacking in that department. The elitists and the nerds can salivate over the complex arrangements and sections that storm your ears from left to right. Another strong element of the album is synth/noise experimentation. It adds something unique that feels out of an ’80s film. It’s a variation that brings more color and depth to what’s already the normal insanity of Imperial Triumphant. So, it’s an obvious change of direction from Spirit of Ecstasy. One could even argue that the band has never sounded this Death Metal before, though granted, that might be a wacky stretch.

Now, I’ve gone through Goldstar way more than I usually do for a review because my expectations for Imperial Triumphant are never realistic. I like what I’ve listened to, of course, but it’s inevitable to compare it to Abyssal Gods or Vile Luxury. Those albums are still untouchable, and though Goldstar feels closer to Alphaville, I still enjoyed that one more. Yet, one has to respect that the band could easily stick to doing impro-Jazz with distortion for decades to come, but it always decides to take even more risks—even if I don’t always fall for it hard.

Goldstar shows that sometimes a band can end up feeling more subversive when it takes a more traditional approach (don’t get it twisted, though—this is still total madness, kids, but Imperial Triumphant tends to destroy your sense of normality). Being able to defy expectations like this is something only a few bands can pull off. So, even though I might need more time—like, a lot more time—for the full scope of this album to click with me, it’s still an interesting statement, and I’ll definitely be there when these guys come to town. Did I mention I was there the first time they came to Europe? I’ve gotta tell that to my grandchildren one day, and they’ll be like, “Imperial what? What is the elder talking about? They forgot their pills again!”

Label: Century Media Records

Release date: March 21, 2025

Website: http://www.imperial-triumphant.com/ 

Country: USA

Score: More hostile than the NY metro, or 4.0/5.0