IMPERIUM DEKADENZ – Atmospheric and poetic Black Metal

IMPERIUM DEKADENZ is a German black metal band that do not use corpse paint. They are signed to Season of Mist and released the album "Procella Vadens" just over a year ago. Since they will play at this years Inferno Festival, our roving happy writer Onkel Reisende Sigve talked with the singer Horaz. The band’s other permanent member Vespasian stood for the very first answer, while Horaz took care of the rest.

Describe for us with your own words the music you bring forth.

Our main goal is to create world far beyond reality. We often describe our music as a fortress where we can hide from the daily life. Here we can live by our own rules, and lead by our own thoughts. Our music is very personal and emotional. Despair, romanticism but also hate and anger are the keywords that describe our music very well.

Please give us a brief history of the band.

As I remember we founded it in the summer of 2004, during the Summerbreeze festival in Germany. We sat in my car in the morning, drank our third beer because it rained outside.

So we decided to start a project.

After Christmas 2004 we met us and recorded our first songs, which became the "Promo 2005". During 2005 we wrote new stuff and sent it to some Labels. We got a few offers and we decided us for Perverted Taste. In spring 2006 we released our first album which is called "…und die Welt ward kalt und leer". The reactions for this album were pretty good, so we decided to investigate in some more professional recording equipment. In summer 2007 we released our second album which is called "Dämmerung der Szenarien in a more professional manner. The reactions were overwhelming.

We started to record a promo in spring 2008. This was the time when we got in touch with Season of Mist. Besides we started to rehearse with our live crew. The first concert was played in May 2009.

How is the creative process behind your music? E.g. who does what in the creative process?

Both, Vespasian and I are totally equal involved into the song writing and recording process. We have our typical styles, so the basic structure is always influenced by one of us.

But the other one always adds some new or better ideas. So a song improves step by step until the song is finished; having a typical Imperium Dekadenz atmosphere.

Our live musicians are not involved into the song writing and recording process. In questions for live acting, everyone has a vote for it. Maybe we will involve them for a song etc.

We will see what the future brings.

What will you characterise as the most new and/or unique with the present release "Procella Vadens" compared to the 2 previous releases?

The whole album can be seen as a voyage, over variable mystical landscapes or maybe a voyage through life. The cover artwork illustrates a scene of that voyage … maybe the end of it. You can see a storm as a destructive force of nature or a possibility to learn more about yourself in an extreme situation. ‘Procella Vadens" is a voyage through a storm which gives you the possibility to discover your mind and thoughts a journey over mountains and oceans, winter forests and Mediterranean coasts, ancient battlefields and personal experiences.

The name " Imperium Dekadenz " what does it mean and where did you pick it up?

As you might know we are fans of the film "Caligula", a scandal film of the late seventies. We are generally interested in ancient history, not only the roman history. Well, the Roman Empire is attractive for us because it is an opposite of modern values, society and laws. You can also say it was the opposite of a Christian conviction. On the other side it is interesting how they managed their army with enhanced equipment and innovative tactics and strategies …and how they conquered the half of the known world over centuries. So we put together the two key words that reflect the Roman Empire but also the our current word. IMPERIUM and DECADENCE.

Black Metal as a genre has evolved throughout the years. The term "True Black Metal" does it mean anything to you? And if so, why or why not…

We don´t care about genres and different images. Music should be a key to our hearts and not a calculated, commercial thing. The term "True Black Metal" has no meaning for us.

I think the development of BM is a great thing. Of course you find lots of fucked up projects out there but "new" bands with "new" directions like Wolves in the Throne room" are bringing interesting vibes to the Black Metal scene. And so do we :-)!

Where do you draw your inspiration from, both musically and non musically?

As every artist we are inspired also by movies, pictures, books and emotions, formed by our personal experiences.

Typical for Black Metal we are also inspired by nature. We are grown up in the Black Forest (German: Schwarzwald) region in south-west of Germany. A region of many forests and mountains. This landscape was formed by Celtics, Romans and German tribes and it is impressive to be a kid in such a raw and gloomy landscape. This is certainly one of the main reasons why we started with Black Metal

If someone were to read this interview and wonders if they should check ion you… Give them the sales pitch…

Atmospheric and poetic Black Metal without any silly image

Thank you for your time and feel free to leave some last words to our readers

We hope to see some of you at one of our forthcoming shows, for example the Wacken Open Air and we hope instantly that you can enjoy the surreal world we built up with our art.

http://www.imperium-dekadenz.de/