With extreme metal, theres a tendency to think that the apex of heaviness has been reached some time ago. After all, once you’ve got brain rattling blast beats, riffs that sound like they’ve been passed through a blender, and shrieked vocals that may as well have been laid down by Lucifer himself, where is there to go, really?
The answer: get creative.
For New York trio Imperial Triumphant, that meant mashing up extreme metal sonics with jazz sensibilities and musicianship, resulting in a long back catalogue of records that aim to challenge and unsettle the listener, even those that are seasoned extreme metal veterans. Their latest release ‘Goldstar’ is no different, but sees the New Yorkers pull together their jazz and metal elements into a more cohesive whole than they have previously. Their brand of jazz metal hybrid now feels like one pulsing, visceral whole, rather than a mashup of different styles. Listening to ‘Goldstar’ feels like being trapped in a vortex of tremolo picked guitars, wandering basslines and ferocious drumbeats while a demonic presence wails directly into your eardrums.
‘Goldstar’ is also the trio’s shortest album to date, clocking in at just over 38 minutes. The songs are shorter and leaner, and the whole record is more impactful as a result. The two prior records, 2022’s ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ and 2020’s ‘Alphaville’ both nudged closer to the hour mark, with the average song length being around 6 minutes plus. While both albums are excellent, the shorter runtime on ‘Goldstar’ makes it feel punchier and easier to return to for repeat listens. The music is as challenging as ever, but it doesn’t force you to wallow in its filth, it shows you a glimpse of it and dares you to come back for more. As an example, ‘Rot Moderne’ is one of the heaviest pieces of music the band has ever put their name to, featuring one of the most bone-rattling screamed vocals ever committed to tape. A runtime of under 5 minutes gives it much greater heft compared to much longer tracks from the band’s earlier work.
Whether you like Imperial Triumphant or not – and they surely aren’t to everyone’s taste – we’re lucky to have a band that continues to so relentlessly push the boundaries of what extreme metal can be. Indeed, as part of the writing process for ‘Goldstar’ the band have cited creative influences outside of the world of metal – and even music itself. For example, Zachary Ezrin, vocalist and guitarist for the band, says that the track ‘NEWYORKCITY’ was influenced by Dada-ism, an early 20th century art movement that kicked back at the establishment by rejecting artistic norms. In this case, the norms they’re kicking back at are those of heavy music itself, with the guest vocals of Yoshiko Ohara wailing over the top of a fuzzy, compressed wall of noise.
Ezrin also reveals that ‘Lexington Delirium’ is inspired by the art deco stylings of the Chrysler Building on Lexington Avenue in New York, continuing the band’s long tradition of citing their hometown as a muse. They have also long taken inspiration from the world of cinema, with Fritz Lang’s 1920s dystopian sci-fi epic ‘Metropolis’ a recurring visual motif in the band’s album artwork and onstage costumes – golden masks with long black cloaks. On the track ‘Hotel Sphinx’, the band took influence from the work of director Stanley Kubrick by using synths reminiscent of those you can hear on the soundtrack to the controversial cult classic ‘A Clockwork Orange’.
However, all of that experimentation is underpinned by the band’s primary sound; jazz infused black metal that is aggressive, off-kilter, and unpredictable. It’s a sound that’s won famous admirers in the world of metal, not least Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo who lent his drumming prowess to the track ‘Pleasuredome’ after being impressed by the trio’s set at a festival in France.
Imperial Triumphant are basically the textbook definition of a band that is not for everyone. Their music is uncompromising and challenging, and the band themselves don’t seem to care that not everyone will get it. But you certainly won’t come away from ‘Goldstar’ feeling nothing; love it or hate it, you will certainly have strong views on it. And if the music is to your taste, you’ll find it completely intoxicating.
‘Goldstar’ is the finest extreme metal release of 2025 thus far, and the greatest record of Imperial Triumphant’s career to date. While its quirks may be overwhelming for some, its visceral sound and boundless creativity make it the definitive showcase of one of heavy music’s most unique bands. So, if you’re a fan of metal in any of its forms, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. We can’t promise you’ll love it, but we can promise you’ve never heard anything quite like this before.
ASH BEBBINGTON