Imperium Dekadenz: Meadows of Nostalgia

In his famous painting Abtei im Eichwald (The Abbey in the Oakwood), Caspar David Friedrich captures the melancholy, the mystery, and the mood of German Romanticism. In the painting, viewers see the skeletal ruins of a Gothic church, a decayed remnant of once was, a onetime place of worship now surrounded by gnarled and dying trees. A group of monks walk toward the gate of the ruined church, some of them holding on to a coffin, some holding on to candles. They seem to know something about this place that viewers can't quite identify. Is it still a sacred place? Who is the dead individual? Why do the monks approach the church, knowing that it lies in ruins? The painting is dark and gloomy, a perfect setting not only for a funeral procession, but also for contemplating the passing of previous generations, of empires, of lost traditions, of forgotten peoples.

The title of this album—Meadows of Nostalgia—reminds me of Friedrich's painting. After all, both the title and the painting deal with locations filled with memories, loss, and decay. The themes on this album also treat the loss of ancient peoples, the final battles of once-mighty nations, and the melancholy sense that life is frail. Some people keep the past in their memory, perhaps to learn from it, perhaps to honor it, perhaps to wish for a return to it. Listening to this album may be compared to experiencing a bit of this memory-based melancholy. For me, the tracks that employ acoustic guitars were especially effective. They establish a near-ambient sound, one that is increasingly welcome in Black Metal releases. Listen to "Durch das Tor" and "Memoria" for the way this group establishes a quiet, reflective, mood. Listen, as well, to the choir on "Ave Danuvi." There's something genuinely beautiful about black metal, one that ties back directly to nineteenth century Romanticism, especially its contemplation of ruins, its odes to dejection, and its turn to nature.

The other tracks on this album are more assertive musically, more in keeping with Black Metal generally. Nevertheless, this band succeeds in taking the Norwegian style they clearly love and refashioning it into something that simultaneously turns to the past and looks ahead to the future.

Track Listing:
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

Added: May 20th 2013
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 2466
Language: english

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