Imperium is a thrash metal band from the UK formed in 2015, releasing their third E.P. ‘When Kings Meet’ in 2023.
The five-piece outfit from London – consisting of Ben Porter (vocals), Rapha Comes (bass), Hardip Sagoo (guitar), Scott Lomas (guitar), and James Hawes (drums) – play aggressive, and in-your-face thrash. Think the offspring of a Metallica, Armored Saint and Anthrax ménage a trois, and you’ll have some idea of the Imperium sound. The E.P. contains four new songs plus two live ones recorded at the 2022 Bloodstock Open Air Festival.
The E.P. opens with the title song – the crushing ‘When Kings Meet’, slamming listeners to the floor with brute force! The relentless guitar chug is savage, yet there is a clear melodious intent that keeps ‘When Kings Meet’ (the song) away from the brutal side of the thrash metal genre – Imperium standing alongside bands such as Testament, Death Angel, Flotsam And Jetsam. and the aforementioned threesome of Metallica, Armored Saint and Anthrax in terms of similar style and sound. Bringing a rougher, tougher sound to the fore, ‘Desperate Screams’ is faster paced, turning the mosh pits into a frenzied head-banging fury! Imperium are hitting hard with an immense amount of power, blazing a fiery trail of destruction and mayhem as they boldly march on by.
Maintaining the E.P.’s overall steamroller approach to flattening everything and everyone standing in their way, Imperium storm on with ‘Capable Of Murder’, a fast-paced “foot on the monitor” furore of feisty riffing and immense head bang ability. With only four (new) songs on offer, the band continue to make a huge impression, climbing the thrash metal ladder further and further, their eyes focused on reaching the top! And what’s to stop them reaching the top? Not a lot as far as I can hear – ‘Iron Thunder’ ending the quartet of new songs in the most melodious shape of any song on offer. Imperium has set the UK thrash metal scene alight in recent years, and the band now setting their sights on world domination! And I for one ain’t going to rule them out!
The two live recordings, ‘Capable Of Murder’ and ‘When Kings Meet’, were recorded at last year’s Bloodstock Open Air Festival in Derbyshire (UK) where the band appeared on the New Blood Stage with many other up-and-coming metal bands. Imperium‘s set was fairly short, but the impact the band made was fucking huge – the two live songs (here) closed the band’s appearance. The performance was everything you’d expect from an up-and-coming band – passionate, aggressive and in your face, with a colossal head-bang ability. Expect more, much more from the London based band.
Overall, an emphatic barrage of savage thrash from a band beginning to make an impact on the worldwide thrash metal scene.
TRACKLIST
When Kings Meet
Desperate Screams
Capable Of Murder
Iron Thunder
Capable Of Murder (live at Bloodstock Festival 2022)
When Kings Meet (live at Bloodstock Festival 2022)
Imperium: Facebook
Release Year: 2023
Label: self-released
Category: EP
Country: UK
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
