Kimaera – Imperivm
Kimaera – Imperivm
Self Released
Release Date: 15/03/22
Running Time: 43:31
Review by Rory Bentley
9/10
So Symphonic Metal, we meet again! What have you got for me this time? Some warbling about forest spirits? A Hans Zimmer jerk-off session with some chuggy guitars underneath? A song that’s longer than most of the Hardcore albums I review? Oh! A Lebanese Death Metal take on the Roman Empire you say? Consider me all over that shit!
Kimaera immediately distinguish themselves from the orchestral riff raff by bringing a lilting Middle Eastern tone to every song, utilising traditional Lebanese instruments and employing evocative melismatic singing. This would be engaging by itself, but when you add brutal Extreme Metal virtuosity to the equation with monstrous guttural vocals you’ve got yourself a winning formula.
The band have an excellent knack for building songs that showcase variety and technical prowess without becoming so overblown that the swelling orchestral moments lose impact through monotonous repetition. ‘De Amare et Bellvm’ condenses an album’s worth of ideas into one opening song and sets the tone perfectly for the world they have built with savage vocals, lush orchestration and mind-blowing blast beats all taking centre stage at various points to form a dense but rewarding journey that pulls you into the world of Roman occupied Lebanon.
After having to digest a lot in that opening cut, ‘The Die is Cast’ kicks in with a low-slung groove that brings you to more familiar Metal territory and gives your frazzled brain time to process what you’ve just been hit with. Once again, it is full of gorgeous modal melodies and ethnic singing with almost every new phrase providing a memorable hook. The distorted vocals manage to be unrelentingly savage while being delivered with perfect diction that allows every lyric to be heard clearly, enhancing the storytelling aspect of “Imperivm”.
This heavy focus on Caesar and the gang (that’s what I call the Romans because I’m a dumb ass that didn’t pay enough attention during history class) is brought to the forefront in ‘The Ides of March’ which sounds like the most brutal elements of Opeth colliding with the bombast of Fleshgod Apocalypse, as it tells the story of the Emperor’s terrifying power and subsequent downfall. Metal and history lessons are common bedfellows, but rarely have they been combined to such brutal effect without sounding like a Wikipedia entry (looking at you Iron Maiden). The fact that Roman occupation is ingrained in the history and culture of the band’s home country adds a legitimacy to the execution of the concept that few other bands would be capable of pulling off without coming across as a bit Spinal Tap (looking at you AGAIN Iron Maiden).
By the time we get to the epic closer to the album proper ‘Capvt Mvndi’, the song’s extended runtime feels earned, as nothing on the album outstays its welcome to the point that this may be the finest composition on the record. One big bugbear I have of Symphonic Metal albums in general is that they tend to get flabby towards the end, dulling the emotional weight of compositions by having too many songs that need serious trimming or omission. There’s no such issue here as everything has a purpose and fits together as a cohesive body of work.
After the story section of the album is over, we get a cover of the popular Lebanese song ‘Ya Beirut’ featuring the dulcet guest vocals of Cheryl Khayrallah who weaves elegantly through a joyful instrumental tribute to Kaimaera’s home city. The Metal is present but dialled back, allowing a multitude of Middle Eastern instruments to pull you into the blazing sun and city streets one last time. I will warn you the chorus is a real earworm and it’s been spinning round my brain on a loop for a week now to the point where I’m starting to worry it will never go away, but nonetheless it’s a suitably leftfield closer to an album dripping with its own idiosyncratic style.
As I was about to delve into this wonderful band’s back catalogue, I came across the tragic news that vocalist and guitarist J.P. Haddad had tragically passed away prior to the release of the album. Of course, I’d like to offer my condolences to the rest of the band and J.P.’s friends and family, but I hope they can draw significant comfort from the fact that he has spearheaded a truly fantastic record that is everything that is great about Metal in 2022. This has been one of my favourite discoveries since I started reviewing for Ever Metal and I implore you to dive headfirst into this exhilarating tale of the ancient world.
‘The Ides Of March’ – Official video
TRACKLISTING:
01. De Amare et Bellvm
02. The Die is Cast
03. VVV
04. The Ides of March
05. Imperator
06. Vi Divinia
07. Capvt Mvndi
08. Ya Beirut
LINE-UP:
JP Haddad – Vocals / Guitars
Charbel Abboud – Keyboards
Pierre Najm – Lead Guitars
Patrick Estephan – Drums
Richard Basile – Bass Guitar
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Rory Bentley and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
