AN NCS PREMIERE: INHIBITIONS — “MY JOURNEY TO DEATH”

 

The symphonic Greek black metal band Inhibitions was founded in 2008 and since then have released an initial demo, an EP, and two albums. Their third full-length, La Danse Macabre, is now set for release on January 13th by Satanath Records (Russia) and Ira Aeterna (Italy), and today we bring you the third single to be released from the album before its full manifestation next month. The name of the track is “My Journey To Death“.

I had heard the phrase “Danse Macabre” numerous times in the past, but it occurred to me in writing this premiere that I had forgotten whatever I once knew about its origins. Thanks to The Font of All Human Knowledge, I am now reminded that “The Danse Macabre (from the French language), also called the Dance of Death , is an artistic genre of allegory of the Late Middle Ages on the universality of death: no matter one’s station in life, the Dance Macabre unites all”. And so it does.

 

 

The same article goes on to explain: “The Danse Macabre consists of the dead or a personification of death summoning representatives from all walks of life to dance along to the grave, typically with a pope, emperor, king, child, and laborer. They were produced as mementos mori, to remind people of the fragility of their lives and how vain were the glories of earthly life. Its origins are postulated from illustrated sermon texts; the earliest recorded visual scheme was a now-lost mural at Holy Innocents’ Cemetery in Paris dating from 1424 to 1425″.

In this context, the song we’re premiering today — “My Journey To Death” — seems to capture many of these ideas. Rather than grim and gloomy, it is indeed something like a wild and sinister dance, a last hysterical and hopeless fling led by The Great Equalizer before entering the cold embrace of the grave.

The song’s symphonic introduction builds a mix of tension, eeriness, and grandeur as a prelude to a conflagration of driving drums, flickering, frenzied riffing, and vehement growls and howls. A retrenchment of the drum assault makes way for rippling keyboard notes and a dark melody, but the energy explodes again in fusillades of blast-beats and swarming guitar, accented by sorcerous keys. The music whirls and gallops, reaching further heights of crazed grandiosity, with that bestial voice leaving no doubt that Death is an unforgiving and remorseless dance-master.

 

La Danse Macabre features deathly cover art by Paint-It-Black and design by Melu Wolf. Below you’ll find a pre-order link, the full track list, our premiere, and streams of two previously released album tracks — “The Calling” (a free download at Bandcamp) and “Back To the Dust“.

Pre-order:
https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat185-inhibitions-la-danse-macabre-2018

Ira Aeterna:
http://www.facebook.com/iraaeterna

Inhibitions on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/INHIBITIONS-Hellenic-Black-Metal-1218975794812167/

TRACK LIST:
01. The Calling
02. Toxic Rain
03. Back To The Dust
04. No Escape
05. My Journey To Death
06. Religion Of Peace
07. Harsh Awakening
08. Eternal Winter
09. Rusty Razor
10. K.I.N.G. (Satyricon cover)
Length – 47:42