Black/death unit DunkelNacht is a collaboration between French and Dutch soils; initially conjured by Heimdall as a one-man project. The arrival of bassist Alkhemohr in 2007 turned the venture into a real blackened death metal band. They derive influences from Polish extreme metal, Scandinavian black metal, and even classical and various avantgarde sources. However, DunkelNacht do not shy away from delving too deeply into a different sonic hellscape to create something strange, malevolent and magnificent.
After two lauded albums and two recent EPs, DunkelNacht is ready to bring forth a pinnacle of a recording made with a solid lineup of members. Crafted with new knowledge and experience taught through the years, the 3rd album entitled Empires Of Mediocracy unveils a solid and smashing wall of sound to the crowd to behold. The opus brings smashing riffs and benevolent melodies to support the constant of interesting compositions. With an intriguing concept and a non-cliché songwriting, DunkelNacht will surprise the daily listeners through thought provoking tunes.
Onto this album’s content, it is written on the concept of total supremacy – may it be by suppression or other relinquishing means, the goal is to control and steer the population of a country or nation. And thus, it is set that there are the alpha and the omega. This album will be an eye opener upon the daily routine of men. It’s a surreal experience, aiming to categorize human beings and to make them believe in some sort of idiocrasy, using the right mechanisms of great importance.
Empires Of Mediocracy is due for worldwide release this February 28 on CD via Non Serviam Records. The vinyl comes a month later. To support this album, DunkelNacht embarked on the Empires UK Tour 2019 in mid-February, comprising dates in London, Bristol, Banbury and Swansea.
The album is available on CD at this location. On vinyl here, and Bandcamp here.
Check out the bassist Alkhemohr’s track by track breakdown of the entire album below.
1.// Relentless Compendium
All begins with the education, the training. Each youth shall assimilate four phases of development called “Alpha”. The subject becomes Alpha 1 as they enter the educational system where the historical “truths” are told and the concept of family is integrated. The transformation to Alpha 2 is brutal as it is a journey through the hidden antagonism between the need and the rejection of others, the attraction caused by differences and the hatred towards everyone and everything dissimilar. The progress towards Alpha 3 is achieved when some form of spirituality is discovered. Our so-called idol is often the most futile and basic creature in deism, that’s why we naturally decide to choose for it. Indeed, the devotion to something divine grants the resolution of the internal conflicts of Alpha 2 because it opens the way to experience double-speech and the improbable. The mixture of death and fear will result in the evolution of the subject to an Alpha 4, when the need of survival appears because of fear and joy caused by the thrills they witness and or- behold. At this point, the Alphas are still only basic axioms, simple moldings, but essential to the successful observation. They are, one and all, Alpha 1, 2, 3 and 4. They are greatly lacking perfection so far.
2.// Servants
In order to be reborn purer, you must face the end. At the beginning of the prefabricated spirituality, the cerebral autonomy comes to an end and the Alpha becomes categorize-able. Thus, the subject will be able to experience a supposed independence. He can fantasize about the idea of an own identity and will join the group that reflects his own self-image the most. The Alpha will accept the members of the other categories as they complement him and trigger its addiction to “the other self”.
3.// Eerie Horrendous Obsession
This is the stage when the complexity of relations is experienced with others.
The meeting between Alphas becomes obsessive, because the subject can rediscover – through the other groups – what it thinks that he or she has missed or unseen. However, another new dismissal process has to be gone through before the final meeting. Alpha then develops a simple backup system in three phases: the intermingling to the conflict; the conflict to the rejection; the rejection towards the destruction.
4.// Amongst The Remnants of Liberty
The defense system of the Alphas leads them to social alienation. The subject is unable to achieve its own liberation from the others and loneliness seems to be simply a matter of depression. It is vital to learn to love those we hate. Alpha has invented worldliness and dummy relationships.
5.// Verses And Allegations
Accepting others means accepting society. Each Alpha can now fit in the role that was assigned to it. The Alpha 1 will be the one of wealth. Only rich by the money it has earned, it will be the person who will sell and loose itself for all things that glitter. The Alpha 2 will be the reproductive. Bread-winner or donor for offspring, it will maintain the family system or soothe lustful needs. The Alpha 3 wants to be the defender of justice that has been already created. It will practice and obey the laws – unable, though – but it is in its very nature to be the strict and correct itself. Finally, the Alpha 4 is the servant. The military or the one from the militia. It will be the person who will get his hands dirty by perversity or nonsense.
6.// Empires of Mediocracy
The four Alphas now can be comrades; they can communicate and share. They have given up their internal struggles and they are wallowing together in the daily routine. They know how to control themselves and nothing will change them! Now because they have become part of a system that is a serene balance of stupidity.
7.// The Necessary Evil
There are also leftovers of waste during and after the experience. They are those who do not belong to any of the four categories. There is the beggar and there is the one who refuses to give birth. There is the idiot and there is the rebellious. They are uncontrollable because of their unpredictable reactions and are dangerous by the fascination they may cause. Yet, they are essential to maintain the hatred of the Alphas and to maintain their roles.
8.// Non Canimus Surdis
Finally, at the climax, there are the creators of the experience. They are those who observe the Alphas and those who use them. They possess the Machiavellian power, they are the inventors of the “Empires of Mediocracy”.
