One of the most mystical, philosophical and poetic music albums about the vanity of human existence of all time.

I once defended amphetamine because it can be a potent inspiration for art. In retrospect I feel that this album was divine punishment for having made that statement.If you enjoy Tibet's biblical-cum-occult rants, you will find plenty here. Some of it has emotional potency, some of it is cringe-worthy. The backing music (especially on the b-side, which is more conventionally musical) hasn't aged well, in my opinion. All together, I don't really enjoy this album. It is, nonetheless, a fan favorite; so it could just be that many people enjoy the same things in this album that grate on me. Give it a try if you are devoted fan, if you are new to C93; look elsewhere.

It's not always easy to place the late '80s Current 93 albums into some sort of chronological narrative, although I think it's generally accepted that Imperium was the first step away from the group's earlier sound. Interestingly one of the very few C93 releases not to feature Steven Stapleton. I would imagine Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson was in charge of the sound design on the album.The first side of the album consists of the four part 'Imperium' suite. The elements are similar to earlier albums, but the execution entirely different. The four pieces consist of slowed down traditional music, minimal electronics, and Tibet's vocal on top. The early harsh sound is gone entirely, however, replaced with a mournful ambience, and tenderly sung and whispered poetry from David Tibet: these are notably 'songs', as opposed to soundscapes. Tibet, histrionic as ever, found himself ill, and concluded he was going to die. The 'Imperium' suite finds him lamenting on the inevitability of death, and making some kind of peace with the Christianity his lyrics had once questioned more harshly (the previous single 'Happy Birthday Pigface Christus' a notable example).The second side of the album is a different matter entirely, with Tibet bringing in Douglas P and Tony Wakeford of Death in June, and Coil's John Balance, to form a kind of post-punk / post-industrial hybrid that probably had some crossover potential at the time. Sadly, three of the four songs are simply far, far too long for their own good, extended to fit David's lyrics, but musically too repetitive to provide enjoyable listening. As the tracks all head towards six, seven, eight minutes, the patience wears very thin. The one exception is 'Be', a forgettable acoustic piece only remarkable for it being a very early example of the folk sound the Current 93 name would become most famous for in the coming years.Imperium is very much an album of two sides: one a fascinating and beautiful evolution of the group's sound; the other an interesting curio, but also a creative dead end, and one that would not be explored further in the future.

Nice review. I seem to recall this "sickness" coming on after bringing an end to a long and extreme use of amphetamine... "reward" receptors wrecked, body sick from lack of sleep and nutrition. Been there. Horrible. That, if I recall correctly from some interview or other, was factored in as cause along with soul sickness. Depression that is MAJOR and causes physical effects such as a horrid fatigue but no good sleep to help there, bowels going nuts, panic attacks that don't last for minutes but for hours, weeping uncontrollably. The scary thing is that this is mainly the result of psychological dependence. I always thought psychological dependence would be a breeze compared to physical dependence, such as comes with opiates, and worse, benzos, that it would just be craving to be overcome by willpower... had no idea of what wreckage the mind (and it's really all physical in a way, unless you buy into the idea of having a soul, as I do) can do. I find Tibet's rather extreme personal reactions to things endearing. I have enjoyed following and exploring Tibet's many enthusiasms, such as 19th Century ghost stories, Coptic and orthodox Christianities, Crowley, Charles Sims, cats, Louis Wain, William Lawes, Count Stenbock, Shirley Collins, Tiny Tim, Clodagh Simonds & Fovea Hex, Little Annie Anxiety, Baby Dee, Antony, Tibetan Buddhism, Noddy (a bit too loony here, but it bore some interesting fruit!), cuneiform, etc and etc... an overall elevation of the imaginative, odd, beautiful, mystical over the logical, rational, in style... the slant of mind that make his work seem outside of time altogether, making industrial, goth, dark folk fans fall away as he un-self consciously shifts into new directions, keeping his work from being either easily categorized or nostalgic or of its own time, always in flux, never in sync with any trend, even with a couple he had a hand in creating just before abandoning them. The fact that "Of Ruine and Some Blazing Starre," influenced by the music of William Lawes, was released at the time Grunge had burst from "alternative" into the mainstream and, with few exceptions like Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead, was the only rock style many record companies, large and small, were willing to talk about, is a good case in point. Anyway, and this may seem strange to those who find that album and his work in general to be very depressing, but this enthusiastic openness to all sorts of influences and enthusiasms, with no regard to any "cool" factor, gave me a new template to explore and learn about things that I'd never had bothered with, and helped greatly to pull me personally up and out of a terrible depression. I share some of Tibet's obsessions, and I let myself get carried away with a few enthusiasms of my own, and wham... life became more interesting. When I finally went for "specialist" help during a terrible and long depression, the therapist would ask me what I enjoyed, and as with most people with cyclical major depression, I could only shrug, as the answer was nothing. Tibet, who did not and does not hide his eccentricities and is an excessive enthusiast, showed me a way of filling the gaping zero, both by example and by a few kind emails and sometimes directing me to new places to gather information, occasionally sharing scraps of work in process... very kind and generous... and I was only a stranger who reached out with a "hello, where can I find more about Sims." The man helped me a great deal and I feel a tremendous amount of gratitude. One thing he always stressed, and complimented about people who he'd worked with but who had gone their own way, was that going ones own way is very important. He showed not a trace of rancor concerning those who had moved on, often commenting that so-and-so was a genius who had to go his/her own way, and stressed that doing so is as it should be. He doesn't like worshipers or imitators, and I don't want to sound like I worship the guy. I don't. That's not my point. I just have started down this road, so want to finish up by saying that whatever experiences others have had regarding David, and I've seen a lot of ridiculous criticism (and some smart criticism), I can say without hesitation that in MY experience both with the work and with the man, it has been positive and healing, and now if asked what I enjoy, I'd have to answer, "Do you have all day?" I now can't find the time to explore all that interests me as I'd like to. I can't speak to the experiences of others with Tibet / Current 93. I don't like all the work, and that which I like, some I like a bit, and some I dearly love. I'm glad I somehow came to know of C93, which, in the States, isn't easy to do. I realize I've gone off on a tangent that has little to do with the comment I'm replying to, but after reading this and that criticism, mostly criticism, I'm glad to have gotten this off my chest, even if it is in the wrong place.Keep things strange and interesting, be yourself, find your own voice, don't worship or imitate, but be open to how others approach joy, and then follow your own star.. not as in celebrity person, but as in "heart and soul," follow your own heart and go your own way, and embrace your enthusiasms without a care in the world as to how others may judge their worth. It sounds like I'm tripping into a self-help book mentality, and I know it may cause eyes to roll, but damn it, it's worked (so far) wonders for me, inspired by David Tibet, which makes it all the more weird, I suppose, to anyone not me. Gratitude! to the man who has been nothing but kind and encouraging to me, no strings, a total stranger. I can only speak to my experience, and won't argue or disbelieve others who may have had a very different experience with the work and the man behind it. I realize Tibet is a complex person, one who often seems like a walking contradiction, and I certainly don't think him a saint, and I don't pretend to "know" him, but I like to give credit and gratitude when it is right to do so, based on my own experience.Man, what a stupid and long comment thrown into not the best context, but if feels right to put it out there. So, if axes fall, let them. I couldn't care less.Best,J

imperium 1 to 4-music to slash your wrists to-marvellous.

Music can be a soundtrack for the event, it's not the precursor...grow up.