‘You’ll never live without fear’
I had the enormous privilege of seeing Imminence at a pre-release event at HMV Vault in Birmingham, the album ‘Axis Mundi’ will be yours very soon. We were treated to an acoustic set, and when vocalist Eddie Berg whipped out his violin, I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces.
This is their sixth album, and it is thoughtful and painstakingly put together, their work ethic is unquestionable.
The magnificence that is ‘The Sword That Never Bends’ is second out of the gate here, perfectly positioned as a single release and a song that for me is the point of embarkation.
With some albums I find my journey doesn’t always follow the running order that is given, sometimes my way in, will be further down the list.
First off, his voice, gentle, soothing then it embodies fear, rage and a uniquely exquisite rawness and vicious aspect as his innermost thoughts take flight and find themselves in battle, his suffering, his pain, his care and responsibility, all intertwine and we shoulder those too. Then the violin, stands proud, reasoning in an inhospitable land, its medicinal quality reaching out from the world created by the band, and seeking our attention and our involvement.
The axis mundi is a connector between the mortal world, the divine and the subterranean. It can be presented in a number of ways, for example a spire, a bridge, a maypole (which the band spoke about briefly at the instore), it is a pivotal structure where heaven and earth meet.
This movement between realms is perpetual; we hope to find safety away from our troubles.
The hypnotic visualiser that accompanies ‘Crestfallen’ gentle whispers on cold metal, I am in awe and I am inconsolable.
To think this was the song that shouldn’t have been here, my friends, bear witness to its greatness, that is what makes this record so special.
This album will make you drop to your knees and wail to the souls of your ancestors, the hollowness of this world cries for the wisdom and sanctuary of the divine. You’d better hope you are not too late.
We finish this odyssey with ‘Exodus’ sometimes there is no time to think about where we are headed or what we are leaving behind, suffice to say the violin in the last minute or so, my heart is irreparable. I am the whimpering puppy at the end of the ‘False Light’ video.
Right now, our world is in dire need of an almighty boot up the axis, make haste and welcome this most precious periapt, let it be the centrepiece of your table.
Elegance, eloquence, the essence of Imminence.
Blessed Be.
Azra Pathan
Imminence – Axis Mundi out 2nd October 2026 via Sumerian Records.