IMPURE WILHELMINA are no strangers to reinvention. For the past 25 years, the Geneva quartet have rolled hardcore riffs, velveteen cleans, atmospheric sludge and gloomy melodies into post-metal that's as sharp and versatile as a Swiss Army Knife.
Now, Impure Wilhelmina are breathing new life into several time-worn classics. 'Dead Decades' flips the smoky, after-dark romance of "La Javanaise" into a lovestruck indie rock triumph, while also paying a faithfully mind-bending tribute to King Crimson.
'Dead Decades' comes out this Friday, October 6. Their new EP also includes a cover of The Cure, plus two unreleased songs from the recording sessions for Impure Wilhelmina's latest album 'Antidote'.
Listen to all of 'Dead Decades' a few days early below.
Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/IWDD
Pre-save: https://orcd.co/deaddecadespresave
“We'd been wanting to record some covers for a long time," says Impure Wilhelmina. "The opportunity came in 2022 after the forced cancellation of a European tour at the end of the pandemic. We chose three songs that we all love, released during three different decades - 60s, 70s and 80s - and all three are very far removed from our usual sound. Two previously unreleased tracks from the 'Antidote' album sessions complete the EP. The record has a very strong nostalgic vibe, and we're particularly proud of the result. Enjoy our Dead Decades!”
For 25 years, Impure Wilhelmina has been shaping a singular music on the borders of rock and metal. The Geneva quartet has never been afraid to reinvent itself and to push back the stylistic barriers, without ever losing its strong identity. Intensity, melody, power and melancholy are the key words that guide the band's discography, developing record after record a subtle blend of metal, post-hardcore, new wave and indie rock sounds.
Impure Wilhelmina has experienced many line-up changes over the years around Michael Schindl, singer-guitarist, main composer and lyricist. Founded in 1996, the group quickly built a reputation in the local, then Swiss and European independent scenes. The band has released a 7″, an EP, a split and seven full-length albums (see discography).
Impure Wilhelmina has regularly collaborated with sound engineers and producers Serge Morattel (I Can't Believe I Was Born In July – 2001, L'Amour, La Mort, L'Enfance Perdue – 2004, Prayers And Arsons – 2008) and Raphaël Bovey (Black Honey – 2014, Radiation – 2017). These five albums illustrate the constant musical evolution of the band, which from a very dark and metal base gradually incorporates more rock elements. The clear vocals occupy an increasingly important place in the compositions, reinforcing the intensity and melodic depth.
In 2015, thanks to the great response to Black Honey, Impure Wilhelmina signed with the reference metal label Season of Mist, which published Radiation two years later in 2017. Skillfully navigating between melodies and dissonances, always at the service of raw emotion, this sixth album was unanimously acclaimed by the press and the public, opening the doors to wider recognition.
In 2019, the band received great reward by being one of the four recipients of the grants for contemporary music awarded by the City of Geneva. This support has enabled Impure Wilhelmina to start working on a new album with confidence and with the will to develop their sound and get out of their comfort zone. The band put a lot of efforts in the elaboration and production of its new songs, notably by calling on Yvan Bing, producer and sound engineer, to accompany the four musicians throughout the creation process. This successful collaboration began in the summer of 2019 and continued for over a year, giving rise to Impure Wilhelmina's seventh album, Antidote. Released in may 2021, this album is a testament to the creativity and versatility of the band, which never ceases to explore new horizons without ever getting lost.
After two European tours in 2022 (with Crippled Black Phoenix and MØL, then Shores of Null), Impure Wilhelmina focused in 2023 on the vinyl reissue of their second album "I can't believe I was born in July", for its 20th anniversary, and the release of a new EP entitled “Dead Decades”, which features three covers and two previously unreleased tracks.
Line-up
Michael Schindl: Vocals/Guitars
Diogo Almeida: Guitars
Sébastien Dutruel: Bass
Mario Togni: Drums
www.impurenet.com
www.facebook.com/impurewilhelmina
www.instagram.com/impurewilhelmina
www.impurewilhelmina.bandcamp.com
Recording Studio:
‘La Javanaise’, ‘Fallen Angel’ and ‘Plainsong’: Kitchen Studio, Geneva (CH)
‘Nebulæ’ and ‘Ignoramus’: HOFA Studio, Karlsdorf (DE)
Mix: Kitchen Studio / Yvan Bing
Master: Caduceus Studios / Ladislav Agabekov
Cover artwork: Mehdi Benkler (photography) / Giganto.ch
Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/IWDD
Booking:
Switzerland: Martina Kull / Glad We Met: martina@gladwemet.ch
Europe/World: booking@impurenet.com
Formats:
Vinyl
Digital
