Impotentie Zonder Title Deze Keer

Released
12th December 2024
Label 
Mendeku Diskak
Format

12 Inch

Black

£18.00

‘Niemand leeft, als niemand geeft, En niemand geeft, als niemand heft, Niemand leeft hier lang genoeg, Niemand vecht terug!’ (De Wereld Draait) ‘No one lives if no one gives, And no one gives if no one has, No one lives here long enough, No one fights back!’ (The World Is Turning)

Montreal-based Impotentie return with their second full-length and continue to hone their thoroughly distinctive, darkly melodic punk.  Musically, this feels like the band’s most fully realised release yet as they weave intriguingly inventive arrangements around the lightly fuzzed guitar that drenches the album in a sombre yet infectious melodicism.  This is, perhaps, best exemplified by Nat Vuile Land (Wet Dirty Land), while flourishes of additional texture are added with everything from gregorian-style chanting on In De Koolmijn (In The Coal Mine) to flaring organs on the woozy Wijken (Neighbourhoods).

Gruff Flemish vocals and catchy choruses remain central, with guest backing vocal appearances from fellow Montreal bands, Puffer and Béton Armé, as well Terre Nevue from Brussels, adding vocal heft to proceedings.  And, indeed, Brussels remains central to the Impotentie’s lyrical focus due to the Belgian origins of their vocalist.  The band’s debut album, Leopold II Is Niet Dood Genoeg (Leopald II Is Not Dead Enough) explored Leopold’s savage colonial legacy in Congo, with the title gaining popular usage during Belgian BLM protests that specifically targeted the many public monuments still dedicated to his bloody reign.

However, the anger that fuelled this focus has now morphed into a growing sense of resignation at the lack of meaningful progress in Belgium addressing this dark passage in its history, directly tackled on Die Staan Daar Nog (They Are Still Standing There), coupled with horror at the wider rise of the far-right.  The title of this release, Zonder Title Deze Keer (No Title This Time), reflects this unease.  The album ends with the chanted call ‘Wij blijven gaan’ (‘We keep going’), a recognition that no matter how bleak things may look, the fight continues

—Foundation Vinyl