Behind The Tracks: Sundowning - Imminent Ache (Single) (2022)

“Imminent Ache“ is a cornerstone in the narrative of ‘In The Light Of Defeat, I Cease To Exist’ and can be divided into three parts, marked by the changing vocalists:

Introducing the scenario of watching one's own change, the song describes a longing for a positive change that simply does not come to pass. Conformity poses as a hostile concept, that is taking over once you are too exhausted to uphold your individual values and ways of living. Using the classic, heavy Sundowning sound with Christoph vocalizing the lyrics, this part is the starting point in the timeline of the song.

The second part of the song deals with the chaos that ensues when you desperately try to hold on to the things that you cherish yet fail to preserve them. The vocals of this part are performed by Dylan Walker. We asked him to sing this part as we felt that he would be able to connect to the subject and provide the vocals with the desired sense of agony that we aimed to convey. To support this atmosphere of distress and turmoil, we introduced more noise into the mix, using a X1L3 Shard Noise Generator. After the build-up into a wall of white noise, a heavy flowing riff is introduced that has a certain gloomy feel to it. We created this sound using a piano that is underlining the lead melody in addition to the guitar. The riff then concludes in a major break, pronouncing the concluding part three of the song.

Since we wanted to give the ending a celebratory character, we decided to use an orchestral arrangement to support the riffs. Being dominated by powerful brass sections it poses as a counterweight to the lyrics that Basti sings here. Describing the painful process of accepting weakness and the inability to change what is weighing heavy on one's shoulders, the song concludes in a mantra-like verse. Being forced to give in to the constant pressure of society there is no refuge but compliance and conformity. The result of constantly enduring this sense of ambiguity between what we feel and what we have to do to survive is a liberating numbness. Stoically repeating the riff over and over, Dylan and Basti now singing alongside each other, the song ends in monumental drum beats and salvatory silence.