Image: Imminence [Dorota Szulc, Official Press Photo]
Imminence have been an integral part of the modern core scene for many years. With their previous releases, the Swedish band have not only established themselves as a major force in alternative music, but have above all managed to constantly evolve their sound. On October 2, 2026, the band will release their new studio album, Axis Mundi, once again promising plenty both musically and thematically. We spoke with vocalist Eddie Berg and guitarist Harald Barrett about the upcoming record, the process behind its creation, how the album continues the story of The Black, and how the band members’ emotions influenced the making of the new record.
You can pre-Order Axis Mundi now!
Imminence: “Axis Mundi Is a Reflection of Our Feelings”
We spoke with Harald and Eddie shortly before the exclusive pre-listening fan event in Leipzig — just one week before the release of Axis Mundi. How excited are the two of them? “On a scale from one to ten? An eleven,” they both laugh. Axis Mundi is Imminence’s sixth studio album and the first one the Swedish band are releasing through Sumerian Records. The band themselves describe the record as their most challenging album to date, but living up to their own expectations wasn’t exactly easy. “You always try to satisfy yourself first,” Eddie explains. “We express our innermost feelings through our music, and Axis Mundi is basically a reflection of how we feel right now. Naturally, that comes with a certain level of expectation for yourself.” Harald adds: “Of course, we always want to keep moving forward, get better and take another step forward with our music.” They approach the songwriting process with an open mind, but are also highly perfectionistic at the same time — which can be both a blessing and a curse.
Apparently, all that effort has paid off once again with Axis Mundi. After The Black in 2024 and its predecessor Heaven In Hiding from 2021 both became major successes and the band’s fanbase continued to grow, the first singles from the upcoming album have also been received extremely well.
Axis Mundi reflects exactly what the band are feeling right now. While The Black was characterized by a certain darkness, Imminence’s new album feels more like a form of processing and reflection. “But we’re nowhere near the end yet,” Harald emphasizes. “Every new record is a kind of decision for us about which direction we want to take, both musically and thematically.” “We often don’t even look for the topics ourselves — they find us,” Eddie adds. “There’s never really a point where we say, ‘Okay, I guess it’s time to write some songs again.’ It’s an ongoing process, a journey. And then at some point, we get the feeling that we’ve reached a point in that journey where we need to turn our emotions and ideas into songs.”
The idea of creating a concept around an album, as is also the case with Axis Mundi, emerges naturally from the creative process. “Our artistic idea around a release is never set in stone. We go with whatever we feel during the recording process,” Eddie says. “Of course, we complement each other, but a lot of it simply comes from the gut.”
Albums as Storytelling
For exactly that reason, working with release cycles other than albums isn’t really an option for Imminence. At the same time, they completely understand why many artists in the scene turn to EPs or even individual single releases. “For us, storytelling through our music is one of the most important things,” Harald explains. Their albums are works of art that allow them to tell their own story. “And you simply can’t fit that into individual songs in the same way.”
At the beginning of next year, Imminence will also take Axis Mundi on tour across Germany. Together with August Burns Red and House Of Protection, they’ll be taking over venues across the country in January and February. “We can’t wait for the audience to experience our new songs live. It’s going to be something really special for us, too,” Harald says. The band are already playing some of the Axis Mundi singles live, and the fans are loving it. “That’s what we’re hoping for from the tour as well. It’s going to be amazing.”
Axis Mundi will be released on October 2, 2026, via Sumerian Records. You can pre-order the album here. And while you’re at it, browse our Imminence merch and get yourself ready for the upcoming 2027 tour.
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