Decline of the I

Decline of the I is a French avant-garde black metal project formed in Paris in 2006 by guitarist A.K., who is also active in Merrimack and Vorkriest. The band pairs atmospheric, post-black-metal textures with industrial touches and conceptual ambition. Its first album trilogy – Inhibition (2012), Rebellion (2015) and Escape (2018) – draws on the behavioural studies of French neurobiologist Henri Laborit, while later works such as Johannes (2021) and Wilhelm (2025) turn to the philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard. Their albums are released through Agonia Records.