Review Summary: Great Black Metal Album from the most "Mainstream" band in black metal.
Dimmu Borgir. Just the name sparks instant controversy in the Black Metal society. Are they black metal? Are they not? Are they "true"? I think the real question that should be asked is "Are they actually good?" And the answer is 100% undoubtably yes, Dimmu Borgir is good.
This is an album that would take forever to review in it's entirety so i'm just gonna to review tracks that i particularly stand out in my opinion. Please note that the tracks i'm reviewing are not the only good one's all the songs on this album are great.
Vredesbyrd- Probably one of the songs on the album that is closest to their older style. I think even the Black Metal purists would have to tip their hats (or at least just not totally hate) this song. It starts out with some nice double bass/ drum work thanks to Nicholas Barker, one of the best drummers in extreme metal today. If you take a listen to his drummer, you can hear that its not as generic or simple as you might think. He does a great job of keeping it extreme yet, adding great fills,
and interesting patterns. The guitars are pretty straightforward, fast palm muted riffs that really compliment the orchestral arrangements which are flowing in the background. Shagraths voice is also great in this song too (some complain that they don't like his change of vocal style but i dont really mind it). The song really changes tempo around 1:15 where it becomes a very chunky riff, and a drum roll. That only lasts about 30 seconds because then the song changes pace, become a mid tempo thrash kind of riff that i find to be pretty awesome. The song goes back and forth between the chunky riff from earlier and its fast paced beginningness but does it without it getting old.
...wow that was long for one song, i think i should probably shorten the rest.
Eradication Instincts Defined- this song starts with really chill orchestra arrangement. It continues for about 2 minutes minutes and then the guitars, drums and vocals and bass(maybe i think its there) come in. It uses some very black metal riffing, dissonance and a great drum beat. Even though i like bad production black metal, i really enjoy the production on this album because its good to hear the seperate instruments. The orchestra on this album really stands out, it has great timing and adds some awesome atmosphere. It continues in the black metal style but then takes a turn and the ochestra is left alone with this techno/industrial drum beat that sounds amazing.
Allehelgens Død I Helveds Rike- My personal favorite song on this album and one of my favorite black metal tracks ever. This song has it all, great tempo changes, awesome vocals (my favorites from ICS Vortex) the drumming is insane and it has some bawlin' guitar harmonies. It starts out tremolo picked and double bass crazy. This is probably one of the only songs tremolo picked and it sounds great. Shagraths vocals come in and they are mix of the black metal screeches and some death metal gutterals. The song changes into a black/thrashish riff a little bit into but it still sounds awesome. The symphony gets louder and louder in the mix and the song becomes more epic and epic. Around two minutes you hear ICS Vortex's vocals and it sounds like heaven...(or hell...) With Vortex's vocals the guitars harmonize and its freakin perfect. The song finishes out in an melodic epic black metal style reminiscent of their older style.
I would review Cataclysm Children ( for its black/ thrash incredibility) and Progenies of the Great Apocalypse (for its symphonic achievements) but if i did my review would certainly become some sort of essay. Overall this is a great black metal (YEAH I'M SAYIN' IT BLACK METAL) album. It keeps plenty of old traits with adding some refreshing new ones. Just because your mainstream (which Dimmu is certainly not. Just because you popular for you're genre doesnt mean your mainstream) doesnt mean you cant be true either. I believe every step Dimmu has taken is a true artistic step and each of their albums progresses greatly going from strength to strength.
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