An honest review of Abrahadabra (confessions of a tr00 metaller)

[Palabra de Dios]

So, it is so untr00 to like Dimmu Borgir, right? They haven't put out a decent album in years, right? They sold out, remember? They suck!

Disagree.

They haven't been a true black metal band since the Stormblast days, and even that is debatable (I mean, Shagrath had a fucking tophat on in his picture...c'mon!). I even listened to Stormblast after listening to this new album, for comparison's sake. And this band really has changed over the years. Call Dimmu what you want, but it better not be black metal. This album and this band has about as much to do with black metal as ketchup does with ice cream toppings.

I put this new CD into my car stereo after I bought it with hope instead of skepticism. I've not lambasted Dimmu as much as others over the years, because god-dammit, I like this band. I thought In Sorte was awesome, and I was hoping this would be decent, despite the loss of Mustis and ICS Vortex. Well, the former's influence sounds sadly unmissed; however, the lack of Vortex on this album does leave an un-fillable empty hole.

The songs are not as long and meandering as old Dimmu. This is a polished album with 5-minute songs that are very economical and very well paced. This is a sign of good production, and I appreciate it from a band like Dimmu Borgir, who do not need to put together epic piece after epic piece. Shagrath's vocals are standard fare and are high up in the mix, but it fits their sound and it sounds better than ever.

People have cited the weird female vocals on "Gateways;" I don't think it takes too much away from the song. What I find myself doing with this album is remembering the songs, and actually singing along to some parts.

I think the highlight of the album is the song "Dimmu Borgir," which has some damn cool lyrics and a very catchy pseudo-chorus.

Abrahadabra is a well-produced, crisp album with very well written songs and cool arrangements orchestrally. Since Dimmu have been anti-Christian Norwegian stalwarts for so long, they are still associated with a black metal scene that they truly haven't directly participated in in decades. Fuck the fact Hellhammer was in the band recently, he was just doing a job. This is a good metal album, and a worthy follow-up to In Sorte Diaboli. If you're expecting black metal with this one, fuck the hell off and listen to some tr00 shit.

Comments welcomed.

 

[mëtålspëd]

I've only heard Gateways off of it.. and was not that impressed. I am a big Dimmu fan, and I owe it to them to listen to the rest of the disc.

 

[AngraRULES]

I will give the album a chance based on your review. I like Black Metal, but I also like the stuff Dimmu does for the most part. That being said, I thought Gateways was absolutely shit (save for one really good section). We'll see. Are the over-the-top orchestrations still there? I love that shit.

As for a bit of feedback on your review, it was pretty good, short and to the point. However, my only suggestion would be tone down a bit your metalness (lol) and cut the expletives off. The review was good up to the end, but the moment you tell your reader to "fuck off and do this," it kills it.

 

[eppst1]

I agree with your assessment of the CD. I picked it up at BB because it was $8, I actually think it's pretty decent. It's a little different - but it's not terrible.

 

[Pellaz]

So, it is so untr00 to like Dimmu Borgir, right? They haven't put out a decent album in years, right? They sold out, remember? They suck!

Disagree.

They haven't been a true black metal band since the Stormblast days, and even that is debatable

Agreed, they haven't been staright-up black metal for a loooong time. Maybe blackened symphonic metal?

I put this new CD into my car stereo after I bought it with hope instead of skepticism. I've not lambasted Dimmu as much as others over the years, because god-dammit, I like this band. I thought In Sorte was awesome, and I was hoping this would be decent, despite the loss of Mustis and ICS Vortex. Well, the former's influence sounds sadly unmissed; however, the lack of Vortex on this album does leave an un-fillable empty hole.

That's exactly what I was thinking when I listened to it. I was startled that it sounded pretty much as if Mustis was still involved with it, but Simen's absence is pretty obvious. (Same with their live show.)

Abrahadabra is a well-produced, crisp album with very well written songs and cool arrangements orchestrally. Since Dimmu have been anti-Christian Norwegian stalwarts for so long, they are still associated with a black metal scene that they truly haven't directly participated in in decades.

Yeah, there's a REASON Fenriz omitted Dimmu completely from his Black Metal 101 lecture on the Until the Light Takes Us DVD.

And that's fine with me. If it sounds good to me, I call it a win. I don't get too hung up with "oooh, what genre is it?!" crap.

Have to say also that their live show is still pretty damned good. Granted, I went in with reduced expectations, but aside from their odd clothing/color choices (white, except for Shagrath), it was as entertaining as they've always been. I had intended to leave about midway through to attend a friend's farewell party, and stayed for the whole thing.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Agreed, they haven't been staright-up black metal for a loooong time. Maybe blackened symphonic metal?

And this is what people don't seem to understand. I honestly think and you can tell through their development that this is what they always wanted to be. Symphonic black metal, with the black metal becoming less and less but yeah, I don't seem to understand why people think adding symphonies is selling out when it's something they've always wanted to do. Not to mention that "selling out" pretty much implies doing something for the masses, and adding symphonics to music isn't something I really consider to bring in more people or to be mainstream.

Now, as for my opinion of the album. I like it and actually I think I'm one of the few people who actually likes "Gateways." It sounds different but I like it, but I would say the album overall is decent, not great and certainly not awful. I definitely have to say that miss Vortex a whole hell of a lot though, and I gotta say as much as I like Snowy Shaw, his vocals don't fit Dimmu Borgir.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

And this is what people don't seem to understand. I honestly think and you can tell through their development that this is what they always wanted to be. Symphonic black metal, with the black metal becoming less and less but yeah, I don't seem to understand why people think adding symphonies is selling out when it's something they've always wanted to do. Not to mention that "selling out" pretty much implies doing something for the masses, and adding symphonics to music isn't something I really consider to bring in more people or to be mainstream.

Now, as for my opinion of the album. I like it and actually I think I'm one of the few people who actually likes "Gateways." It sounds different but I like it, but I would say the album overall is decent, not great and certainly not awful. I definitely have to say that miss Vortex a whole hell of a lot though, and I gotta say as much as I like Snowy Shaw, his vocals don't fit Dimmu Borgir.

It's not so much that it's something they always wanted to do as it is something that goes against what black metal is about, regardless of how long they've been wanting to do it. It's overly-polished, indulgent wank. Stepping back, I do agree that "Progenies" and even "Gateways" are super catchy and "epic" or whatever, but it goes against what bm is about and what makes it so good (imo) in the first place. But on the whole, Dimmu is far too overproduced, robotic and soulless for me to like it.

If I want symphonic I'll take Arcturus or Bal-Sagoth over Dimmu. But hey, it's just me, and alot of people disagree with me, considering the new album did like 10,000 units first week. The band has definitely become a "brand" within the metal scene and has a massive following. Props to that. 9 times out of ten though, I side with Fenriz.

 

[jem777az]

I think the new album is really good. I don't understand why they get so much shit. The only thing I would have preferred is the guitars mixed a little louder and the orchestrations a tad lower. The orchestrations sometimes tend to overpower the guitar.

 

[BenMech]

They haven't been a true black metal band since the Stormblast days, and even that is debatable (I mean, Shagrath had a fucking tophat on in his picture...c'mon!).

That's NOT Shagrath. It was the old keyboard player who was fired for plagiarising some melodies from John Williams Star Wars score

 

[nomisofsiman]

It's not so much that it's something they always wanted to do as it is something that goes against what black metal is about, regardless of how long they've been wanting to do it. It's overly-polished, indulgent wank. Stepping back, I do agree that "Progenies" and even "Gateways" are super catchy and "epic" or whatever, but it goes against what bm is about and what makes it so good (imo) in the first place. But on the whole, Dimmu is far too overproduced, robotic and soulless for me to like it.

If I want symphonic I'll take Arcturus or Bal-Sagoth over Dimmu. But hey, it's just me, and alot of people disagree with me, considering the new album did like 10,000 units first week. The band has definitely become a "brand" within the metal scene and has a massive following. Props to that. 9 times out of ten though, I side with Fenriz.

See and that's what bothers me so much with the bm community. They can be very fickle. Don't get me wrong though, I like true black metal stuff. I just have a feeling they never really wanted to be that. It's definitely a preference thing though as comparing Dimmu to like Immortal for instance is apples and oranges.

I'd definitely take Arcturs for sure; I'm gonna have to check out Bal-Sagoth though as I don't think I've ever actually listened to them before. As far as the units, that doesn't mean much in terms of the quality. Plus, you know a lot of those sales are probably from mainstream metalheads. It's still amazing though that a band like Dimmu are selling that much here.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

That's NOT Shagrath. It was the old keyboard player who was fired for plagiarising some melodies from John Williams Star Wars score

Ahh, guess you're right. Either way, fuck top hats.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

The review was good up to the end, but the moment you tell your reader to "fuck off and do this," it kills it.

Duly noted. You don't have to fuck off, Milton. You can fuck back on.

 

[Rycher]

Am I the only one that's completely in love with this track? It's so insanely anthemic.



Born Treacherous is my other favorite from this album. I really feel that this band can do no wrong.

 

[AngraRULES]

Am I the only one that's completely in love with this track? It's so insanely anthemic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZGrzdU70JY

Born Treacherous is my other favorite from this album. I really feel that this band can do no wrong.

This is a good song. Add some female vox and you have a killer Therion track!

And btw, the last section on the song (the more symphonic black metal-like is AWESOME!)

 

[Palabra de Dios]

Yeah dude, I fell in love with the Dimmu Borgir song at first listen. It's up there with "Progenies" IMO.

 

[AngraRULES]

Duly noted. You don't have to fuck off, Milton. You can fuck back on.

 

[nomisofsiman]

This is a good song. Add some female vox and you have a killer Therion track!

And btw, the last section on the song (the more symphonic black metal-like is AWESOME!)

And that's my problem with it. I sorta dig it on a Therion-like level but not a Dimmu-level. It seems way too uplifting in tone for Dimmu in my opinion, especially compared to most of the album.

 

[Frode]

ALBUM OF THE YEAR!

 

[BenMech]

ALBUM OF THE YEAR!

if the year was 1993, to be sure. In 2010, it's too little too late.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

Album of the year? No.

Good album by a band that gets lambasted by metal elitists (with an elitist attitude that I myself take on quite often)? Absolutely.