Dimmu Borgir Stormblast 2005
Nuclear Blast - NB 1545-2 - November 7th, 2005
by Stuart Norman
Welcome to Dimmu Borgirs Stormblast 2005 - The Special Edition. For those of you less than 10 years old and already listening to black metal, pay attention; Dimmu Borgir were a black metal band before they started writing film soundtracks, and a damn fine one. Before they were seduced by the dark side, a long time ago and in a studio far far away, Dimmu Borgir wrote and recorded one of the finest albums in the genre and called it Stormblast. What we have here is a totally re-recoreded version of this album 10 years on (yes theyve actually re-recorded all the parts, not just re-mastered it). This admittedly unexpected and rather bizarre project will teach us two things that a great song is a great song however you hear it played and that Dimmu Borgir wrote far better songs 10 years ago than they do now.
Dimmu Borgir (with the ubiquitous Hellhammer on drums) have effectively translated the songs from the original 1996 release into their current style. This means dispensing of much of the solo keyboard sections which were so integral to the mid-nineties black metal sound, speeding everything up a few bpm and layering it with highly detailed and dense synth arrangements. The whole sound has been greatly thickened and modernised, although not to the degree that the most recent, original recordings have been. There are, after all, many more melodic intricacies to be incorporated and with the arrangements being noticeably less formulaic and more unpredictable. The ultimate reaction of any listener will be largely dictated simply by whether they have heard the original Stormblast. This with the exception of a couple of new tracks, including a sequel (eurgh) to Sorgens Kammer, the piano/synth solo, which although almost genre-defining in its indulgence and giving the album as a whole some very pleasing texture and landscape, I dont think Dimmu Borgir felt they could adapt with a straight face. (Whether they can do anything at all with a straight face considering their image these days is perhaps dubious, but I think you know what Im getting at). This sequel (again.... eurgh) is to be released as a single, suggesting to be that Dimmu Borgir didn't quite have faith that their older material will be marketable to their new legions of followers. The idea here is to get a handful of them interested in buying the back catalogue, lets not make bones about it!
A first time listener will certainly notice the stylistic variances already mentioned. Frankly there are brilliant songs featured on this album, and they are no less so for the re-recording. What the tracks on both old Stormblast and new Stormblast 2005 share is very simple and yet fundamental great riffs and varied arrangements. This alone sets this 2005 version apart from other contemporary Dimmu Borgir releases. For the new release, some particular re-arrangements of the tracks have given emphasis to fewer of the hooks and ideas on the tracks, and developed them as such. Being good ideas in the first place, and with admittedly accomplished manipulations, this makes for a great album even in 2005. There arent any weak tracks on this album, and there are refined, albeit basic principles (audibly Bathory-like in parts) of black metal being utilised and executed with taste and poise.
What are conspicuous by their absence for the more seasoned listener, are all the idiosyncrasies which made the original such a seminal and inspirational release. In other words, the things that really set the original Stormblast apart arent there in the 2005 release; the harrowing and angst-filled vocal deliveries being probably the most immediate and worrying along with the highly amusing cry in Da Den Kristne Satte Livet Til. All those slightly awkward, probably-a-little-too-long keyboard sections being others, those were the things that made us pay attention to Stormblast in 1996. That and ten brilliant black metal tracks of course. In short, as anyone will have expected with this release, its left feeling comparatively soulless, despite its obvious strengths. Dimmu Borgir couldnt very well have hoped that we would treat this as an album in its own right, rather than comparing its modern strengths with those of the original. That is not unless their fame has brought with it a complete break with reality. Whatever their reasons, have sympathy for Dimmu Borgirs cause on the one hand - re-recording an album with the cult-status of Stormblast is like driving your best mates car without permission. You have to be bloody careful with it or theyll never forgive you. For the precious majority of the black metal listening public though, no degree of care or taste in this instance will spare Dimmu Borgir in this rather reckless task.
I wont bore you with the quality of the performances on offer, since youll already know what to expect. Dimmu Borgir and Hellhammer have enough experience and expertise between them to ensure that there will be solid performances throughout. Hellhammer plays the tracks with due respect enough not to saturate them in his own musical style, he just gets a solid job done with the material on offer. He uses his renowned skills to accentuate some of the musical ideas that were already there, noteably on opener Alt Lys Er Svunnet Hen. The drum performances are all filled with the kind of virtuosity and general passion that we have come to expect from the little big man. Virtuosity and silky production, many would argue, are all well and good, but they just dont fit true black metal. I would have to agree to a point, and there is a feeling of more than just nostalgic delight in listening to the original after Stormblast 2005 had re-kindled my interest in it. The so-nineties spoken vocal passages of Broderskapets Ring are one of the few treasures that get no justice in the 2005 release.
Stormblast 2005 isnt as simple as a 'lose-lose' situation for Dimmu Borgir, though many may question their motives for it (myself included). Only sheer bigotry (in black metal? surely not!) and blind nostalgia (in black metal? surely not!) will make anyone tell you that this release is a poor one. You will hear that in plenty of that from all corners, and whilst I have some sympathy with them, as a musical entity in its own right, Stormblast 2005 is a fine metal album. Finer than anything Dimmu Borgir will record again I hasten to guess. This album will make great, black metal tracks accessible to those who couldnt palate the original black metal sound, and Ill join with anyone in laughing heartily at them. But contrived as it is, Stormblast 2005 represents a glimpse of black metal greatness, without the authenticity of course. A great album? Yes Id have to say it is. As good as the original? No, of course not, but who the hell expected it would be?
8/10
Official Dimmu Borgir Website
Official Nuclear Blast Website
Nuclear Blast - NB 1545-2 - November 7th, 2005
by Stuart Norman
Welcome to Dimmu Borgirs Stormblast 2005 - The Special Edition. For those of you less than 10 years old and already listening to black metal, pay attention; Dimmu Borgir were a black metal band before they started writing film soundtracks, and a damn fine one. Before they were seduced by the dark side, a long time ago and in a studio far far away, Dimmu Borgir wrote and recorded one of the finest albums in the genre and called it Stormblast. What we have here is a totally re-recoreded version of this album 10 years on (yes theyve actually re-recorded all the parts, not just re-mastered it). This admittedly unexpected and rather bizarre project will teach us two things that a great song is a great song however you hear it played and that Dimmu Borgir wrote far better songs 10 years ago than they do now.
Dimmu Borgir (with the ubiquitous Hellhammer on drums) have effectively translated the songs from the original 1996 release into their current style. This means dispensing of much of the solo keyboard sections which were so integral to the mid-nineties black metal sound, speeding everything up a few bpm and layering it with highly detailed and dense synth arrangements. The whole sound has been greatly thickened and modernised, although not to the degree that the most recent, original recordings have been. There are, after all, many more melodic intricacies to be incorporated and with the arrangements being noticeably less formulaic and more unpredictable. The ultimate reaction of any listener will be largely dictated simply by whether they have heard the original Stormblast. This with the exception of a couple of new tracks, including a sequel (eurgh) to Sorgens Kammer, the piano/synth solo, which although almost genre-defining in its indulgence and giving the album as a whole some very pleasing texture and landscape, I dont think Dimmu Borgir felt they could adapt with a straight face. (Whether they can do anything at all with a straight face considering their image these days is perhaps dubious, but I think you know what Im getting at). This sequel (again.... eurgh) is to be released as a single, suggesting to be that Dimmu Borgir didn't quite have faith that their older material will be marketable to their new legions of followers. The idea here is to get a handful of them interested in buying the back catalogue, lets not make bones about it!
A first time listener will certainly notice the stylistic variances already mentioned. Frankly there are brilliant songs featured on this album, and they are no less so for the re-recording. What the tracks on both old Stormblast and new Stormblast 2005 share is very simple and yet fundamental great riffs and varied arrangements. This alone sets this 2005 version apart from other contemporary Dimmu Borgir releases. For the new release, some particular re-arrangements of the tracks have given emphasis to fewer of the hooks and ideas on the tracks, and developed them as such. Being good ideas in the first place, and with admittedly accomplished manipulations, this makes for a great album even in 2005. There arent any weak tracks on this album, and there are refined, albeit basic principles (audibly Bathory-like in parts) of black metal being utilised and executed with taste and poise.
What are conspicuous by their absence for the more seasoned listener, are all the idiosyncrasies which made the original such a seminal and inspirational release. In other words, the things that really set the original Stormblast apart arent there in the 2005 release; the harrowing and angst-filled vocal deliveries being probably the most immediate and worrying along with the highly amusing cry in Da Den Kristne Satte Livet Til. All those slightly awkward, probably-a-little-too-long keyboard sections being others, those were the things that made us pay attention to Stormblast in 1996. That and ten brilliant black metal tracks of course. In short, as anyone will have expected with this release, its left feeling comparatively soulless, despite its obvious strengths. Dimmu Borgir couldnt very well have hoped that we would treat this as an album in its own right, rather than comparing its modern strengths with those of the original. That is not unless their fame has brought with it a complete break with reality. Whatever their reasons, have sympathy for Dimmu Borgirs cause on the one hand - re-recording an album with the cult-status of Stormblast is like driving your best mates car without permission. You have to be bloody careful with it or theyll never forgive you. For the precious majority of the black metal listening public though, no degree of care or taste in this instance will spare Dimmu Borgir in this rather reckless task.
I wont bore you with the quality of the performances on offer, since youll already know what to expect. Dimmu Borgir and Hellhammer have enough experience and expertise between them to ensure that there will be solid performances throughout. Hellhammer plays the tracks with due respect enough not to saturate them in his own musical style, he just gets a solid job done with the material on offer. He uses his renowned skills to accentuate some of the musical ideas that were already there, noteably on opener Alt Lys Er Svunnet Hen. The drum performances are all filled with the kind of virtuosity and general passion that we have come to expect from the little big man. Virtuosity and silky production, many would argue, are all well and good, but they just dont fit true black metal. I would have to agree to a point, and there is a feeling of more than just nostalgic delight in listening to the original after Stormblast 2005 had re-kindled my interest in it. The so-nineties spoken vocal passages of Broderskapets Ring are one of the few treasures that get no justice in the 2005 release.
Stormblast 2005 isnt as simple as a 'lose-lose' situation for Dimmu Borgir, though many may question their motives for it (myself included). Only sheer bigotry (in black metal? surely not!) and blind nostalgia (in black metal? surely not!) will make anyone tell you that this release is a poor one. You will hear that in plenty of that from all corners, and whilst I have some sympathy with them, as a musical entity in its own right, Stormblast 2005 is a fine metal album. Finer than anything Dimmu Borgir will record again I hasten to guess. This album will make great, black metal tracks accessible to those who couldnt palate the original black metal sound, and Ill join with anyone in laughing heartily at them. But contrived as it is, Stormblast 2005 represents a glimpse of black metal greatness, without the authenticity of course. A great album? Yes Id have to say it is. As good as the original? No, of course not, but who the hell expected it would be?
8/10
Official Dimmu Borgir Website
Official Nuclear Blast Website
