It has been a long time since I've had so much fun listening to an album. Now, many people get extremely stuffy nosed about this group, and I can see why. The cliche image maybe? The groups more carnivalesque aspects? However, I am more concerned with the music itself, and Death Cult Armaggedon is an energetic, invigorating, and just plain enjoyable album, moreso even than Dimmu's previous efforts.
The addition of a fully-fledged orchestra to the proceedings has served to add a grand, epic slant on their brand of heavy, atmospheric black metal. The more symphonic moments of this album are grandiose, and the backing orchestra has been applied to great effect. Dimmu has not gone overboard in it's use of the orchestra, the strings usually float just behind the band, never dominating too much, and sometimes disappearing so the guitars and drums can rock out for a while. Also present are soft synth choirs, tastefully played keys and piano, sound effects and amusing samples.
If there is one thing that can be said of this album it's that the riffage is particularly inspired this time round...the album is damned catchy. The first track, Allegiance, opens with strange mechanical noises and a haunting riff, before the band slams into action with great riffage and pummeling drums. Soon the orchestra soars over the top of the song and perfectly accentuates the bands playing. The second track, Progenies of the Great Apocalypse, is certainly the most symphonic on the album, with the orchestra dominating the whole song majestically and an amazing piano midsection, as well as one of the only appearances of Simen/aka Vortex on vocals in an amazing clean part.
If there is one complaint I have of this album, it is that Simen is completely underused, the band opting instead for Shagrath's raspy ranting 99% of the time. This is enough for me to bring my mark of this album down a notch, I want to hear more of Simen!
Lepers Among Us is not one of the standouts, but it is still pretty good. It has nice riffs and a great forward drive, as well as nicely complimenting orchestration. An amusing midsection in which a voice announces 'Satan was there, Satan was real to me, and Satan called himself god' provides some fun. Vredesbyrd is probably my favourite track. This song kicksass. Shagrath's growling seems so much cooler when it is in Nowegian (correct me if I'm wrong), and the heavy riffs and deathy chug of the song is infectious, awesome.
To cut this review a bit shorter. Other standouts include:
Blood Hunger Doctrine - The slowest and most atmospheric track in which violins soar and soft effects converge to produce an instensely effecting song.
Allehelgens Dod I Hellveds Rik - Whoa, this song fucking rules! Incredible heavy riffs introduce the song and give way to amazing orchestration and a soaring clean vocal section by Simen. How can you hate Dimmu when they make music like this?
Cataclysm Children - This song starts off kind of average, with some cool riffs and growling, but when it hits its stride at 2:49 it becomes PHENOMENAL. An extremely catchy riff hits you in the face and an incredible melodic solo comes in that just makes me go WHOA. One of the best climaxes to a song...ever.
Eradication Instincts Defined - The second most orchestrated track, which has a great orchestral introduction. When the distortion hits the great orchestral accompaniment keeps up throughout and makes this one a standout. It also has a short electronic bit, that is very nice.
I found the other tracks, For the World to Dictate our Death, Unorthodox Manifesto and Heavenly Peverse (featuring Abbath from Immortal), to be less interesting than the others. They are not bad tracks, just not anything to write home about.
I can say with a clear conscience that I am completely enthralled with this release. I've heard all the arguments, 'dimmu borgir are fags', 'dimmu are boring and unoriginal', 'dimmu suck'...whatever, it's all bullshit. This music is far to vibrant and energetic too be considered boring, and far too orchestrated and epic to be considering unoriginal in my eyes. I've never heard a metal band hit the whole 'symphonic' nail so firmly on the head as Dimmu Borgir have here. The huge orchestra is implemented flawlessly, and there is many truly inspired sounding songs and riffs all over this album. Some may not be able to take Shagrath's 'incompetant ranting', or whatever you want to call it, but his vocals come off to me as perfectly on the mark. This is so far my favourite album of the year, and if you want to lie yourself into thinking it isn't good, your loss. This album is awesome.
9/10.
The addition of a fully-fledged orchestra to the proceedings has served to add a grand, epic slant on their brand of heavy, atmospheric black metal. The more symphonic moments of this album are grandiose, and the backing orchestra has been applied to great effect. Dimmu has not gone overboard in it's use of the orchestra, the strings usually float just behind the band, never dominating too much, and sometimes disappearing so the guitars and drums can rock out for a while. Also present are soft synth choirs, tastefully played keys and piano, sound effects and amusing samples.
If there is one thing that can be said of this album it's that the riffage is particularly inspired this time round...the album is damned catchy. The first track, Allegiance, opens with strange mechanical noises and a haunting riff, before the band slams into action with great riffage and pummeling drums. Soon the orchestra soars over the top of the song and perfectly accentuates the bands playing. The second track, Progenies of the Great Apocalypse, is certainly the most symphonic on the album, with the orchestra dominating the whole song majestically and an amazing piano midsection, as well as one of the only appearances of Simen/aka Vortex on vocals in an amazing clean part.
If there is one complaint I have of this album, it is that Simen is completely underused, the band opting instead for Shagrath's raspy ranting 99% of the time. This is enough for me to bring my mark of this album down a notch, I want to hear more of Simen!
Lepers Among Us is not one of the standouts, but it is still pretty good. It has nice riffs and a great forward drive, as well as nicely complimenting orchestration. An amusing midsection in which a voice announces 'Satan was there, Satan was real to me, and Satan called himself god' provides some fun. Vredesbyrd is probably my favourite track. This song kicksass. Shagrath's growling seems so much cooler when it is in Nowegian (correct me if I'm wrong), and the heavy riffs and deathy chug of the song is infectious, awesome.
To cut this review a bit shorter. Other standouts include:
Blood Hunger Doctrine - The slowest and most atmospheric track in which violins soar and soft effects converge to produce an instensely effecting song.
Allehelgens Dod I Hellveds Rik - Whoa, this song fucking rules! Incredible heavy riffs introduce the song and give way to amazing orchestration and a soaring clean vocal section by Simen. How can you hate Dimmu when they make music like this?
Cataclysm Children - This song starts off kind of average, with some cool riffs and growling, but when it hits its stride at 2:49 it becomes PHENOMENAL. An extremely catchy riff hits you in the face and an incredible melodic solo comes in that just makes me go WHOA. One of the best climaxes to a song...ever.
Eradication Instincts Defined - The second most orchestrated track, which has a great orchestral introduction. When the distortion hits the great orchestral accompaniment keeps up throughout and makes this one a standout. It also has a short electronic bit, that is very nice.
I found the other tracks, For the World to Dictate our Death, Unorthodox Manifesto and Heavenly Peverse (featuring Abbath from Immortal), to be less interesting than the others. They are not bad tracks, just not anything to write home about.
I can say with a clear conscience that I am completely enthralled with this release. I've heard all the arguments, 'dimmu borgir are fags', 'dimmu are boring and unoriginal', 'dimmu suck'...whatever, it's all bullshit. This music is far to vibrant and energetic too be considered boring, and far too orchestrated and epic to be considering unoriginal in my eyes. I've never heard a metal band hit the whole 'symphonic' nail so firmly on the head as Dimmu Borgir have here. The huge orchestra is implemented flawlessly, and there is many truly inspired sounding songs and riffs all over this album. Some may not be able to take Shagrath's 'incompetant ranting', or whatever you want to call it, but his vocals come off to me as perfectly on the mark. This is so far my favourite album of the year, and if you want to lie yourself into thinking it isn't good, your loss. This album is awesome.
9/10.
