The Dimmu Borgir Thread
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BlackMetalWhiteGuy
Manly Man!
Dimmu Borgir is probably the first non-nu metal, non-core band that I actually enjoyed. I credit them with stimulating my interest in tr00 metal and Kalmah for affirming it. I think I listened to them for the first time in 11th grade and was so blown away by what I was hearing that I instantly loved it and wanted to find more music like it. Unfortunately, I had no idea what genre they would be listed as, since it was so far beyond the other stuff that I classified as metal at the time, but not unlistenable like my then-impression of death metal. After reading on the internet that they were "black metal," I conceived the name BlackMetalWhiteGuy. Unfortunately, I discovered with more experience that I don't like pure / traditional black metal very much, but I continue to use the name anyway, although I've considerred changing it to Reproductus Elitis.
Matt
Active Member
zabu of nΩd
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So, I still ponder every now and then what it is I find so amazing about this band, despite the several legitimate criticisms raised against them. The melodies are a part of it, but there's something more that leads me to consistently consider them one of my favorite bands ever, and I'm pretty sure it has to do solely with their '97-'99 material (for clarification: EDT, GSG and SBD).
It's most likely a combination of the keyboards and the hollow/echoey production style that does it for me. Those two elements seem to create a cathedral-like atmosphere that taps into this whole pool of spiritual, magical and 'Old World' imagery, and that's what really makes those albums a ridiculously immersive and rich experience. I assume Zeph will agree with me on this.
I can never quite keep track of why exactly this band gets so much hate from even people of relatively good music taste, but one of the most salient criticisms seems to be of the 'straightforwardness' of their melodies and song structure. I'm just wondering if that straightforwardness isn't part of the atmosphere itself, as it seems that the bombastic songwriting is very much a part of this flowing, expansive 'Old World' overtone in the music. The typical expectation of black metal song structure seems to be that it be 'murky' or 'inaccessible', but I just don't see that working for this type of music. If you substitute in Emperor's song structure, for example, I think it would actually remove a lot of the elegance by way of 'brutalizing' the sound.
If any anti-Dimmu people out there are willing to weigh in on this thought, I'd be interested to hear your commentary.
It's most likely a combination of the keyboards and the hollow/echoey production style that does it for me. Those two elements seem to create a cathedral-like atmosphere that taps into this whole pool of spiritual, magical and 'Old World' imagery, and that's what really makes those albums a ridiculously immersive and rich experience. I assume Zeph will agree with me on this.
I can never quite keep track of why exactly this band gets so much hate from even people of relatively good music taste, but one of the most salient criticisms seems to be of the 'straightforwardness' of their melodies and song structure. I'm just wondering if that straightforwardness isn't part of the atmosphere itself, as it seems that the bombastic songwriting is very much a part of this flowing, expansive 'Old World' overtone in the music. The typical expectation of black metal song structure seems to be that it be 'murky' or 'inaccessible', but I just don't see that working for this type of music. If you substitute in Emperor's song structure, for example, I think it would actually remove a lot of the elegance by way of 'brutalizing' the sound.
If any anti-Dimmu people out there are willing to weigh in on this thought, I'd be interested to hear your commentary.
Einherjar86
Active Member
I haven't listened to Enthrone Darkness Triumphant in so long and that's the album I voted for. I have to go back and give it a spin one of these days.
Grant, it may surprise you to know that I do not care much for their first two albums. If I want that kind of sound, I would much rather listen to many other bands. Nothing much charms me from them.
The only Dimmu albums I listen to with frequency are EDT through DCA. All four of those albums are more unique with regards to the rest of the Metal to which I listen, and though there are a ton of bands that do have Dimmu's mid-era sound, Dimmu does it much better. Most big-production sympho-BM fails at writing good melodies either for the symphonics or the guitar.
I love the heavy use of symphonics, the big productions, and all the melodies written in those four albums, from the opening strings of "Mourning Palace" to the piano/riff combo that is the highlight of "Cataclysm Children".
In Sorte Diaboli is near total garbage. Their ability to write melodies vanished, and the theatrical value, which has always been silly, has crept too much into the music by now.
The only Dimmu albums I listen to with frequency are EDT through DCA. All four of those albums are more unique with regards to the rest of the Metal to which I listen, and though there are a ton of bands that do have Dimmu's mid-era sound, Dimmu does it much better. Most big-production sympho-BM fails at writing good melodies either for the symphonics or the guitar.
I love the heavy use of symphonics, the big productions, and all the melodies written in those four albums, from the opening strings of "Mourning Palace" to the piano/riff combo that is the highlight of "Cataclysm Children".
In Sorte Diaboli is near total garbage. Their ability to write melodies vanished, and the theatrical value, which has always been silly, has crept too much into the music by now.
zabu of nΩd
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I knew that, but that says nothing about me. 
But yeah, I agree with your assessment of those three albums.
But yeah, I agree with your assessment of those three albums.
DarkBliss
...And okra for all
I actually think that EDT after the first three songs is boring as hell. I just don 't like the production on this album at all. It's completely suffocating.
I see nothing wrong with the production. And "Entrance" is just as spectacular as the first three songs, not that the rest of the album is boring as you claim.
DarkBliss
...And okra for all
I think the production in EDT is one of the reasons why it is such an outstanding album. Not overly abrasive sounding, but just perfect. It goes really well with the beautiful keyboard melodies.
DarkBliss
...And okra for all
I just don't like keyboards in Black metal too much.EDT is completely synth/keyboards-driven. The guitarwork is more fleshed out on PEM despite the album's extreme overproduction.
Manic Ferocity
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But you like Dimmu Borgir and have had just about nothing good to say about any other black metal...
DarkBliss
...And okra for all
Well, to tell you the truth, I like black metal that's based on heavy metal. All those grimly frostbitten Norwegians don't do much for me, to be honest.Their sound is too thick for me to enjoy these days.
Manic Ferocity
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But you don't like Necromantia? They're pretty heavy metal-based for black metal along with a good portion of the Greek scene.
DarkBliss
...And okra for all
Thoth-Amon
Hypochondriac
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