Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli review
| Band: | Dimmu Borgir |
| Album: | In Sorte Diaboli |
| Style: | Symphonic black metal |
| Release date: | April 2007 |
Disc I
01. The Serpentine Offering
02. The Chosen Legacy
03. The Conspiracy Unfolds
04. The Ancestral Fever [European bonus]
05. The Sacrilegious Scorn
06. The Fallen Arise
07. The Heretic Hammer [North American bonus]
08. The Sinister Awakening
09. The Fundamental Alienation
10. The Invaluable Darkness
11. The Foreshadowing Furnace
12. Black Metal [Venom cover] [Japanese bonus]
Disc II [DVD]
01. The Serpentine Offering [video]
02. Making Of The Album With Dimmu Borgir (Studio Report)
03. Making Of "The Serpentine Offering"
+ Photogallery
A Black Metal concept album? Yes, you read that right. Dimmu Borgir has once again found a way to stand out by taking an unconventional path. The Norwegian superstars are back with "In Sorte Diaboli", following mostly raw reviews on their re-release of "Stormblåst". Needless to say that their concept better stand the test if Dimmu Borgir wants to stay on top, seeing that their latest notable work was released in 2003. Remember "Death Cult Armageddon"?
First, I won't get into the details of the story behind the music. You probably already read all about it someplace else anyway. Some classic religion / dark side / priest story, as it could be expected. This concept won't score very high on the originality scale. On the other hand, the production is majestic - as usual - as it comes from internationally acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström.
Musically, the biggest change on this album is obviously the return of Jan Axel von Blomberg better known as Hellhammer. The master is being the drum-kit, and if you can't notice, you better just give up on music altogether. Apart from that, the usual elements are in place, which is both a positive and negative thing. Positive because the quality is there but negative because I don't really hear any kind of evolution from "Death Cult Armageddon". The exact same recipe was applied here, to the level that I'm beginning to wonder if those songs were recorded recently or during some leftover of 2002/2003 sessions.
What upsets me most is that, frankly, the ethereal vocals of ICS Vortex are starting to smell like mildew. That's old stuff. I would love to hear Galder take a greater role on vocals. If you've ever heard Old Man's Child, you know he could bring something new and powerful to Dimmu Borgir tired vocal formula.
I also hate the whole 'bonus tracks' setting of this album. Basically, you could end up with only 9 out of 11 tracks recorded for "In Sorte Diaboli", which runs for a meager 42 minutes. This is probably one of the shortest concept albums I know of. I know Hellhammer is a fast drummer, but Dimmu Borgir is not playing Grindcore yet. Moreover, when I buy the album, I expect to get the full thing, not having to do some research in order to avoid being ripped off.
The report card is in. Great musicianship, solid album, incredible drumming, but man, I wish something special would completely separate the Dimmu Borgir of 2003 with the 2007 version. Clearly, "In Sorte Diaboli" won't change your view on the band as it scarcely separate itself from "Death Cult Armageddon". Still, it ends up being an interesting listen and will probably remain on 2007 list of Nuclear Blast bestsellers.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 10 |
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Written on 17.06.2007 by
Bringing you reviews of quality music and interesting questions such as: "A picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is a song worth?" I have only got so much patience and skills, you do the math. |
Rating:
8.4
8.4
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Rating: 8.4 |
So here it is, "In Sorte Diaboli", the long awaited new Dimmu Borgir concept album. It truly is a testament to the spirit of black metal, at least in it's message. The story is set in medieval england, and the concept that the album follows is that a man who is a priest's assistant realizes how corrupt the church is, and then in turn gets in touch with his dark side. Silenoz is the one who created the story and concept of the album, and I must say I apreciate him for that, I have been looking for an album dedicated to the message of corruption in organized religion. I would like all reading this review to prepare themselves to come into direct contact with Satan, prepare yourselves for "In Sorte Diaboli." Read more ›› |
Rating:
9.8
9.8
|
Rating: 9.8 |
Dimmu Borgir made quite the accomplishment with the album, In Sorte Diaboli. This 2007 release to me is one of their best, if not the best. In Sorte Diaboli (ISD) was the very first Dimmu Borgir album I bought, but it was also the very first black metal, or for you technical people out there, symphonic black metal albums that I bought. Read more ›› |
Rating:
8.4
8.4
|
Rating: 8.4 |
Dimmu Borgir's eighth effort was sadly synchronized with the last appearance of ICS Vortex and Mustis, due to their dismissal from the band. The last record from their third wave, the band released a concept album for the first time in their career, which is quite attractive both in illustration terms and lyric-wise. Read more ›› |
Comments
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Comments: 39
Visited by: 209 users
| chris_metalhead Posts: 26  |
I like the album But yeah, definately more of the same. But sometimes that isn't a bad thing I would like to see them do something a bit different though. And Galder could definately take a role in the vocals. I probably prefer OMC to Dimmu. I totally agree with the rewiew though. Nice one
---- you should all check out a band called synthetic breed.
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| Jason W. Razorbliss Staff Posts: 3523  |
Nice review  You're right, a lot of the DB formula from 4 years ago is still there. I was expecting something a bit more evolutionary considering the 4 years in between releases. I also can't stand the "bonus track" setup -- seriously, does the bonus for the American version have to be track 6? And I wonder what the other "bonus" sounds like : . I still appreciate the vocal work of the two, and in fact enjoy the vocals on this CD more than the guitarwork, which was the opposite on Death Cult Armageddon. But that's just personal taste... again, thumbs up on the review, it says and feels similar to my opinions as well
---- "After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
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| metalwarrior1 Account deleted |
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| Damned-In-Black Posts: 212  |
I agree with most all said in the review, except for the rating. For me, Death Cult Armageddon is around an 8. This borrows the same formula while being all-round slightly less engaging a listen, in my opinion - a 6 from me. It's not bad though.
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| X-FrEaK Posts: 281  |
i agree with the review  and the score is good, maybe a 7.5/8 would be better because Death Cult Armageddon was better and i would give it a 9 
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| Katatronik Angel of Lust Posts: 1018  |
Agree with you too! Good album but so far from Puritanical and worse than Death Cult Armageddon IMO. Truthly, I expected more
---- "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." Howard Phillips Lovecraft
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| Infurnace Posts: 948  |
Good review . I really like the album. IMO it's better than Death Cult Armageddon. I would give the album an 8,5/9.
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| =maD.Doc:. Melodeath Master Posts: 386  |
Written by Guest on 17.06.2007 at 10:37 Wrong, wrong, wrong! I've said it before, and I will say it again. If you play music only for the money, Metal is the wrong kind of music to play, you get almost nothing when you play metal. It's just so you can live, pay your bills and buy food and stuff. Nothing bigger than that, at least not for the records. The bands get most of their money from the merch they're selling not the records. Anyways! Good review! Like it a lot and agree with you fully! But still it's a great record, and Dimmu plays their safe card so to speak
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| Jiri Posts: 708  |
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| Paradox0 Unasuming Madnes Posts: 592 |
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262  |
Written by Guest on 17.06.2007 at 10:37 I agree...well I don't think Hellhammer is bad, but he's not nearly as good as Nick Barker. This is my least favorite album by Dimmu, and really the only album by them I don't care much for.  Like people have already said, I would also like to hear Galder do some vocals.
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| Herzebeth Posts: 5537  |
I did hear the album do to its praising, I found what I've been hearing since Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, maybe the riffs are a little better than beofre, but the songwriting is really plain in my opinion. I still can't stand those keys
----
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| Götter avatar of misery Elite Posts: 12300  |
This album is a heap of crap. Much like DCA, only without the occasional catchy moments which made the latter just a bit more listenable.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
DCA had its enjoable moments for me but this is just utterly over the top produced boring to me.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Spyroid Rosetta Stoned Posts: 1023  |
Written by Dangerboner on 18.06.2007 at 03:25 It depends what you put in "good". I don't think many people here are so indulged in music that you can make that kind of statement, that HH is not nearly as good as Barker (and if you are one of theese, I apologie). Hellhammer has many qualities, and Barker has many, personally I prefer Barker because I find much more cathyness in his playing, but I certainly wouldn't say that he outplays Hellhammer. At least, mr. Blomberg is faster, that IS a fact. Personally I don't agree much with the review. I don't think it follows the same formula as DCA since they're removed the orchestra, which was everything in DCA. It's not a bad album, Dimmu is still one of my favourite symphonic bands, but DCA is better, and I think that ISD lacks of inspiration.
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| Curtis the Bum Account deleted |
Curtis the Bum
Account deleted Written by Infurnace on 17.06.2007 at 16:07 I totally agree myself, their other work gave off more of a masterpiece feel to it, while with this album- well, you know............lol
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262 |
Written by Spyroid on 18.06.2007 at 18:07 hehe uhh well, Nick Barker plays with Anaal Nathrakh, a band that has to use a drum machine because they couldn't find a drummer fast enough to play with them, until they found Nick.
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| Spyroid Rosetta Stoned Posts: 1023 |
Written by Dangerboner on 18.06.2007 at 22:45 He really is extremely fast, and I love his style, I even plan to travell about 300 km to see him with Testament but isn't HH regarded as the fastes in the metal world? I though that was agreed by everyone ^_^
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262 |
lol well I don't want to turn this into a fastest drumming debate, but there are plenty of death metal drummers, such as Tim Yeung and Derek Roddy, that are way faster. But about the cd, I find the production to be really annoying. Now, I prefer clear production over the super tr00 flat production that some people enjoy, but this is just ridiculous. I can't play this on my sound system because the bass drum sounds horribly overproduced. Oh, and about the layout - I think it's great how big and extensive the booklet is, but I can't fucking read anything! The font they used hurts my eyes...
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| Darth Satanious Post Destroyer Posts: 2154  |
Nicholas Barker is definitely a little faster than Hellhammer, at least in what I have seen displayed by both of them. Barker uses his wrist in such a high speed when moving the stick that he produces this sound reminiscent to a thud due to the lack of time in the interval between the hits on the drums and I haven't heard Hellhammer doing this in his drum kit yet. Of course, we can't let out reasons for this such as considering that Hellhammer does not appeal to insert such speed and sound to the songs he plays because in fact such speed makes the hits to be hard to discern. Perhaps it is not his style at all... perhaps he can't do it, I don't know. The only way to know the truth behind this would be to see/hear Hellhammer drumming to old Dimmu tracks featuring Nicholas Barker and watch how he plays that stuff. On the other hand, when it comes to variation and awkwardness in drumming patters, I prefer Hellhammer even when in this latest Dimmu album there is not much prowess displayed by our Norwegian drumming deity.
---- Christless
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| +{Jonas}+ I R Serious Cat Posts: 4955  |
This album is certainly more of the same, it could be like a DCA 2, musically speaking. The whole concept is interesting. Not very creative, but interesting, some sort of variation. Dimmu is a great band, and this album, IMO, is nothing but the prove that they are going to continue the started in DCA, I think that will be their way from now on. PD: I laughed whe I knew the cover was censured in the USA 
---- "Nobody wants to be the weird kid, you just end up being the weird kid. You don't know how you ended up getting there" - Rob Zombie http://jonas-bs.deviantart.com My dA, mainly photography, go check it out!
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| VPeter Posts: 1450  |
it's still garbage in my opinion. It's the same boring pop black metal of DCA, unless they get rid of the pop edge they will still continue to make garbage. the only good thing is the drums, Hellhammer is so much better then Barker, nothing wrong with Barker tough.
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| mizferac Account deleted |
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| Sunioj Posts: 3894  |
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| Sent Posts: 4  |
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| Paganblood The Aryaputra Posts: 1194  |
imo the songs in this album don't seem to change.. The first track was very good, but as I moved furthur listening to the album, I was disappointed.I guess Dimmu Borgir will get the 'biggest letdown' (isn't it so?) award... anyway, good review 
---- that which shines without names and forms...
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| Deadsoulman Elite Posts: 8004  |
Looks like I'm almost the only one to think that, but I find this one way better than DCA. I still don't understand how DCA can be considered like a good album... This one has better songwriting and they finally got back to not using over-the-top orchestras like on DCA. And I like the vocals as well. Anyway, fine album IMO.
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| CreeperDeath Posts: 32  |
I agree with you on some fact, the album can be boring the first listening to.. It's STILL Dimmu Borgir, they are evoluating.. DCA was a real shit to me... Only progenies was good... (I dont want to debate on this......) And listen to the guitar work; some psycho interludes and riffs.. The Invaluable Darkness ! The Sacrilegious Scorn. Anyway, you can think whatever you think, I think this album is pretty good, not every songs are good tough. The concept tough, don't really catch me alot... But I dont give a shit about it, its just a story I didnt take time to read it. Anyway, this album is my second favorite after PEM. I think it just a question of taste, yes its faster.. so what lol ? listen to doom metal if you want it slow.. I give this album 9/10 CreeperDeath
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| Paradox0 Unasuming Madnes Posts: 592 |
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| sinergy4130 Account deleted |
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