Published on Aug 9, 1999
Norway’s Dimmu Borgir is the premier black metal band in the
world. If you asked any disciple of the genre to name the
heavyweights of the genre, DB would be mentioned. In addition, like
the thrash band Metallica, when the band produces albums that
experiment, perhaps expanding the genre, fans scream in
outrage.
As Dimmu Borgir begin their world assault, only recently playing
in the United States for the first time, the screams of outrage are
likely to echo loudly. Their latest release
Spiritual Black Dimensions is to black metal what
Metallica’s self-titled “black” album was to metal:
groundbreaking.
Composition after composition of this 9-track opus proves that
this band is for real and lethal. From the opening onslaught of
gothic keyboards in “Reptile,” the mood is set. The blast beat
snare with quick cymbal crashes mixed with the keyboard counter
melody set the mood. “Behind The Curtains Of Night Phantasmagoria”
follows with a blistering drum intro and an outrageously fast
tempo. “Dreamside Dominions” slows the pace slightly but still
crashes through the band’s dark vision of life.
The band’s lyrics are included in the booklet and provide a
better glimpse into their dark world. Outspoken Satanists, lyrics
like “In circles of dominance, emotional deeps unite/ Fiction and
transcendence woven together/ In the essence of purity lies wisdom/
Join the forces/ The spiritual black dimensions” do little to
encourage going to church weekly. Luckily, the vocals are
decipherable only if you are an experienced listener to the genre
and/or you can make out the light font text over a light
background.
Dimmu Borgir has long been an underground sensation, featured
constantly in zines like
Metal Maniacs and practically any metal website. Their new
CD is a gigantic step forward and attempts to transcend the gap
between black metal and the mainstream audience. KRUI’s “Sonic
Nightmare,” though, is about the only radio show brave enough to
play this.