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Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult
Armageddon
2003 Nuclear Blast
Track
Listing:
1. Allegiance
2. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse
3. Lepers Among Us
4. Vredesbyrd
5. For The World To Dictate Our Death
6. Blood Hunger
7. Allehelgens Død I Helveds Rike
8. Cataclysm
9. Eradication Instincts Defined
10. Unorthodox Manifesto
11. Heavenly Perverse
Line-Up:
Vocals:
Shagrath
Clean Vocals: Vortex
Guitars: Silenoz, Galder
Bass: Vortex
Drums: Nick Barker
Keyboards/Synths: Mustis
Website: www.dimmu-borgir.com Shev's Rating:
C
Horatio's Rating:
D
Average Album Rating: C- |
Shev's Review:
In all honesty, the only Dimmu Borgir album which I've really
gotten into was "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant". I haven't liked
anything written before then, nor after then. Kind of makes for an unfair
judgment of an album when I'm holding absolutely everything they've written up to this one
album, right? So then it should come as no surprise that I hated
"Deathcult Armageddon" upon the first few spins. My first
impressions were that it was typical operatic black metal nonsense relying on keyboards and rattly
atmosphere to hold everything together. However, the more I listened to it,
the more it kind of grew on me.
First off, Dimmu Borgir has shown a thirst for dramatic flair...and
this is no different. However, they've really added a nicely corroded
aggressive edge to their style here. It's a bit subtle at first since the
keyboards still remain central to their music and style, but the quality of riff production has
increased a little bit, although for the most part they're typically uninspired.
The bass, as could only be expected from the likes of Vortex, is absolutely
brilliant.
And speaking of Vortex, why has his vocal duties been reduced? Was this
of his own choosing or was it in the best interest of the band? Either way,
I'm taking points off for it. He has a distinguished and unique voice which
could only have paid compliment to what Dimmu Borgir have written this
time around. Anyway, Shagrath seems to have pulled out all the stops to diversify his vocals while maintaining an overall black
metal sound. Nothing to write home about, but it certainly doesn't detract from the music. And finally, who could forget about the usage of the
Prague Philharmonic Orchestra? Dimmu Borgir had every opportunity to completely
ruin this album by using their rented orchestra too much. Luckily, they
didn't overuse them one bit. Their contribution to the album is just
about perfect, minus some of the Danny Elfman feel. Teamed with the outstanding
production of Frederick Nordström done at Fredman Studios in Sweden, what we have here still doesn't live up to
"Enthrone Darkness Triumphant", but does rank as the best thing they've
written since. Especially when you consider this followed-up the utterly
hideous "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia". While I won't go so far as
to say the whole album is "great", I will go so far as to say, "It's pretty good compared
to the rest of Dimmu Borgir's catalog". Especially the songs
"Allegiance", "Blood Hunger", and "Heavenly
Perverse".
Shev's Rating: C
Horatio's Review:
Selling yourself out for a press pass to Ozzfest to interview a band you
have no interest in is a galling experience, but one I endured last year in
order to see Judas Priest and Slayer on the main stage.
Nuclear Blast promised me tickets to the event as long as I interviewed
Dimmu Borgir for publication. That meant studying the band's history and forcing myself to
listen to this particular album. I dreaded the interview as I had nothing to
ask the band that nobody else already had. I considered skipping the
interview but opted not to, as the hours wasted conjuring questions and doing research would have been worthless.
At the press tent I waited patiently while concert goers tried to seek refuge in the press only tent,
only to be told to leave, which left resentment on their part: "Why is he allowed to sit in here!?"
Half an hour later the Nuclear Blast rep showed up with guitarist Galder,
perhaps one of the least recognized members of the band. I bombarded
him with half-hearted questions like, 'what is wrong with Norway's national
football side'? and 'why don't you introduce saxophone into your sound?'
His answers were swift and decisive and the twenty questions were over in fifteen minutes.
A year later and I still have the tape sitting here (somewhere) unused, the interview a waste of everyone's time.
I got more enjoyment making a bootleg tape of Slayer and Priest's sets.
Dimmu Borgir's lack of reception from the crowd was deserved, their overwrought
brand of black metal the pits as far as I'm concerned.
Every time I've tried to sit through this album I've failed. The orchestration
aspect is redundant and a straight ahead black metal assault would only marginally improve matters, the band seeking to break the boundaries of
the genre, having worn out traditional black metal in years past. There's a
mass of blast beats on hand, but the lack of melody is the main fault.
Eleven overlong tracks simply merge into one, and if this doesn't lull you to
sleep then you must be listening to Megadeth live instead. Unfortunately
then I cannot provide you with a breakdown of 'Eradication Instincts
Denied' or 'Unorthodox Manifesto'. It's too boring.
No wait, I think I can. A blast beat opens the track, a slower orchestral section slows things down,
followed by choral and guitar harmonies, then ended by more blast beat mania.
Ultimately Galder reflected the blandness of his band. Dimmu Borgir may
feel they are setting new standards, but in doing so are responsible for metal so mentally draining to sit through that it could be used as a method
of torture. This is metal for nerds. It's made me want to revive the interview
a year later so I can add some more insults. It's not like I'm being paid am
I? Retrieving the tape might me problematic but turning this album off isn't.
Horatio's Rating: D
Discography (last updated 10.25.05):
For All Tid - 1994
Inn I Evighetens Mørke EP - 1994
Devil's Path EP - 1996
Stormblåst - 1996
Enthrone Darkness Triumphant - 1997
Godless Savage Garden EP - 1998
Spiritual Black Dimensions - 1999
The Sons Of Satan Gather For Attack split EP with Old Man's Child - 1999
Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia - 2001
Alive In Torment EP - 2002
World Misanthropy EP - 2002
Death Cult Armageddon -
2003
Vredesbyrd EP - 2004
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