DIMMU BORGIR — In Sorte Diaboli (review)

DIMMU BORGIR — In Sorte Diaboli album cover

Album · 2007 · Symphonic Black Metal

4/5 · 2014-04-25
arcane-beautiful

After pretty much bringing black metal to the masses with their previous album, Dimmu decided to come back with something a little different. A concept album!

I remember when this album had first come out. Having just got into the band, I was really excited for this album due to it's first single, its concept and the cover. I really have a visual arousal for the cover of this album, due to my slight obsession with the Baphomet figure. Always a treat and usually always seen as the wallpaper on my phone or laptop. I'd print the cover of this album out as wallpaper for my house if I could.

Musically the band see a bit of a departure from their last 2 albums. With the departure of Nicholas Barker, the band where able to recruit legendary black metal drummer Hellhammer to provide some sick drumming on this album. Don't get me wrong, Nick Barker was an astounding drummer, but nowhere does he come close to the powerful feet of Hellhammer. Another pretty massive change for this album is that there is no orchestra accompanying the band anymore. But instead, Mustis' keyboards provide the orchestrations, and I have to admit, what he is able to do with simple keyboards and programming is pretty impressive.

Lyrically the album tells of a story of a monk in the Middle Ages who goes on a spiritual journey to find God, but instead find the Devil instead and become the Antichrist. Now I would say that this story is rather cheesy, but lyrically it's very ambivalent. Dimmu's brand of Satanism is very smart, with blasphemy taking a backseat for genuine philosophical debate.

The opening track and first single “The Serpentine Offering” is definitely one of the bands biggest achievements. An absolutely powerful dark and twisted song, this track is just perfect in every way. From some of the most crushing riffs the band have ever created, to Shagrath's amazing vocal delivery to the beautiful middle section sung by I.C.S. Vortex, this track is a masterpiece of metal.

The album's third single “The Chosen Legacy” is probably one of the most anthemic songs on the album. With the albums title being chanted over and over again in the song, it is hard not to bang your head and rock the devil horns while listening to this tune.

The album's second single to be released “The Sacrilegious Scorn” is very interesting piece of music. Almost split into many different sections, the song moves into different movements and emotions throughout the song, almost showing the emotional side of the protagonist of the album's concept. Maybe not intended to this way, but to me it very much represents it.

The albums emotional climax is very much seen on “The Sinister Awakening.” With a powerful anthemic Satanic chorus, where can't you go wrong. Some pretty killer and chilling riffs are heard in this song too.

One of the best lyrical moments on the album has to be “The Fundamental Alienation.” The song gives a rather ambivalent spin to the story which I like. The song has a pretty killer chorus too.

In conclusion, this album is pretty much a classic for this band. I wouldn't say this is the band's best release, but it is definitely up there among their most classic material and is one of my personal favourites from the band. Evil as hell with a concept and story to boot, the band really outdid themselves on this challenging release.

8.4/10

Genres: Symphonic Black Metal, Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, Extreme Metal, Progressive Metal

Country of origin: Norway

Year of release: 2007