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Dimmu Borgir |
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For All Tid |
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Line up:
Shagrath - Vocals, Drums, Guitar
Erkekjetter Silenoz - Vocals, Guitars
Tjodalv - Guitars
Brynjard Tristan - Bass Guitar
Stian Aarstad - Synthesizers, Piano |
Track Listing:
Det Nye Riket
Under Korpens Vinger
Over Bleknede Blaner Til Dommedag
Stien
Glittertind
For All Tid
Hunnerkongens Sorgsvarte Ferd Over Steppene
Raaborn Speiler Draugheimens Skodde
Den Gjemte Sannhets Hersker
Inn I Evighetens Morke (Part 1)
Inn I Evighetens Morke (Part 2) |
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For All Tid is Dimmu Borgir's first album, which was originally released on an underground label in '94 and re-released on Nuclear Blast as a digipak in '97. The original artwork was black and white and on the digipak, color was added. All the lyrics are in Norwegian which adds to the beauty of the album. Det Nye Riket opens up the album with celestial type sounds, and then strings play the main melody before the piano comes in as the only instrument about halfway through to back up Shagrath's spoken vocals. A very beautiful song, perhaps the most beautiful on the album. Under Korpens Vinger is the first black metal track on the disc, and in it, the band focuses more on beauty rather than chaos, unlike most of their early black metal brethren. Beauty abounds in Over Bleknede Blaner Til Dommedag features vocals performed by Aldrahn, who does the majority of them in an operatic voice. Stien is heavily folk based with a flute playing a main role in the piece. The title track, For All Tid, has a atmosphere to it of that of fairytale medieval times. This is an extremely good album, especially for a debut and foreshadowed many things to come from these guys. Grade: A- |
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Dimmu Borgir |
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Stormblast |
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Line up:
Shagrath - Vocals, Guitar
Erkekjetter Silenoz - Guitar
Nagash - Bass Guitar
Tjodalv - Drums
Stian Aarstad - Synthesizers, Piano |
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Track Listing:
Alt Lys Svunnet Hen
Broderskapets Ring
Nar Sjelen Hentes Til Helvete
Sorgens Kammer
Da Den Kristne Satte Livet Til
Stormblast
Dodsferd
Antikrist
Vinder Fra En Ensom Grav
Gud's Fortapelse - Apenbaring Av Dommedag |
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This is Dimmu Borgir's second release and in my opinion it is their best. This album is filled with some of the darkest beauty I have heard in music and the lyrics are all in Norwegian. Alt Lys Svunnet Hen opens up the entire album with magnificent piano for about a minute and a half before guitars add some quick chaos, but even they tone down to being majestic. About halfway through strings come in and the actual vocals do not come in until the song is 2/3 done. At an even slower pace, Broderskapets Ring, flows into your ears with grace as the guitars lead the front and then the piano comes in strong with Shagrath's vocals before fading back out a bit. This song features a lot of spoken vocals by him, it being in Norwegian makes it even more beautiful and mystical and the piano fades in during the chorus and out during the verses as a lead instrument adding extra melody to the harmony. About halfway through Nar Sjelen Hentes Til Helvete there is a grandiose piano solo, very nicely orchestrated. Somber, romantic, and ornate, Sorgens Kammer flows softly into your ears. It is a piano solo that is over 6 minutes long, and is also my favorite track on the disc. The beauty that flows within its notes sinks deep into your soul if you sit back and enjoy. Towards the close there is a gong that sounds and the piano rests for a few measures before slowly coming back in to conlude the piece. Dodsferd is another track that really stands out. In this song, the bass really stands out as the main instrument and about 1/3 and 2/3 of the way through the song there is a woodwind solo, most likely that of a flute. Grade: A |
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Dimmu Borgir |
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Enthrone Darkness Triumphant |
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Line up:
Shagrath - Vocals, Guitar
Erkekjetter Silenoz - Guitar
Nagash - Bass Guitar
Tjodalv - Drums
Stian Aarstad - Synthesizers, Piano |
Track Listing:
Mourning Palace
Spellbound (By the Devil)
In Death's Embrace
Relinquishment of Spirit and Flesh
The Night Masquerade
Tormentor of Christian Souls
Entrance
Master of Disharmony
Prudence's Fall
A Succubus in Rapture
Raaborn Speiler Draugheimens Skodde |
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Enthrone Darkness Triumphant is Dimmu Borgir's first full length album in English. The entire album is a haunting aray of beauty intertwined with chaos. Mourning Palace opens up with a very catchy riff on cellos, and In Death's Embrace opens up with gorgeous piano work. The Night Masquerade features some very good, dark growls by vocalist Shagrath, and some female vocals in the end. The strings and keys create an eerie, dark atmosphere that continues throughout the entire album, and the flow from song to song is executed smoothly. Throughout the album there are many instrumental sections in the songs done by the keyboardist that are dark and beautiful at the same time, very pleasing to the ear. Entrance features a lot of celesta making it probably the prettiest and most relaxing song on the album, without losing its darkness. A Succubus in Rapture is another of the tracks that opens up with darkness and beauty on the piano and it continues throughout the whole composition. I recommend this album for anyone into dark, orchestral metal. Grade: A- |
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Dimmu Borgir |
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Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia |
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Line up:
Shagrath - Vocals
Galder - Lead guitar
Silenoz - Guitars
ICS Vortex - Bass, clean vocals
Nicholas Barker - Drums
Mustis - Synthesizers |
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Track Listing:
Fear and Wonder
Blessings Upon the Throne of Tyranny
Kings of the Carnival Creation
Hybrid Stigmata - The Apostacy
Architecture of a Genocidal Nature
Puritania
Indoctrination
The Maelstrom Mephisto
Absolute Sole Right
Sympozium
Perfection or Vanity |
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Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia is a great album by one of the biggest names in black metal. It opens up with the symphonic Fear and Wonder which flows perfectly into Blessings Upon the Throne of Tyranny. Along with Blessings, Kings of the Carnival Creation set the mood for the entire album. Perhaps the best track on the album is Hybrid Stigmata - The Apostacy which begins and finishes with cellos on a haunting riff which the guitars soon follow. Vortex does a lot of beautiful clean vocals on that song. Puritania is an industrial-driven track showing that Dimmu has versatility. The album finishes with another symphonic instrumental, Perfection or Vanity, which also has some guitar and drum work. This is a very good album, and I recommend it. Grade: A- |
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Dimmu Borgir |
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Death Cult Armageddon |
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Line up:
Shagrath - Vocals
Galder - Lead Guitar
Silenoz - Guitars
ICS Vortex - Bass, clean vocals
Nickolas Barker - Drums
Mustis - Keyboards |
Track Listing:
Allegiance
Progenies of the Great Apocalypse
Lepers Among Us
Vredesbyrd
For the World to Dictate Our Death
Blood Hunger Doctrine
Allehelgens Dod I Helveds Rike
Cataclysm Children
Eradication Instincts Defined
Unorthodox Manifesto
Heavenly Perverse |
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