DIMMU BORGIR – “Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel”

Serpents and angelic crucifixions are at the forefront of imagery loaded with performance offerings by the band.

Dimmu Borgir is a symphonic black metal band from Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmuborgir (Dark Castles) known in traditional Icelandic folklore to be the gateway to hell. These treacherous lava fields, formed approximately 2,300 years ago, are considered to be the place where Satan fell after being cast out of heaven.

My first exposure to Dimmu Borgir was back in 1999 when I obtained a copy of the band’s fourth studio album, Spiritual Black Dimensions. Although I didn’t know it at the time this album was considered trendsetting for two reasons.

First, Dimmu Borgir decided to sing exclusively in English, a rarity for black metal bands. Second, the group dramatically increased the use of synthesizers in their music, a significant musical shift from the low production values that previously dominated the genre. It’s also important to note the addition of clean vocals due to a guest spot of ICS-Vortex (Arcturus, Borknagar) and the contributions he made to the record.

I’ve always considered this album to be Dimmu Borgir at their best. I’ve always equated its sound to Emperor’s 1999 effort IX Equilibrium. Another album which marked a shift from traditional black metal sounds to ones which are more keyboard/synthesizer oriented.

The Dimmu Borgir formula hasn’t deviated much since that musical progression and now the band is at the verge of releasing their 10th studio album, Grand Serpent Rising, which is expected to hit the streets May 22nd via Nuclear Blast Records.

Although the time between albums is a little more than eight years, I am hopeful for something far more aggressive than the group’s 2018 effort, Eonian. I found that album to be strangely inconsistent with the clean vocals of ICS-Vortex replaced with happy choir sing-a-longs.

Thankfully, the music video for “Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel” is just what we’ve come to expect from Dimmu Borgir. An unlikely mesh of Mad Max (Fury Road – 2015), which is heavy on sinister facial coverings.

With the apocalyptic religious horror of Hellrasier (Judgement – 2018) where angels and demons are nearly indecipherable.

Serpents and angelic crucifixions are at the forefront of imagery loaded with performance offerings by the band.

As far as the music goes, the effort features vocals in Norwegian! One step back to the roots! The rest, however, is something less to be desired. I’m not living in the past, but it’s obvious how important Mustis (keyboards), Galder (guitars) and ICS-Vortex (clean vocals) were to this band.

I understand the need to evolve musically, but this is no longer the Dimmu Borgir I once respected as a black metal trendsetter.

Dimmu Borgir’s “Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel” is a visually amazing music video, and I am truly hopeful the rest of this album, musically, is stronger than this initial release. \m/