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Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon review



Reviewer:
8.0

966 users:
8.15
Band: Dimmu Borgir
Album: Death Cult Armageddon
Style: Symphonic black metal
Release date: 2003
Guest review by: TheH2K


Disc I
01. Allegiance
02. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse
03. Lepers Among Us
04. Vredesbyrd
05. For The World To Dictate Our Death
06. Blood Hunger Doctrine
07. Allehelgens Død I Helveds Rike
08. Cataclysm Children
09. Eradication Instincts Defined
10. Unorthodox Manifesto
11. Heavenly Perverse
12. Satan My Master [Bathory cover] [bonus]
13. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse [Orchestral version] [bonus]
14. Eradication Instincts Defined [Orchestral version] [bonus]

Disc II [Ozzfest Edition Bonus]
01. Satan My Master [Bathory cover]
02. Burn In Hell [Twisted Sister cover]
03. Devil's Path [2000 Version]
04. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse [Orchestral version]
05. Eradication Instincts Defined [Orchestral version]
06. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse [video]

Disc III [DVD Audio Surronded 5.1]
01. Allegiance
02. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse
03. Lepers Among Us
04. Vredesbyrd
05. For The World To Dictate Our Death
06. Blood Hunger Doctrine
07. Allehelgens Død I Helveds Rike
08. Cataclysm Children
09. Eradication Instincts Defined
10. Unorthodox Manifesto
11. Heavenly Perverse
12. Satan My Master [Bathory cover] [bonus]
13. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse [Orchestral version] [bonus]
14. Eradication Instincts Defined [Orchestral version] [bonus]
+ Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse [video]
+ Photogallery

After Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia it is arduous for any musician to repeat something to that level, but Dimmu Borgir got really close to it.

As a normalcy, the album starts with a symphonic part, but the riffs in track 1 are not something distinctive. The orchestral part is really trying hard to help this track look exceptional but sadly unsuccessful in my opinion. "Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse" is the ooze of Mustis's talent; Vortex's clean vocals rule, and that sudden blast after the clean part when all of them are riding their instruments like a wild horse is terrific. The piano plays a huge part in this section, which is really noteworthy.

"Lepers Among Us" and "Cataclysm Children" indicate that Dimmu Borgir want to prove to old-school fans that they are still heavy and can add the essence of pure metal riffs to their own stylish performance. "Eradication Instinct Defined"'s intro is the real Dimmu Borgir quintessence and completely stylish.

One interesting point in this record is their language switch and bilingual procedures they followed; Vortex for the first time sings Norwegian. which is unique. The orchestral parts of the record are really well-mixed and the tunes are well-mixed. The album starts well, goes on well, but the last 3 tracks are really fillers and out of value, which is a bit odd for Dimmu Borgir.

It's a rather effective package and full of pure ideas, especially for symphonic metal lovers, but not anything better than their records since 1996.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 8
Production: 8

Written by TheH2K | 02.06.2020




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.

Guest review by
Spyroid
Rating:
9.4
I am not a great fan of black metal, especially not fairly well-produced "raw"/"brutal"/"intense" black metal. I listen to some atmospheric stuff, but that's all. I am not a great fan of symphonic metal either, in my opinion not many bands succeed to create symphonic metal with enough quality. Rhapsody of Fire is one band that manages to do it, and Therion as well even if their symphonic arrangements are more in the background in some way. But with this album, the band Dimmu Borgir has managed to create my favourite symphonic metal album, and probably also my favourite black metal album ever. It's also definitely my favourite Dimmu Borgir album, and I know a lot of people will disagree here...

Read more ››
published 08.03.2007 | Comments (10)

Guest review by
Justin
Rating:
8.5
Although the last couple of years have seen Norway's leading elite melodic black metal act Dimmu Borgir release a mini live E.P. "Alive In Torment" and the C.D./D.V.D. set "World Misanthropy" , it's the studio follow up to 2001's "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" that fans have been really waiting for with high anticipation.

Read more ››
published 16.09.2003 | Comments (20)


Comments

Comments: 3   Visited by: 22 users
03.06.2020 - 18:26
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
You could write getting into article, next band you so whole disco you can write an article
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I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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03.06.2020 - 23:10
Rating: 10
Big-Al
"I like this album. It is nice. It is different to the previous album because there is a song in not-English. I like it."
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I drink moosepiss
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04.06.2020 - 15:50
Padre
The tracklist is almost as long as the 'review' (200 words vs 250). Come on.
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