Band:	Dimmu Borgir
Album:	Eonian
Style:	Symphonic black metal
Release date:	May 04, 2018
Guest review by:	TheH2K

01. The Unveiling
02. Interdimensional Summit
03. Ætheric
04. Council Of Wolves And Snakes
05. The Empyrean Phoenix
06. Lightbringer
07. I Am Sovereign
08. Archaic Correspondence
09. Alpha Aeon Omega
10. Rite Of Passage

It took 8 years to release a new record. So it must be the feather in black metal music's cap; something to throw at a true black metaller's face. These are the things that initially come to anyone's mind, regardless of how successful Eonian is in making fans' desires come true.

The record doesn't carry any instrumental track for a starter as a typical Dimmu Borgir thing, instead a shocking industrial intro and not comforting at all. "Interdimensional Summit", being the first song I listened to from this record, still stuck to Abrahadabra values. The keyboard theme is quite heartwarming and Galder's solo is one of the band's best. After that, "Council Of Wolves And Snakes" starts as something you may need in Dimmu Borgir's albums, but gets tedious and kills the buzz in the listener.

The only reason that keeps you awake while listening to "Aetheric" is Daray's drums and nothing more. The rest of the tracks are pointless and soulless, which I cannot even label them as fillers. "Lightbringer" is stolen from Susperia's "Home Sweet Hell", which is questionable enough. The whole package extremely lacks any colorful songs or anything that is worth dedicating time to. One redeeming factor, "I Am Sovereign" is a bit better, and I really yelled "Dimmu Is Still Alive" during the outro part.

Personally, I do not like the lead pad that is used in this record. I do reminisce every single moment that Mustis created with his keyboard instead; that mysterious and dark real Dimmu Borgir is completely gone to be honest. Daray is the soothing part and really promising in this piece of frustration. Shagrath vocals are neither brutal and thrilling nor dark and providing atmosphere. The lyrics are less Diabolic and more centered around astral planes and reincarnational themes, one of the few changes that is at least tolerable.

Abrahadabra was a record indicating Dimmu the almighty may carry on without the so-called fired band members. Nonetheless, this record shows vice versa and tells us maybe those few ideas were In Sorte Diaboli's remnants.