Dimmu Borgir - Spiritual Black Dimensions review
| Band: | Dimmu Borgir |
| Album: | Spiritual Black Dimensions |
| Style: | Black metal |
| Release date: | March 02, 1999 |
| A review by: | Dream Taster |
01. Reptile
02. Behind The Curtains Of Night-Phantasmagoria
03. Dreamside Dominions
04. United In Unhallowed Grace
05. The Promised Future Aeons
06. The Blazing Monoliths Of Defiance
07. The Insight And The Catharsis
08. Grotesquery Conceiled (Within Measureless Magic)
09. Arcane Lifeforce Mysteria
10. Masses For The New Messiah [bonus]
11. Stormblast [live] [bonus]
12. Master Of Disharmony [live] [bonus]
13. In Death's Embrace [live] [bonus]
Honestly, I missed out the Dimmu Borgir phenomenon and I am just now catching up with it. But man, is that ever worth it! While 'Stormblast' is considered as the cornerstone of the Norwegian band discography, 'Spiritual Black Dimensions' has to be regarded as another important album for them.
Fist of all, this is their first album with such a good production, which might have offended Black Metal purists but made Dimmu Borgir more popular than they ever were. But the main enhancement on "Spiritual Black Dimensions" is the dynamics that reign with an iron fist on the music. It's an ever-challenged atmosphere, with blasting drums, enthralling keys and grinding guitar riffs. And what about Shagrath's vocals? They are simply like another instrument, adding a layer of complexity to the compositions.
Tracks such as 'Dreamside Dominions' and 'The Promised Future Aeons' demonstrate how to play melodic yet aggressive Black Metal. 'Behind The Curtains Of Night - Phantasmagoria' is another perfect example of how to use a keyboard to turn any song into an insane piece of genius. Even though I am not a big fan of their background vocals, Shagrath vocal work is really pulling everything together, just check out the opener 'Reptile' or 'The Insight And The Catharsis'.
The cult track is this album is, of course, 'Arcane Lifeforce Mysteria', a 7-minute plus track of genuine talent.
1999's 'Spiritual Black Dimensions' ranks as one of the best albums of the year, and that's no mistake. The solid base of guitars and drums are truly transformed into something out of this world by Shagrath's vocals and Mustis' keys.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 10 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 9 |
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Written on 04.11.2006 by
Bringing you reviews of quality music and interesting questions such as: "A picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is a song worth?" I have only got so much patience and skills, you do the math. |
Rating:
9.7
9.7
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Rating: 9.7 |
When I was 14 I was given this album by a German foreign exchange student. On first listen I considered it to be just a load of noise as all other music she had given me. I was a young American who had not yet learned to appreciate non-mainstream, well produced, MTV-loved "metal." A few years later I popped this album in to reminisce the old high school days and what came out of my radio surprised me. My ear was trained on picking up the murkiness of the likes of Darkthorne and other early black metal. Though this album is in no way as murky in its production quality as the early black metal albums were, it still had an overload of sound that needed to be listened to in each individual instrument's sector. Read more ›› |
Rating:
8.1
8.1
|
Rating: 8.1 |
A new experiment on the way of Dimmu Borgir, this record is a bridge that joins Enthrone Darkness Triumphant to their 2000s style. Although it has a lot of magnificent tracks, something in this album sounds annoying and doesn't let you consider it as your favorite Dimmu Borgir record. This was the first album to feature Mustis the genius and ICS Vortex, which led Dimmu Borgir to a more symphonic and progressive format. Keyboard parts are heavenly brilliant, especially in "The Insight And The Catharsis" and some keyboard lead pads in other tracks as well. Read more ›› |
Comments
Comments: 23
Visited by: 183 users
| Katatronik Angel of Lust Posts: 1018  |
Yeah good review, great work!  An excellent album with a good production that exalts their quality (black-metal purists, come on become angry!) and amazing killer songs!
---- "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." Howard Phillips Lovecraft
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| Major Posts: 17  |
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262  |
Great album...Shagrath's vocals sound especially strong and powerful.
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| Ernis 狼獾 Posts: 6815  |
Yeh...it's a good review it is...to a good album....I have an original at home and I'm proud of it....besides...this album was the first to feature ICS Vortex...Dimmu's music became even richer...
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| |Angela| Account deleted |
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| Warman Erotic Stains Posts: 7695  |
Best Dimmu Borgir album, one of the best Black Metal albums, one of the best albums ever! 
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| Arian Totalis The Philosopher Posts: 3351  |
I dunno about best albums ever, but it sure does kick alot of ass. That's a good review, I own this album. The only track that gets dry for me is "Reptile" because the background vocals just drag to much for me. Other than that, I love every minute of the album.
---- "For the Coward there is no Life For the hero there is No Death" -Kakita Toshimoko "The Philosopher, you know so much about nothing at all." _Chuck Schuldiner.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374  |
I did't like it... Don't know why  It just... something is missing here. Is not the same type of music like in EDT... Some songs are very good anyway and the performance of the band is exelent, Dreamside Dominions must be my favorite song of the album.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Moreheru Account deleted |
Moreheru
Account deleted  this is quite funny. It is specific with this album, and also with Shagrath's vocal on it, that some people really like it and some really hate it. I read a lot of reviews on "Spiritual black dimension" on a lot of metal sites. And it is always a same story. Some consider this the best Dimmu Borgir album, and Shagrath's vocal strong, and some say that it is their worst album, and Shagrath's vocal childish. I think that's because this is their most symphonic album till now. Some like that, some not. I do like it, and i do consider this their best album, especially songs Reptile, Grotesquery Conceiled and Arcane Lifeforce Mysteria And yes... Demonic Tutor, very nice review 
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| Warman Erotic Stains Posts: 7695 |
Okay, not as good as I used to think. Still a very very good album! 
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
I have to accept that the vocal work is the best... But when it comes to music... EDT kick ass easily
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Stille Haer Posts: 4 |
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Exellent work, just classic songs from symphonic gothic black. The Insight and the Catharsis is an epic. The Promisied Future Aeons and Reptile makes this album the best of Dimmu's works. 8.1/10
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| W-Lash Metal Master Posts: 2531  |
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| stygian Posts: 28  |
yeah great album, the strange thing is, that in the booklet, vortex is absent... i just realised...
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| Deadmeat Necrobutcher Posts: 2437  |
Nice album by DB. I would like it in a bit faster tempo.. And more aggressive. But the atmosphere is very good! I also believe the production takes it a step down..
---- Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by W-Lash on 30.03.2008 at 18:40 I agree... It's my favorite song from this album and I don't remember that people talk about it. It's just amazing. I love the part when Shagrath and Vortex sing at the same time... Epic feeling.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| SatyriconChick Posts: 248  |
Amazing album! My favorite tracks are "Reptile" and "The Insight and the Catharsis." This band doesn't have a bad release!  I had to add that I've been listening to this album quite a lot lately, and I'm absolutely becoming ADDICTED to "Grotesquery Conceiled." I can't get enough of that song, especially the keyboard melodies. I LOVE it! Wow! 
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| DreadfulYgg Posts: 38  |
Written by stygian on 25.05.2008 at 22:03 It's because at the time this album was recorded he wasn't part of the band, just a guest vocalist.
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| I_Die_Often Posts: 697  |
I've had this for years and FINALLY got to really listen to it properly (ex-wife... long story... I have my own house now!) I like it more than I ever did before, changed my rating form 7 to 9.
---- Old enough to be your Daddy... speaking of which... you look familiar... do I know your mother???
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| xjules Posts: 2 |
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62020  |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 04.11.2008 at 21:39 I would say same about '' The Insight And The Catharsis''
---- 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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