Dimmu Borgir "Death Cult Armageddon" (2003)

 

A conclusion for now, the last of the great Dimmu Borgir records. Death Cult Armaggedon was the first release I lapped up as a fully fledged fan. Its nostalgia is immense for me. Having convinced my circle of sixth form friends to buy it on release, it became a soundtrack to our friendship exploring the world of extreme music. The reason I say Its the last of their greats is because DCA ventures into the lavish orchestral avenue, ditching traditional key tones. Both Galder and Silenoz's guitar styles undergo an evolution away from constant power chords too. Although these songs are a far cry from their classic sound, this stride is phenomenal and everything they tried is golden. I can't say the same for the following In Sorte Diablo.

Song after song is utterly embellished by the orchestral instruments. Dimmu's extreme metal aesthetic would sound lost without it. The union is wonderful, bringing a rich sense of cinema to the drive of Barker's batter drums and aggressive guitar grooves which stomp and grind from end to end. A couple songs, namely Lepers Among Us and Cataclysm Children, ride the storms without the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra behind them. Evenly spaced, they break up the albums flow, injecting more devilish brutality as Dimmu get into some of their hardest, crunchiest songs to date.

The album excels on all fronts but as Dimmu do, their song structures always lead to interesting places. Plunges of darkness and other abstract arrangements give each song a real trajectory to venture upon after the verse and chorus have been established. Each song has a defining component, a special musical passage, making it hard to skip a beat. Perhaps more so than any record before it, they get a little closer to a whole experience. DCA is one album I love to listen to all the way through.

Everyone is pretty much on their best game. Shagrath delivers his demonic howls as usual with some adventurous manipulations too, possibly with the aid of pedals. It contributes to the albums lean and mean texture, occasionally with an Industrial brush as mechanical noises and swells of ambiguity feature sporadically. Its a harsh, rapid storm of malevolent metallic music that evolves across its ambitious arc. First with Blood Hunger Doctrine, DCA open up. A slower tempo pounds out a thumping groove from the rhythm section and offers respite on journey to a fantastical conclusion.

ICS Vortex unleashes his beautiful heathen voice on the albums second Norwegian track. The chemistry with the pianos is stunning. I love how this band can fit illustrious melodies between rapid blast beat assaults. Eradication Instincts Defined is where the concluding magic begins. Its orchestra into so memorable and vivid. One can picture the devastation war brings over the natural beauty of mother earth, as if flying over the fields of war. Shagrath crashes the song into a fury with a length scream that sets this epic on its way. Its lengthy venture leads us into the sirens of war and devastation as the albums longest number unfolds after it.

Unorthodox Manifest's audio scenery of war depicted against the cry's of hail Satan sets off a chilling saga. The band pivot from what seems like a regular song into some of its harshest blasts, leading into a roaring epic, flush with melodies and amazing guitar solos that interchange and play off to the highest magnitude. Its such a surge of energy, that seems like only a fade out was appropriate, unable to land the beast they unleashed with a single strike. Its one of the bands more remarkable songs.

Although I often consider the three prior albums to be superior, writing my thoughts out on DCA makes me reconsider. This was a group of musicians with far more maturity and direction then they had armed themselves with before. Galder and Barker brought much to the band, transitioning them again to the frontier of Extreme Metal. Although Dimmu are considered Black Metal, its far from the tradition. They are their own powerhouse of evil and on this occasion manifested a vision to perfection.

Rating: 10/10

Dimmu Borgir "World Misanthropy" (2002)

 

I just couldn't help myself. There is yet a couple more Dimmu Borgir records I desire to write about. World Misanthropy is a six track bonus disc, part of a DVD released the year after Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia. I actually have the vinyl edition, a nice rarity! As far as additional music goes, Dimmu have stated they have pretty much released every song recorded and this EP only offers one additional song, as well as a re-recording of Devil's Path and four solid live performances from Wacken 2001.

Until writing now, I had never pondered where the song came from. Masses For The New Messiah sounds very much from the Spiritual Black Dimensions era. Its lack of an Astennu solo hints it may have been written after is swift departure. Its lead guitar melodies ring in Silenoz's ETD tone. If it was a left over, the weaker intro my explain why. The first minute or so pushes big cheesy synth hooks that get recycled a couple of times. Everything outside this chugging grind of bold aggression is wonderful though. A lavish exploration of darkly synth manifesting through a variety of passages. It leads to a gratifying conclusion of serine uplift and sparkling keys glistening over top of drawn out power chords. It does plunge back into the shadows of aggression right at the end, feeling as if a climax for the song happened to eluded the band.

The re-recording "Devil's Path 2000" has a welcome glossy acoustic guitar intro stitched in the front. As a song restoring the power of their old sound, its additional infusion of keys over its brimming distortion guitars gives the song a revitalized glory. The guitar solo is completely rewritten too, going for a scaling Power Metal vibe. I think I prefer the original solo more. The rest of the song could be "better" but honestly they feel like different interpretations. The original, a darker meaner beast and this newer one gives more weight to the respite and uplift from its evil dimension.

The following four live songs are fantastic. Unlike Godless Savage Garden, the audio quality is a lot better. Only the guitars seem a little quite and guarded. A few vocal switches, baseline changes and synth arrangements give a keen fan something to latch onto for the live performance too. The band execute the songs wonderfully. Between tracks Shagrath gives me a mighty laugh, declaring "Darkness has its attraction, which everyone can feel! Only hypocrites deny!". Hilarious, love this band.

Rating: 6/10

Dimmu Borgir "Godless Savage Garden" (1998)

In the imaginative realms of "what could of been", Godless Savage Garden always haunts me with its utterly majestic, fantastical offerings. One can only dream of what a full length may have sounded like. Wedged between Enthrone Darkness Triumphant and Spiritual Black Dimensions, the two original songs of this mini-album are remarkable. Both in tone and composure, its slower pacing, drenched in esoteric symphony, the dynamic and spiritually memorizing guitar solos of Astennu. It all marks a band advancing boldly into new territory. Although recorded in the ETD sessions, to my ear they lean towards my all time favorite record, SBD.

Chaos Without Prophecy is an utter delight, its slow beefy power chords and altering drum intensities let the synths set a darkly atmosphere. Shagrath storms in with phenomenal screams on the back of bouncy guitar riffs, resonating with a glorious bell chime. In its lengthy seven minute duration, the back end of the track embarks into a slow brooding drudgery of mysterious intent. Its haunting, creepy and rife with witchery. Moonchild Domain has a comparatively upbeat tone, more of a colorful voyage through dark arts and cryptic magics as the ride is punctuated by glorious pianos and bursts of lead guitar. The drums its housed in batter hard at times with big pedal grooves and lots of complimenting intensities. This all leads to a gratifying guitar solo, blazed by Astennu and his ponderous nightly character.

The other tracks consist of two fine re-recordings from For All Tid. They do an inspired repurposing of the bands once glum and odd atmosphere to this mighty powerhouse sound of rocking Metal and satanic darkness. A cover of Metal Heart by Accept plays a fantastic tribute to their influences. Although the song is not their own, parts of it feel very fitting for Dimmu. Beyond lies live recordings. Not in the greatest fidelity, they are a fun insight to the live experience but sadly feel like filler. Perhaps plundered around obligations to release a record.

As described, Godless Savage Garden brings two of Dimmu's finest songs at the crossroads between records. The particular spirit they share is defined enough to create a glimpse of something special that could of taken place. Maybe in another universe. Who knows. Anyways, I think that about raps up my tangent back into the origins of the band for now. Someday I will get around to the other three or so records I'm yet to cover on this blog. I look forward to it!

Rating: 8/10

Dimmu Borgir "Devil's Path" (1996)

 

If you are unaware of this little gem, then oh boy are you in for a treat. Recorded and released between Stormblast and Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, it serves as an insight into the radical transition Dimmu Borgir undertook in that period. Its opener Master Of Disharmony made it onto EDT and the title track would be later re-recorded in their modernized aesthetic. Also included are two versions of Nocturnal Fear, a Celtic Frost cover that sends a nod to one of their key influences. The songs pivot a minute in from a pacey evil assault to a stomping heavy metal groove feels akin to the new style of songwriting Dimmu showcased with this release of this four track EP.

Before the metallic song kicks in, Master Of Disharmony opens up with a short and entrancing, ritualistic instrumental. Foreshadowing conspiracy and collusion with the devil, its opening line, now using English lyrics, commands "sons of Satan, gather for attack!". Tjodalv's competency as a drummer is drastically improved as his rattling blast beats unleash a new darkness for the band. The synth tones bring a sinister edge and the fast guitar blister in grimace under that loose snare rattle. Shagrath too seems far more intentional, embodying the persona of this soul shrouded in darkness, seeking possession. Understand the words goes lengths to embellishing the theme.

In this new direction Dimmu counterbalance their satanic persona with bursts of big Heavy Metal groove, theme enriching malevolent synths and flushes of melody through guitar leads and lively, animated solos. Devil's Path also works within this new song writing style but whats special here is the albums production. Rough and raw around the edges, its lower fidelity aesthetic doesn't exactly hold the music back but showcases the transition out of one era and into another. Its ninety percent musical and makes me dream of hearing ETD in this style. This is nothing like the Stormblast MMV re-recording as their musical maturity had truly turned a leaf. Ultimately you'd have to conclude the modernization of their aesthetic was a genius call, however you know the songs would hold up well in a different context thanks to Devil's Path.

Rating: 6/10

Dimmu Borgir "For All Tid" (1995)

Released ten months on from Inn I Evighetens Morke, my Norwegian darlings Dimmu Borgir debut with a peculiar mix of ideas on their full length album. tIn my youth For All Tid charmed me with all its dingy oddities. Many years later, that magic is still present but more so does the amateurish performances and dire production fidelity. It once seemed less like an intentional mystique but now, more like a band with growing pains who managed to land a record deal as Symphonic Black Metal emerges alongside the explosion of attention the scene received over its controversies of the time.

That's not to dismiss the music, Its littered with symphonic magic between some glaring flaws. In my youth I never dissected its offering, just enjoying the odd glum atmosphere and flushes of esoteric melody loosely held together with spurts of aggression. Now I hear a more mixed bag of ideas. Less of a cohesive vision as Dimmu would execute masterfully with every following album from Stormblast and on.

Perhaps it is the opening Det Nye Riket that emphasizes some disparity. Its Korg keyboard driven intro akin to the now established Dungeon Synth. Mostly comprising of power chord and tremelo riffing with varying degrees of symphonic involvement, a couple songs stand apart for feeling off pace with the more common mood. Over Bleknede Blaaner Til Dommedag deploys awful clean vocals. Out of tune, stretched and folkish, me and my friends would always chuckle whenever it burst out. A minute or so later Silenoz howls a ghastly scream out of nowhere. Its loud presence in the mix makes it all seem so haphazard. Even at its worst the songs still have charm.

The two minute Stein is an oddity of snarling darkness countermanded by a fantasy flute melody. Its a glaring reminder that much of the extremity of the band seems more quirky than dark and evil. The following and exceptional Glittertind instrumental, housed by another garish scream erupting loudly out of nowhere, is an upbeat thrust of melody. Its warm mood and fond guitar melodies so opposing to the blast beats that drive it along. Again the band have such a peculiar vision of darkness. Perhaps all that has developed over the years in extreme music since has softened its edges.

The final four songs are class. Homing in on a gloomy chills and a rain drenched atmosphere, the composure of power chord riffs, acoustic strummed chords and eerie synths meet on the back of great songwriting as its structures feel directional and gratifying. I can't help but feel some Doom Metal vibes along the way, perhaps its synth tones reminiscent of The Gathering's classic Always...

This revisiting was heard through its original recording. In my youth I had the Nuclear Blast remaster, a service performed just two years later. Oh boy does that make a huge difference! Everything has more punch and grit, the volume disparities less prominent the harsh vocals have their energy inline with the renewed intensity of the guitars. Had I not thought to listen to the very original No Colors release, these thoughts may have been very different. These songs are invigorated by its remastering and it really serves as the better way to experience the songs. Low fidelity doesn't always work in your favor! For anyone else curious, listening to both is an adventure but I'll leave my heavily bias praise based on the legs the remaster gives it to go. Without it, I'd of knocked this "rating" down a peg or two.

Rating: 8/10

Dimmu Borgir "Inn I Evighetens Morke" (1994)

 

I couldn't count the years since I've gone back to the roots of my eternally adored Dimmu Borgir. Before they became a powerhouse of modern Metal drenched in devilish symphony, the Norwegians had a murky start. You could never have predicted their trajectory from this humble origin but their sophomore effort Stormblast would shine bright before the modernization of Enthrone Darkness Triumphant occurred. Inn I Evighetens Morke is a short, three track EP that kicked things off. I can't do much to defend it other than express my deep attachment to its gloomy nature, which sparked my curious adolescent mind as I discovered the world of Black Metal.

The first song is the unique experience. For a band joining a scene of new found extremities, its opening number broods on a slow tempo. A morbid piano sequence kicks things off. Distortion guitars become a distant haze under the the warm bleeding baseline. Esoteric synths arises, glum acoustic chords cry as they are plucked. The song swiftly lulls into a depressive tone of death and suffering. All achieved without blast beats, screams and other tropes, its an interesting conjuring that rides a little charm of the amateurish production as the instruments muddy together.

Its second half ups the metallic intensity. Shagrath's barely competent drumming barrages one with plenty of tom rolls in shuffling beats. Any attempt at a blast beat get drowned out as the production fails but also masks the shoddy performance. Silenoz howls harsh, higher pitched screams upfront while churning through lively power chord riffs. The eerie synths struggle to punctuate and the whole song lacks the majesty to leave anything remarkable in mind other than its mystic, quirky nature.

The final Raabjorn Speiler Draugheimens Skodde shows class, a curious arrangement of synths and power chords with direction and structure that bring it to a "break down" conclusion. Shagraths drumming is miles better, a tighter performance with more interesting grooves. Again without blast beats the band linger in the Black Metal realm through its symphonic spin off and the harshness of Silenoz's vocals. Otherwise it comes offs as dark and dingy oddity. Of course this song stood the test of time, being re-recorded a couple of times for future records. It is blemished in this incarnation which was a very amateurish start but a fun one for a die hard fan.

Rating: 5/10

Arkhtinn "二度目の災害" (2021)

 

Translated as Second Disaster, this latest Arkhtinn installment was a typical blasting of exhilarated, ferocious Black Metal from the cosmic void. To break format with its often Dark Ambient counterpart, both halves, two meaty twenty plus minute songs, are comprised extreme music led in by the beeping of Morse Code. The second track always strikes me as the better of the pair. Its resounding thumps of chunky groove and slick pedal kicks haunted by ghastly screams brings about a rhythmic distinction to an otherwise endless romp of blast beats and deathly guitar shredding.

Before it reaches that all too common intensity, the song embellishes a little Burzum alike discordance, something I would liked to of heard more of. Instead the howling choirs of fallen angels aligns with its perpetual plunges into darkness, competing with itself in a race to the bottom. The song structure and writing feels more apparent. Perhaps this is the first occasion I feel as if its low fidelity aesthetic holds things back. I'm reminded a little of Dimmu Borgir's PEM record as its fantastical darkly synths paint quite the wondrous madness within its hellish onslaught of crushing sound. After a while, the theme and search of new peaks to scale does get a bit tiresome as its main ideas circle back on themselves for a conclusion.

The first track explores a similar dimension with plenty of whirling astral synths buried between instruments. It comes through with some strong Industrial rhythmic chops and plenty of breaks in the flow with ambient interludes and build ups that loose sight of the bigger structure in its lengthy stay. Again its residing in furious intensities can be a bit grinding and the shifts can feel a little sudden in execution, rather than natural and flowing. All in all, the music follows the path laid out and given this Darkspace inspired sound is still interesting to me, its was a fun experience, however as always, new ideas and progression for the sound would be most welcome.

Rating: 6/10

Kataxu "Ancestral Mysteries" (2021)

 

For a long time Ive wanted to get around to writing on Hunger Of Elements by Kataxu, the one man band from Poland. That record is one of a rare few that walks gracefully in the shadow of Emperor's symphonic majesty, conjuring epics to hold a candle to classic In The Nightside Eclipse. So imagine my excitement and surprise, suddenly after sixteen years of silence, Kataxu returns! Structured with another six tracks, three lengthy metallic tracks either side of three astral symphonic interludes, it seemingly had all the markings of that album I've adored since my youth. Sadly, Ancestral Mysteries doesn't hold up to expectations. With that in mind, maybe I lost the ability to enjoy this for what it is? On closer inspection however, It does seem like the showering of magic its predecessor offered is nowhere to be heard.

With an unrelenting, galloping pace, a constant propelling force has us cruising through ferocious blast beats rattling of the gleam of synths penetrating the pummeling wall of sound. Its a formula I adore, caught somewhere between the cosmic extremes of Darkspace and luminous polish of Dimmu Borgir, the promise of adventure and epic all too good. With each listen, it felt as if the destination was never arrived at, or even conceived. These songs meander with its thick and dense guitars plucking darkly chords that fail to steer the ship with any rhythmic might or adrenaline. Ultimately, they just get washed up in the wall of sound without the power to punch.

With further spins I found myself increasingly dissatisfied with the vocals. High in the mix with strained throaty shouts, the texture wasn't inviting and a lot of the musics direction seemed inline with the monologues mutely roared over sparse instrument interludes. This gripe had me thinking about the production and aesthetics. Turning back to Hunger Of Elements, I can see where this went wrong.

That record has a looser production, almost sloppy and haphazard. What it does do however, is let the symphonic aspect leap out at the listener, Its contributions no longer evened out by equality. Not only this but the writing is so much more adventurous. Dark, nightly pianos rapture around the listener and sudden shifts for bright melodies to blossom give the music so much more excitement and adventure.

With those original songs in mind Ancestral Mysteries now sounds narrow and dull. The production softens its instruments into a cushioned wall of sound that sucks the vibrancy out of its guitars and keys. The ideas are there but in lacking a punch to bring the music through, its really hard to feel how it all adds up. Listening closely one can hear the arrangements and potential magic but even that effort doesn't make the music click. I'm left disappointed and undecided, did the writing not hit the mark here or was it the production?

Rating: 4/10

Carpe Tenebrum "Majestic Nothingness" (1997)

 

Following up on Mirrored Hate Painting I decided to checkout Astennu's debut under the same moniker. On Majestic Nothingness he is the lone musician handling all aspects of the music. Sadly the magic of his enigmatic lead guitar voice that lured me to this project is yet to blossom. It can be briefly heard in an infantile stage but what the record offers in tone is rather different given the lack of influence that his future band mates Dimmu Borgir would endow him with.

As a Symphonic Black Metal project from the other side of the globe, Carpe Tenebrum is a very competent record for the times. It sets out to achieve its vision of a darkly realm through song writing and the atypical shifts in momentum that draw charm from the emergence of complimenting synths. The aesthetic is a little dim and stiff with dainty distortion guitars and its reasonably disguised drum machine that pounds out blast beats without too much mechanical intrusion.

 The most detracting element is Astennu's vocals. His scowling shouts and groans are laid bare leaving him thin, naked and without oomph or power. Essentially its an underwhelming presence, brittle and raspy. His texture doesn't packing enough punch for power or darkness. When stepping into the "clean" territory of burly singing its a little off note to be charming but nothing truly terrible. With more bass and some reverb this could of easily been a few shades better.

When its on, one adjusts to its aesthetics, capable yet lacking in vibrancy. The album goes through the motions, with all the tropes, shifts in pace, alternations of blast beats and half placings that I love. Its a typical record of the genre but doesn't leave an impression with any of its moments sticking. I don't think the record ever plays itself up with much bombast as the framework is generic and the guitars all to muzzled to dazzle. If I had found this in my youth however... I could of possible devoured it alive! Its just like that, I have heard everything on offer here before already.

Rating: 5/10

Arcturus "Constellation" (1993)

Writing has been a lot of fun recently but more so has the listening! Discovering the foggy gloom and doom of My Angel and reliving the unique astral wonders of Aspera Hiems Symfonia again, my recent dive into Symphonic Black Metal has potentially led me onto an Arcturus journey but alas we will stop here for now.

Writing on the bands aforementioned debut, I remarked how dingy and overly symphonic this short four track EP was. It certainly is riddled with fidelity issues, inaudible bass and overpowering keys. My curiosity couldn't help itself tho. Giving this one some time and with swiftly adjusted ears I am astonished again by a band who seem to always lavish astonishment upon me. These songs are essentially identical. Where its keys once had a creaky yet powerful subtly, they are now front and center with dank and humid tones that relish in their own oddities. On some level it plays down the extremity of Black Metal, amplifying the symphonic magic at the heart of Arcturus, illuminating the majesty of their night sky inspired theatrics.

And check the date! The music is a mighty force of cosmic wonder, wedging itself in a scene yet to explode or even blossom. How delightfully strange these defined ideas are. Cosmic, majestic, curiously carnival and a little jovial. Its beautiful eccentricity emanating from keyboardist Sverd's fingers. I knew this element was the spark but it seems all to powerful and obvious here, the compositions are so inspired, creative and otherworldly with its astral icy gleam illuminating the darkly music. Each of these numbers are mighty journeys, adventures of the night full of twists and turns.

The intolerance of my youth had me gloss over and dismiss these lower fidelity releases... such a shame... but now I see an opportunity, to re-visit these demo tapes and early releases of my most favored bands that I once ignored. I hope to unearth more gems like this one.

Rating: 8/10

Carpe Tenebrum "Mirrored Hate Painting" (1999)

 

My most treasured record in existence is Spiritual Black Dimensions by Dimmu Borgir and perhaps It would of fared better not have written on it as my first blog post here. My aged words seems quite inadequate given how years of writing has evolved my articulation and expression. One day, when inspired, I will write of it again. The reason I mention this, is because I could use much of that language here, you see Mirrored Hate Painting is essentially a counterpart to SBD. Carpe Tenebrum is the side project of lead guitarist Astennu who illuminated SBD with a darkly rapturous presence heard here once again.

He is joined by Nagash, also of Dimmu Borgir who emulates Shagrath's vocal style wonderfully. A little loose and fragrant at times, he captures the throaty guttural growl in uncanny resemblance. The music too emulates much of the compositional principals too, mixing dark, aggressive guitars with throttling drums, classical dizzying pianos and a lavish helping of bold synth tones, going through all the stark theatrical dynamics. Released the same year, it gives an impression of left over material from their work with Dimmu. The lead guitar solos being the one carbon copy element that rouses equal emotions as they plunder into the night with a soaring sense of epic.

It leaves a question to ponder, does this highlight the influence of Astennu on his band mates? Or did he bring the ideas and leftovers to this effort. I'm sure its a question that will remain unanswered as the records either side of this sophomore project have quite the contrasts in identity. Its own, however, is tarnished somewhat but a less refined production style that could of done with a little more care. The synths are dulled by quietness more often than not. As are the sprawling piano melodies jump in with flashes of jovial color. They find themselves smothered, however if you know what to expect, you'll hear it somewhere in the mix as the sections of music roll out with mirrored ideas from SBD.

 And mirrored they are, the tropes play out with all the same techniques, half time beats often giving rise to atmospheric synths and the guitar pinch squeal whammy bar howling plunging us into blast beats and momentous darkness. Mirrored Hate Painting does come with one distinctive tarnish, the inclusion of bizarre audio clippings, down pitched and reverberated in the tackiest of manors, something akin to b-rate 70s horror movies. An English woman talks of satanic coercion, sacrifices and the murder of infants... My only thought are perhaps that the audio is not fictional and that is supposed to hold some merit to the records theme? Because if not, it sounds pretty trashy and runs in contrast to the music the few times it crops up.

I've enjoyed this one immensely, however it cannot compare to my most treasured record. Only in flashes does it show the same level of brilliance. Dimmu forged some fantastic music that felt more purposeful in composition as its lyrics and lead guitars would channel a song to meaningful climaxes. So far I hear the same ideas but not the glue to give the songs a sense of start and end. Perhaps I need more time with it, which It shall get a lot of in the coming months and maybe I will learn more of its magics but for now I am just stoked on finding such an adjacent record.

 Rating: 8/10

Arcturus "Aspera Hiems Symfonia" (1996)

 

 The unhinged rattle of a rapturous drumming, A lone distortion guitar with a dark breeze of melody, the aura of nightly synths glistening. Its a muddy mess we are initially thrown into, which then swiftly plunges into blast beats and throaty howling screams before opening up its triumphant gleam as astral organ synths and warm patrolling baselines bear its melodic majesty with might. As the music sways, the darkness is doubled down on, driving rapid chugs on the low end of the guitar and nose diving with the snare led blast. As it rears towards the darkness, so does it expand the crevasses of starlit light. They are birthed into progressive passageways of rhythmic creativity and instrumental craft imbued by subtle violin strokes and blossomed with a stunning guitar solo before the wretched howls of Garm and a bleak melodic lead reels in the song to a festive, carnival conclusion of mischief.

This is To Thou Who Dwellest In The Night, the opening track too one of my most deified Symphonic Black Metal records. Its the niche of a genre that really spoke to me in my youth. This being that one weird and sloppily produced record that I couldn't resist. It lured me in with its spellbound tone over and over again before I gave into its persuasion. Its flaws are beauty and the musical craft is a wondrous moment of genius somewhat confined to the initial cliches of this emerging sound. Arcturus would go on to fully explore their unique identity unchained but at this moments, its true birth, the grasp of Black Metal is simply a blessing to steer it to a fantastical darkness of unending imagination inspired by the mysterious night sky above.

The brilliance of drummer and living legend Hellhammer is all over this record. Although a toned down performance by his technical prowess, the rattle and roar of his thunderous drumming houses the strong expression through melody in aggression mainly backed up by the reverberated cries into the night by Garm. He also has a stunning clean voice which enters the fray timely to bring enchantment to its sways into the more expansive side of their music with deep belows and high notes alike. Its the guitar leads and synths that embellish the identity, offering up matured arrangements with melodic sways and subtle grooves more so than its occasional power chord thrashings. This is thoughtful music, reaching at the harder to express ideas with a range of fantastical synth aesthetics to back it up.

Aspera Hiems Symfonia's texture is often cold, harsh and bleak with the keys injecting this linage of majesty through its often clanky involvement. The production is a mess! Instruments bleed and clash but through this, the keyboard's classic Casio and Korg tones are blemished, shining through cracks in the seams to make themselves known. It has just enough presence to be known in subtlety and with each listen one can revere in the clarity that comes of repetition. To this day I feel like I always learn a little more of its nature with each listen. As the album art intends, they often remind me of the Northen Lights illuminating the vast endless forests of Norwegian darkness the genre's counterparts are so inspired by. These musicians noticed the stars above.

Interestingly, this record is preceded by Constellation, an EP with four of these eight songs. It gets unbalanced by its overuse of synth however with this outing they nailed a concept you could of completely missed given its initial execution. Its the newer songs that tend to be the finer affairs with a more dynamic sense of where the songs should travel. The older songs have some stiffly stitched together sections with dramatic shifts in tone and dynamics, often repetitious in structure. The attempted sound design with thunder strikes and other rumblings at the end of Wintry Grey is a fumble but the music is too glorious for it to tarnish the spell.

Arcturus have been a deeply wondrous band I've adored for so long and have been blessed to see them live. Its hard to pick a favorite, each of their albums so different and interesting. They would go on to be better known for their Avant-Guard styling but even here at the cast mold of new ideas they were a force of their own, standing alongside the cold bitter darkness of their counterparts, yet being an entirely different beast fueled by the wonder of the cosmos, both in name and spirit. My recent brush with My Angel was a keen reminder as to how special this debut album of theirs really is. Twenty five years on and it still holds up.

Rating: 10/10

The Kovenant "In Times Before The Light" (2002)

 

Its interesting how a legal battle incurred not only a name change but also a shift in sound and identity for this Norwegian duo. Nexus Polaris would suggest this transformation was possible but it was Animatronic that solidified it, the first album released under The Kovenant name. A few years on from that record the pair decided to re-record their debut full length In Time Before The Light. Under their new moniker, the approach was to re-write the songs in their new Industrial infused aesthetic and the results are mixed.

Staying faithful to the original song structures, it is mainly the instrumentation that gets an update to match the fantastical dystopian sound. Without the measured pace of Industrial Metal guitars churning out choppy palm muted chords the original riffs rub up against its now lavish synth sounds. So to do the blast beats, when the atypical plunges into Black Metal darkness come, its a point the music is at its weakest.

Much of the original lone and linear synth lines feel stripped out, replaced with Industrial noises and re-worked textural tones for the new electronic enhanced aesthetic. Over top of them reigns a lavish dance of illustrious pianos, blazing through rapturous melodies, outpacing the music with its hasty notation. Along for the ride come the retro spooky and carnival keys too, they often sound a little suspect in presence.

 The better songs beforehand tend to hold up here but overall, its hard to enjoy this one being able to hear how these songs were converted. Sticking so rigidly to the original track design creates an odd contrast, where the musicality excels individually against outdated songs structures. In other words this wondrous sound the duo fell into moved with their songwriting too. Ultimately it leaves a stale taste but has me curious what I would think had I gotten to know these re-recordings first?

Rating: 5/10

Covenant "In Times Before The Light" (1997)

 

Following up on From The Storm Of Shadows, we arrive three years later with a debut record cast from the mold of an emerging Symphonic Black Metal scene. Unlike the stylistic evolution an of Enthrone Darkness Triumph, the duo stuck with a primordial Norwegian sound paired against its bold and cheesy Casio synth tones. Effective in execution but cornering the music to its niche, one which I happen to enjoy greatly.

Firstly, all three demo songs make it across to the album. The production is a clear step up too, everything audible but also a charming mess of gritty distant guitar tones and bold, punchy drums and keys entering a somewhat forced relation that carves its atmosphere with varying effect. Over it all shriek cries and howling raspy screams offer less immersion and more concept born of genre conventions.

Ultimately its aesthetic works and achieves an entertaining darkness fostered by antiquated medieval and fantasy themes articulated through its simple, often singular synth lines. A few tremolo guitar riffs perk the ears beyond the usual rigmarole of darkly power chord arrangements and plunges into blast beats that comes with the territory. Its with a varied outcome that the bands songwriting fumbles for a few tracks.

The stiff nature of its keys, punching through the mix with a lot of power, often accentuates a different character, one to become evolve greatly on the galactic leap forward that is Nexus Polaris. It gives many of the songs passageways that dispel magic purely on tone and nature of the melody. At the same time it also houses some fantastic chemistry, although a little limited give the lack of layering tones or melodies.

Monarch Of The Mighty Darkness a keen example, its opening doomly gloom a memorable one. Late in the song its medieval leaning arrangements forge an uneasy awkwardness alongside the shrill throaty howls of Nagash. The Dark Conquest has a similar problem, slow and menacing in its brooding opening yet meanders from the path has the keys differ with vibrant flute tones. All in all its a flawed record that has enough charm to carry it along. Will be fascinating to explore it again through the lens of its re-recording.

Rating: 6/10

Covenant "From The Storm Of Shadows" (1994)

 

With SETI, Animatronic & Nexus Polaris behind us, we venture now into the less impressive origin of a remarkable band. In the past I barely bothered with demo tapes, my recent foray with My Angel gave me a nudge to give this one a try. I'm glad I did, although far from impressed with a now cliched sound I know inside out, it was a pleasure to digest these three darkly, menacing tracks of scene cast Black Metal.

 Sadly the symphonic element starts off mostly absent, possibly too enveloped by the smothering bass to stand apart with distinction. Its not until two thirds through the opening track that we hear some lone horns roaring in triumph from behind the grisly guitars. Its presence grows and by the third title track we get some medieval, partly jovial synth lines chiming in to the shadowy aggression with bold melody.

As far as the crass audio quality goes, this is a studio demo, harsh in the upper mid range but doing a great job of making its instruments heard. The key elements of the music get through, those brooding, mid tempo riffs with darkly accents, atypical of the times. It plunders away through blast beats and howling, unattractive scowls that rasp over top from Nagash who handles everything but the guitars here.

Its rather hard for these three songs to make much of a lasting impression given my already extensive exploration of Symphonic Black Metal. I'm fairly sure these songs would of carved some adoration if I'd turned to them in my youth. As it goes I skipped over them but its clear that Nagash of early Dimmu Borgir notoriety was a competent musician adding his own take on the emerging sound with vision and spirit!

Rating: 4/10

The Kovenant "Animatronic" (1999)

 

Embarking forth with a new name and shift in identity, Animatronic is their first album as The Kovenant. Nestled between last years Nexus Polaris and the later SETI, it represents the stylistic move towards Industrial Metal and electronica with a little of the former magic lingering. Reflecting on this with a more perceptive mind, it is a bigger change than I once remembered. The transition is held over well in vocal department where snarly shouts and brutish half screams anchor it to their former glory, along with Eileen Kupper's enigmatic operatic singing to usher in powerful melodies on their two best known songs. Mirror's Paradise and New World Order hit things off with an unforgettable union of catchy melodies, rocking riffs and stomping drums, all illuminated by Eileen and the strings that cruise between its Drum N Bass percussive cuts. Its a shake up of sounds, a melting pot of ideas channeled through clever song writing that appeals to popular fundamentals.

With such a strong opening, its a tough trail to follow but the remaining material explores different approaches to tone, pace and experimentation in well defined songs that form the unique feeling the opening two have. Mannequin dives into the downtrodden brooding the following record would dive into on a couple of songs too. Jihad brings an eastern melodic flavor to its crunching Industrial guitars. The Human Abstract ups the tempo with a fast paced thrashing romp lavished in glossy synths, akin to their prior effort with its more aggressive guitar tone and symphonic overdrive. All the songs have this over-represented keyboard presence that sways between club electronica and classic strings. It works wonders, beaming with prominence above the density of woven Industrial noises below it.

Home to two timeless classics, sadly Animatronic looses its footing in the closing as a couple tracks, missing the level of excellence excelled elsewhere. Prophecies Of Fire hails back to the carnival and jovial likeness of Nexus Polaris, almost like a left over reworked for this album. In The Name Of The Future recycles to many previous ideas and The Birth Of Tragedy seems an odd closing note for such a dramatic shift in tone as it explores a dark, paranoid, cyber aesthetic wonderfully. Most notable is the clunky cover of Babylon Zoo's Spaceman. Ironically It sounds like a flip of the original, where the mess between the catchy chorus was rather unappealing. In this instance The Kovenant do everything right except the hook which doesn't spark in the deep burly voice its delivered through. Animatronic is home to a potent, exceptional and inspired sound but as an album tends to decline steadily to a good from greatness. That said, you can't deny the brilliance of its opening two songs, forever personal favorites.

Rating: 8/10

Arcturus "My Angel" (1991)

Finding myself on a Symphonic Black Metal binge of late, I turned my attention to Arcturus, an old favorite. Something then caught my eye, the release date! As far as the Norwegian scene is concerned, anything dated before late 1993 tends to carry a little mystique for the front runners who were involved before the explosion of popularity and exposure. This two song release is also considered to be the first inception of Symphonic Black Metal at a time where the 2nd wave sound was still forming its identity. I don't know how I never gave any attention before. Ive been aware of it since discovering this amazing band.

My Angel is one of those curious records that evokes thought over time and place, a band caught in a moment trying to find their footing with emerging musical ideas. It has soft remnants of Mortem, the Death Metal act these musicians were previously known as and with a strong shift away from that style the name change was certainly apt. The lasting aesthetic identities here are the iconic synth string tones, which feature heavily on their debut. That and a handful of compositions in Mortax give you an idea of where they will go. The drudging guttural grows and gloomy atmosphere will be left behind.

The record stands as a curious transition between music scenes and ideas. With the ideals of extremity and low fidelity yet to become hallmarks of the Black Metal genre, Arcturus pull on the slow pace of Doom Metal and simple power chord arrangements as their tools to sway towards evil and darkness. It takes on a haunting persona with the lead guitar on My Angel wailing like a lost spirit calling across fog swept moors.

The production is crass but capable. Sloppy and dissonant it carries a charm, one for the era you could consider a decent attempt at introducing these thick atmospheric key tones alongside the extremities producers where still figuring how to piece together. The second song, Morax, hit me as a three part song stitched together. While writing this blog I've learned they had a demo tape from the year before, further adding to the mystique. On that cassette Morax was split into three and alongside a synth intro, showed these guys had this sound together a little earlier than I initially thought! All in all a very enjoyable discovery for someone who thought I knew this all inside out!

Rating: 4/10

Covenant "Nexus Polaris" (1998)

From The Kovenant to Covenant, as we roll the years back you undoubtedly noticed the change in name. This is down to a dispute with an equally named Swedish EDM artist who won the usage rights. Upon their next effort, that transition was made alongside a rebranding in image and presentation. Nexus Polaris, the groups sophomore effort, would then be re-released under the new and handy renaming. Interestingly their debut would receive an peculiar re-recording that attempts to shed the original music of its genre cast tone and rewrite much of the synths to try and capture the genius that first erupted here. Perhaps the magic was in that original record but this is the moment where a unique brilliance emerged from the cast mold of the then young Symphonic Black Metal sound.

As hinted at, the magic lies in a more elaborate sense of what the symphony could be, similar to Arcturus on paper, yet arriving with a different alien personality. The records eight tracks blaze with the roar and bite of ferocious Black Metal, mostly propelled by the rumbling barrage of Hellhammer's legendary percussive style. He debuts with the band here, unleashing his busying three arm style to propel the aggressive side with a dense layering of drum and cymbal strikes. Alongside him the vocals too deliver howling and wretched screams atypical of the genre but most notable is Lex Icon's withdrawing to a snarling throaty growling of his cosmic unworldly lyrics. This toned down temperament aids the balance of extremity and musicality the songs exude.

Snugly fit between the battering drums and gleaming synth work sit these subtle distortion guitars tinged by a Thrash Metal pacing. Arriving with melodic inflections and the occasional blistering guitar solo, they act a keen bridge between forces, the unifying element to give rise to the symphonic theme and anchor the aesthetic in aggression. Rarely are they the main focus but every riff chugs away choppy rhythms and grooves to see the theatrics on there way.

Front and center is the symphonic aspect. Where the genres artists once mirrored the general direction of their darkly music with gloomy and majestic Casio keyboard tones, Covenant strode to bring a cinematic experience. The awe and wonder can be felt in an instant, as The Sulphar Feast warms up with its shimmering acoustic guitars and it plunges into blast beats, Sarah Jezebel Deva, once of Cradle Of Filth, lends her wicked voice with an operatic presence that signifies much of the compositional genius to come. Rather than complimenting tonal aesthetics, the keys take charge as the lead direction of these thematic songs, often tinged with a carnival flavoring.

 Along the journey many keyboard instrument sounds feature, from the expectant choral synth tones to bright pianos and even an accordion on one song. It orchestrates wonderfully with an astral sense of wonder and touch of madness to tie it keenly to its extreme delivery. Its keen writing that packages big themes into simple repetitious melodies rolled off one another to keep that galactic sense of scale. Also featuring a few "electronic" tones in brief stints it does signify where the band may go but in this instant sits with me as a wondrous piece of music its hard to find fault with.

Its been such a long time this record has been with me, blowing the dust off again the magic hasn't weathered a fraction. Appreciating it once again I am particularly fond of Chariots Of Thunder, the first from the album I heard. The song has a leveling of elements as all its instruments feel integral to one another where the rest of the record dove heavily into its wonderfully bizarre and cosmic orchestration. Its a fair temperament to close on and always gives me an emotional stiring that the end of a powerful movie might do. I love it, a true classic!

Rating: 10/10

The Kovenant "SETI" (2003)

 

Well here is a fascinating band I have sat on for far too long. Becoming a recent obsession again, it is finally time to dive into a peculiar band with an abridging discography spanning their unique transition across the spectrum of Metal. They helped forge a significant portion in the musical landscape of my youth. I discovered them through the CKY movie soundtracks sometime before this albums release. As the forth of four, it is the duo of Lex Icon and Psy Coma's final offering, with the specter of the supposedly fully written, fifth, unreleased record Aria Galactica left in limbo to this day.

For me, this band have never set a foot wrong, with each of the albums living up to its own vision. SETI, however is a notably trendy record, aligning somewhat with the rapidly rising Rammstein sound. Its an Industrial Metal romp rocking strong symphonic and electronic instruments with a mild hangover from their Black Metal days. Its complexity is notably less lavish compared to what came before but in this simplicity a catchy stride is struck.

 

This brings me to my favorite aspect, each of the songs have character and theme that sets them apart from one another. Embroiled in the post Nu-Metal vibes of that era, the duo seem to have an ear for what makes the downtrodden anthems tick, repackaging them in their spacey, synth heavy take on this popular strand. SETI has a handful of songs I wouldn't blink twice if I heard blaring in the intermissions at Metal festivals and clubs. The reality is a sad one though, these legends are very much overlooked and forgotten having barely toured since this final records release.

The record ebbs and flows between slabs of stomping distortion guitar led groove and melodic counterparts of estranged cyberpunk synth, the songs often finding its climax when they fire on all cylinders. Equally from track to track it alternates with slower anthems. Star By Star, Stillborn Universe, The Perfect End open up with moody singalongs that have something wonderful emanating through the walls of sound. This is a dense record, a barrage of Industrial kit sounds give the meaty sound depth as peculiar key tones drive home its potent melodies. They often pull up a classic old school monster flick spooky synth sound that is just delight to indulge with.

In the madness of thick instrumentation the pair are quite adventurous with the vocals, the best comes when brooding melancholy lyrics from a burly voice. Between it all, a variety of intensities often harking back to harsh Black Metal screams gives the whole record bursts of raw aggression that is fantastic. Early on strong operatic female vocals are worked in like resonate symphonies drawing in more expectant vibes to deliver the massively cosmic and astral tone the music encompasses. Neon would be a keen example of diversity as drawing in Eastern sounds adds to the flavor, somehow making them beautifully alien in the process.

This record potentially has one flaw and that is length. Filling a CD up at a bold sixty seven minutes, many of these numbers crossing the 6 minute mark and seem lengthy with the repetition loaded in song structures. Yet it is not so, these songs are so infectious they hold you in. The weaker cuts do find themselves towards the end however they all give you something unique, speaking of which, it ends on a cover of The Memory Remains. Originally by Metallica, its a rocky cover, not quite finding the groove but when the sing along melody hits, the operatic vocal brings it in wonderfully. All things said, this record is etched into my soul somewhat. I've adored this band for so long and think its a massive shame they are not known of more. Diving back into these records and writing about it will be some good therapeutic fun however!

Rating: 9/10

Shade Empire "Zero Nexus" (2008)

 

Released five years before their almighty Arcane Omega, Zero Nexus is another fumbling block on a patchy path of production hell that seems to drop the ball for the same reasons once again. Putting forth its extreme elements in imbalance, it is the snarling snout of Harju that groans its guttural filth loudly with a textured harshness to drown out the quite and underwhelmed synths. The distortion guitars too have subtlety drained as the details of its fretwork get lost under the mechanical rattle of pounding drums.

Its musical ideas are lost in the muddy wash of sound that pivots on a lot of Industrial grooves. Interchanged rhythmic pummeling drives on harshly as the strike of snares and kick drums flood the music with aggression. Attentive ears can pick out the pianos, strings and electronic tones dispersed between, all blemished by a lack of power and presence. Even direct focus doesn't let the chemistry elevate but it does yield a certain curiosity about them. When the music parts from its charging instruments, often with a percussive break beat of sorts, even then does seem tamed.

Its worst element are the vocals which could really do with being toned down behind other sounds. The range of gutturals displayed tend to lack power and potency, instead hinging on a throaty roughness, especially dialing up the cringe on its halfway clean attempts. Its god awful and a constant distraction from interesting song structures and arrangements that take place in the ebb and flows. Of the handful of spins I've given this I just can't get past its awful production, so disappointing.

Rating: 4/10