Black Metal History Month - Dimmu Borgir : "Spiritual Black Dimensions"

 

Here is the first album that really finds them tapping into the peak sound for the band, as ICS Vortex sings on it, though Nagash is still playing bass. Mustis also joined as their keyboardist. Shagrath was well settled into being the vocalist. There is a chaotic mix to this album that gives it a rawer feeling than what they would go on to do. As a result, Vortex's vocal lines do not have the space to hold as much impact. It does feel more like their own path and not as fixated on conforming to what black metal had become at this point.

The second song follows the hyperblast formula more closely and rages off this aggression.  Thus making it less effective than the first song. "Dreamside Dominions" is more purposeful and even epically majestic in its scope. The added presence of Mustis makes this more pronounced. Vortex's vocal accent on this one sits behind Shagrath's vocal in the mix. The songwriting is also more concise with less sprawling arrangements. This might add to a little of the chaotic feel as they are cramming just as much into a shorter time span. "United in Unhallowed Grace" has more aggressive riffing, but it's hooky. 

There is more of a gothic feel to the orchestral arrangement of "The Promised Future Aeons." Even when being onically grandiose, they kept it inside the seven-minute mark. Today's black metal bands could learn from the songwriting of this album. "Blazing Monoliths of Defiance" lives up to its name and blazes in a very in-your-face fashion. This need for speed also keeps it from being one of the album's more memorable moments. "The Insight and the Catharsis"  is a more melodic and balanced performance. 

"Grotesquery Concealed " has some pretty ripping solos, but fits the mold of what you want from these guys without breaking new ground even for this era, though there are some cool effects on Shagrath's voice that they were experimenting with. The last song has the benefit of a creepy melodic touch being applied. Rather than a verse-chorus formula, the song works off a gradual build. I will round this up to a 10 as it's a huge improvement, and stacks up against their most classic work.